All That Classical Jazz. Hendiadys ; Bruce Gremo Flute and Vladimir Djurovic Piano at St. John’s DTK.. Musical Flora Curator and performers notes. When and where does the genre of jazz music begin? If jazz is an American music form then it seems easy enough to answer that it begins with Dixieland, and has roots also in the blues. An adequate answer, that European composers like Darius Milhaud and Francis Poulenc would acknowledge. It was also adequate to 20th philosophers like Theodore Adorno for whom jazz (by which he understood these early black music forms of the American south) was a mechanical music of the oppressed, tragically happy and full of intoxicating abandon, but a revealing abandon nonetheless. George Gershwin’s ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ was not so concerned with the socio-political implications of the jazz music of that time, and saw in it an authentic expression of current American life, a true expression - celebration even - of the excitement and hopes of then contemporary urban life. It is di ffi cult - if even possible - to separate such diverging threads in looking at the history of jazz. If one de fi nes jazz as requiring both intentions - socio-political commentary and exuberantly authentic self-expression - then it would seem that the de fi nition of jazz need change as the cultural context evolves. With the broadest of strokes, I would propose the there are two periods in the history of jazz in the 20th century; the period starting with dixieland and blues sentiment culminates in the big band and swing era, and then with a disjunction, the advent of bebop (Charlie Parker to name one of many) culminates in the free jazz and experimentalism of the 1960 and 70s (Ornatte Coleman to name one of many). A number of classical composers of the second part of the 20th century would agree with this division. American composer Gunther Schuller coined the term 3rd stream music in 1957. He meant by this expression a fusion of jazz and classical. Listening to his music, it is clear that he had bebop in mind (still a novel form at that time, Charlie Parker had only recently passed away in 1955), and the fusion of that with complex theories of harmony that were abundant mid- century after 50 years of Stravinsky, Bartok and many others). We have been hearing the most pervasive consequences and evolutions of this fusion in fi lm music ever since. From the jazz side of things, composer/performer Anthony Braxton still explores the experimentalism of new classical music, developing strategies for atonal improvisation (1970s), and improvisation models based on gestural notations rather than pitch-based sta ff notations. George Lewis broke ice by introducing computer applications and strategies for pitch-tracking based interactions, the computer functioning as a complex sonic mirror to the performer (Voyager series 1980s). As did classical experimentalist Martin Bartlett in the early 1980s (Response series). Nowadays, it is not uncommon to fi nd jazz players who think entirely in terms of intervals, not chords or melodies. Pianist/composer Vijay Iyer does this in tandem with integrating Indian raga and classical Indian music theory into his playing and compositions. Since the advent of various types of indeterminacy in classical music, classical and jazz musicians have found formats for directly collaborating with each other. On a personal note , my most formative years were spent living and working in New York City (1986-2006) where that cross fertilization between classical and jazz musicianship was happening at an ever accelerating rate. Today it is in the DNA of most young players. If to be called jazz requires two intentions - socio-political commentary and exuberantly authentic self-expression - then as the times change new techniques are required. What was jazz becomes classical; the old techniques become canonical, time honored, requiring skill, notated and well documented. Music departments develop around this. Sound like classical music and the relationship the canon has with contemporary and experimental music? What I am leading to is that jazz or classical be less de fi ned in terms of contents and more by intentions and state of mind. In other words, when I go to a jazz club and hear an implicit pianistic tribute to jazz legend pianist Bill Evans, I am hearing classical music. If I go to a concert venue and hear music that is unfamiliar, that challenges me to predict what happens next; is this not jazz (an exuberant authentic voice that draws me out of my slumber into a novel musical communion)? One can draw a philosophical conclusion from this. There are two concepts of history underlying the distinction between classical and jazz as presented above. The fi rst concert of history harkens to the biblical assertion, there is nothing new under the sun. History ever repeats and repeats. A practical consequence is that what worked before and for generations before that, still does. It is why we can still listen to Monteverdi and be astonished. The second concept of history is progressive. History is linear, evolves and hopefully for human beings, enables higher levels of accomplishment. This is why there is a need for authentic socio-political commentary; to re fl ect and understand - and through music to feel - who where and what we are, as individuals and at whatever level of community. Are there more than two concepts of history? I would say so, but I would also say that it is another topic! Su ffi ce it to say, many composers share an intention to balance these two. There have been volumes written on topics taken from every sentence above. It is an extraordinarily rich topic; classical jazz, jazz and classical, without even getting into the role of improvisation. No end of work for musicologists here. Quite understandable if a music lover says, keep it simple. I would like to take one thread. This context makes that thread meaningful. I would say that the Russian composer Nikolai Kapustin is one who endeavoured to balance jazz and classical as we have discussed above. The balance is hard won, and Kapustin comes as close as one can. Full disclosure. This article anticipates a performance happening at the Musical Flora series at St. John’s DTK. On March 15, Hendiadys - a duo with Bruce Gremo Flute and Vladimir Djurovic piano - present a recital which features as the main work, the Sonata for Flute and Piano. Hendiadys ; Bruce Gremo Flute and Vladimir Djurovic piano in rehearsal. Vladimir Djurovic is not only a performer specializing in Kapustin’s music, but also a Kapustin scholar. I will introduce Kapustin in Vladimir’s own words, quoting at length from a dissertation he wrote on him. “Russian composer and pianist Nikolai Kapustin passed away in 2020. Awareness and appreciation of Kapustin ! s music has been steadily increasing over the past few years and while remaining largely in obscurity over the last several decades, Kapustin is finally beginning to receive some mainstream recognition. The reasons for Kapustin ! s relative obscurity can be attributed to the composer ! s disinterest in fame, geographical location (Russia) and the past political environment of said location. The accessibility of the music itself is a factor as well. In his article titled " Nikolai Kapustin – A Performer ! s Perspective ! , Leslie De ! Ath writes about Kapustin saying that # He is interested in composing and recording, but not public performance, travel, or fame. The benchmarks of musical success often cited in Western culture have eluded him, because he has no interest in them”. 1 Kapustin lived a humble, solitary life. He was a family man who was dedicated passionately and privately to composing which he believed to be his destiny. Kapustin lived the entirety of his life in Russia and grew up studying in the years of the Soviet Union. Russian musical culture is very self-contained, and while some composers and pianists might have been celebrated in Russia, it does not necessarily mean they were well known outside of Russia. Kapustin ! s music (which is heavily influenced by jazz) did not fair well for a long period in Russia, especially in the Soviet Union where jazz was prohibited, and labelled a western, capitalist influence. In his years of study at the Moscow Conservatory, Kapustin had to censor his interest in jazz piano and composition completely. One of the additional hurdles when it comes to appreciating Kapustin ! s music for pianists is its immense technical demands. It is often discouraging to realize that despite the music ! s catchiness and extrovert quality (which motivate many a listener to decide to study this repertoire) its physical and intellectual requirements prolong the learning process quite extensively. Kapustin ! s scores are incredibly detailed and can be quite intimidating to read. Besides the technical challenge, the music requires that the pianist have a familiarity with the stylistic and performative elements of jazz piano playing as well as for the melodic and harmonic sound world of jazz. Despite its obvious jazz influence and the temptation to categorize it as jazz, Kapustin ! s music adheres strictly to classical music norms. Kapustin himself dispelled the myth that he is a jazz composer, saying # I am a classical composer who uses jazz idioms in his style...” In another quote Kapustin says: # For me the classical part is more important. The jazz style is there to give colour – I don ! t like jazz " forms $%! % if you can describe them as that – which is why I ! ve adopted those from classical music.” There are several factors that distinguish Kapustin ! s music from that of jazz, but the defining difference lies in the way the music is notated. Kapustin ! s music undoubtedly conforms to classical tradition – he makes use of opus numbers to categorize his works and he composes in standard classical genres such as sonata, prelude, etude, fugue and so on. Unlike jazz, there is never any allowance for improvisation in Kapustin ! s music and there are no sections of the music that are ever marked ad libitum or that signal in any other way that one can improvise at their own discretion. Instead, there are passages in Kapustin ! s music which simulate jazz improvisation, but they are all carefully composed. Part of Kapustin ! s brilliance lies in being able to notate with precise detail and nuance all the elements of authentic jazz soloing – off-beat accents and syncopation, melodic enclosures and patterns which highlight important chord-tones, alteration of rhythmic groupings, chordal accompaniment in the left hand (referred to as " comping ! % in jazz) and more.” Composer Nikolai Kapustin Earlier I proposed that bebop - the music of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and more - represented a decisive divide in the the history of jazz. I believe Kapustin agreed with this. Having worked on his sonata for fl ute and piano with Vladimir, I would characterize his music as ‘hyper-bop.’ In bebop one fi nds extremely rapid harmonic rhythms which in some cases run through key changes at a virtuosic tempo. John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” is a great example. In jazz programs at universities, this piece is a standard for demonstrating that one has serious technique for improvising with harmonic control. Hyper 1. Kapustin takes this further than Giant Steps. Almost every opportunity for fast modulations, he takes it. Hyper 2. It is common in bop improvisation to ‘chord substitute.’ In a fi rst iteration of a passage you have notes F-A-C-E, then there is only one note di ff erence with A-C-E-G the next reiteration. Furthermore, Kapustin will take this and enharmonically pivot it so the 2nd or 3rd iteration might pivot on note C, but chromatically color shift to G#-B#- D#-F#. Lessons from jazz pianist McCoy Tyner. Constant neighbor tones and passing tones (hyper 3), and cross meter phrasing and shifting sub-divisions (hyper 4). In calling it hyper-bop, I do suggest that this is something that can only be done by writing it out. It cannot be improvised, at least not with the same resulting precision. When one listens to recordings of Charlie Parker, the virtuosity is immediately awe inspiring. But there is a debate here. Is Charlie Parker - also known as Bird - fl ying with the calculating ear of the jazz student preparing for a performance exam, or fl ying from sheer emotional engagement and a lot of muscle memory developed from having been playing from intense emotional engagement for years, intense emotional engagement tempered with all the socio-political racist realities that beset talented young black men in middle 20th century America? It would be quite improbable for a player to improvise with the precise complexity that Kapustin demonstrates in his writing. It is equally unlikely that a composer like Kapustin can capture the raw energy that Parker demonstrates when he is fl ying. But if any composer does come close, it is Kapustin. That alone is a reason to listen to him. He throws in enough disjunction and phrasing surprises, that it never sounds like a technique study. What I fi nd unique in Kapustin’s jazz/classical dialogue is that he confronts and resources jazz at its most virtuosic and challenging. I have yet to encounter a ‘classical’ composer who does this to the same extent. Similarly, nor have I encountered a jazz composer who has mastered form and structure to the same degree as a classical composer. I had the rather amazing experience of working for Ornette Coleman in a performance of his work ‘Skies of America.' Coleman - the musician who coined the term free jazz in the early 1960s - was the developer of a jazz composition theory known as harmelodics . In a Coleman score, you have only an extended melody. It is intended as a kind of baseline from which you can play any harmonic accompaniment, as long as it is referencing the tones of the melody. Considerable complexity can result quickly, if for example, two players both treat the melody as fundamental tones to chords which one reads ascending and the other descending (you do not know the others interval structure, you just have to hear it). For a player coming into the piece without years of experience with Ornette’s music, it was a huge responsibility to fi nd the collective discipline to shape a honed piece, and not only exercise a strategy for generating interesting contents. Coleman’s score also laid out sequences of instrument combinations, duos trios, full band and so on. Even with the prescribed form, in the absence of structural realization that a score provides, or hours of practice time needed to acquire new ensemble techniques, one is left to learn from Parker and ‘let it fl y.’ A looser more general performance practice, but one with its own unique accomplishments. Di ffi cult to fi nd the place in between. In learning Kapustin’s music, one is immediately reminded of how virtuosic music enables a special kind of catharsis for the audience. The sheer athletic accomplishment already generates audience awe. The advantage of the classical score is that the player presumably takes the time to surpass the athleticism, both as an individual player and ensemble member, and then unlock the emotional narrative potential. The same is true of an improvisors’ ensemble that has played together for years. It takes time with the same players to develop group discipline. The economic realities of musical life make this balance of classical and jazz di ffi cult. Kapustin beat the odds by spending his lifetime focused on the one general thing, classical and jazz. When the balance is achieved, all one can say is, extraordinary. A note to the listener. In listening to Kapusitn perhaps it is useful to think of a roller-coaster. There are good and bad way to ride a roller coaster. The bad way is to resist it, tense up and lean back aways from the momentum. The good way is to relax and lean forward into the momentum. Kapustin’s music moves fast enough that if you do the later - whether or not one can hear the constant changing harmonic rhythm - you are guaranteed exhilaration. Exhilaration is one step from astonishment. Once again, on March 15 @ 2pm, Musical Flora at St. John’s DTK, a Hendiadys recital, Bruce Gremo fl ute and Vladimir Djurovic piano. The complete program includes Bela Bartok’s Hungarian Peasant Suite, Philippe Gaubert’s Sonatine; Quasi Fantasia. Two quick notes. It was well known that Bartok spent much time doing fi eld research in the Hungarian countryside, documenting traditional folk music, before it disappeared. In this work, Bartok relaxes and lets the impromptu feel of the music take hold. Gaubert was a virtuosic fl ute player as well as proli fi c composer for the fl ute. The Sonatine is sub-titled “Quasi Fantasia.” A fantasia is less a form and more of a composition strategy, the intention being to express freedom of the moment. Both pieces in their own ways contribute to this discussion, balancing what comes from the moment with what comes from deliberation. I will share one more thing about Vladimir Djurovic. He is also a passionate improvising musician. In fact, we both are. I have been an improvising musician my entire music career. Not a common skill amongst classical recitalists. I believe it is a special advantage to have this skill when performing music like Kapustin’s and the other pieces on the program. It is an additional problem solving skill that one can bring to performing complex music. Only musicians who improvise will fully grasp what jazz band leader Duke Ellington meant when he admonished a young player in his band, who sheepishly apologized for playing a wrong note; “You’re a musician. Next time make the wrong note sound right.” Kapustin was certainly happy with his own solutions and would not have condoned playing wrong notes (but I guess he would not have strongly condemned them either). But an experienced concert performer himself, and so deliberate in the technical di ffi culty of his writing, he would have applauded the jazz musicians performance practice of courting danger and making the tenuous moments sound right. In Kapustin’s own words. “Sometimes, looking back at the decades of my life, I wish I could rewrite my past and make it perfect like the music I compose... but no, our life is like jazz improvisation, it should always be spontaneous, always in the moment, and always free.” Please come to our extraordinary concert. I hope to see you there. Bruce Gremo 260217 Concert @ Musical Flora @ St. John’s DTK on Sunday March 15 @ 2 pm Corner of Duke and Water Streets, downtown Kitchener. Admission $20 or pay as you able and willing to support the series. Free for students and unwaged. Free street parking on Sundays. City Hall parking, one block away is also free on Sundays.