Improvisation

Improvisation is the act of making something up as it is performed. This term is usually used in the context of music, theater or dance.

Music

Jazz and bluegrass are well-known for using improvisation. It features in many kinds of traditional music, including flamenco, pygmy and other African music, eastern classical music such as Carnatic, Hindustani, and Arabic music, modern music like rap music, and was once an important element in European classical music (see cadenza and figured bass). Improvisation can be structured, with certain rules constraining the improvisation (for example, "make up a song about bicycles", "use these chord changes", and so on), or can have no such constraints (free improvisation). A growing number of contemporary composers are requiring a greater degree of improvisation, examples including Pauline Oliveros, Terry Riley, Frederic Rzewski, Karlheinz Essl, Tori Amos and Christian Wolff.

Related Topics:
Jazz - Bluegrass - Flamenco - Pygmy - Africa - Carnatic - Hindustani - Arabic - Rap music - European classical music - Cadenza - Figured bass - Song - Bicycle - Chord - Free improvisation - Pauline Oliveros - Terry Riley - Frederic Rzewski - Karlheinz Essl - Tori Amos - Christian Wolff

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