As a musician and co-founder of Mullbaus in Lucerne I am amazed at Thomas Meyer's assertion that free improvisation is at the end. That is not my perception. I am grateful to the many reactions of my predecessors, who, quite rightly and in detail that the younger scene in the article is totally neglected. For nearly three years dedicated to free improvisation in Lucerne Concerts, yet always unsubsidized. Working with us you can hear bands and ad-hoc groups, the older and the younger generation, international, national and local variables, established and students, noisy stream-of-Consciousness-bands and miniatures zirkelnde MelodikerInnen, electronic minimalism and free jazz. Also find monthly free improvisation concerts for children. After the gig with us among the musicians with the audience very often criticized and debated. Especially the use of melody or groove is an often-discussed topic and the reintegration into free contexts this is a process that is interesting, of course with more or less successful results. However, to try an interim verdict after more than a hundred concerts, I am amazed at how good the quality of what is heard as a whole, however different the individual views may be.
I give Thomas Meyer right that the discourse is often ignored on these forms of music. Is this due to the language? Indeed, the protagonists often lack the terminology. But thereby hangs together well? May not have more the theorists of the event with a very distant? Is the (academic) theory also overwhelmed, keep step with new trends, as the music-making are overwhelmed by the labels which they are immediately placed? Sign of this is that musicians adorn, to talk about their music and music journalists claim, absurdly, that free improvisation is at the end. After all, it liberates them from the effort to stay curious and going to concerts, which could possibly surprise them. The musicians are thankfully not stop thinking about their music to have. Although they sometimes have trouble with formulations.
In my time at the conservatory there was the only aesthetic engagement with music in improvisation classes. Music students learn the terminology and do not later intellectualized by Language can not narrow. A thorough reporting and analysis - and recognition - is missing in the media as almost completely. The musicians, however, reflect very well precisely what they produce, which also shows this blog. The exchange is extremely important. But not necessarily at symposia, most often by the age portrayed by Thomas Meyer layer convened and held. Where the academisation can lead, for example, jazz, new music composed or, more recently popular music in the worst case, we have seen. Improvising musicians of all ages do not retreat into an ivory tower, but look for the stage and the audience. That is, as Thomas Meyer knows, difficult enough. The fact that the musicology in the perception of new trends is still lagging behind, lies in the nature of things. Bad is it when the music science - or in this case, the reporting culture - the music says that it has reached an end point and the cultural policy takes these theses grateful. If the drawers are is because there is no room for new.
And yet: The Free improvisation is now enshrined as a subject at the music schools. Thomas Meyer says she has so squandered its underground bonus and originality. Why not make yourself according. The quoted Urban Mäder describes beautifully why improvisation is an important Part of musical training (in addition would add that it represents an ideal perception of school). It is not just about that all participants become better musicians. They should in turn receive the interest and the skills to be able to include in their future educational activity at the music schools with improvisation, as the pedagogy calls since the seventies to encourage children and young people can perfect. For this reason, there are now also improvisation courses at teacher training colleges. This claim is also high, but not to be confused with the artistic standards on a stage. In any case, it is not to imply that this art has lost its necessity. Ideally, we are creating in the medium term a new audience. There
New vocal and lyrical way, it projects a few. The influences are as slam poetry, rap or the young contemporary literature. Among them are is among others the project Bern Everywhere, Michael Stauffer in various projects and radio plays, for example, with Hans Koch Hans-Peter Pfammatter, and Jürg Halter alias Kutti MC, which occurs with Julian Sartorius, Fredy Studer, Philipp Schaufelberger and Vera Kappeler . The pop-area (among others) for many is actually a close related field, and the pop music is enriched by improvisers (Julian Sartorius has its own color, until recently, the band brought by Sophie Hunger). In addition, it would be worth a consideration, as the theater or the art work freely improvised music scene enriched, and vice versa enriched by it (I recall, for example, the duo Luigi Archetti / Bo Wiget).
I think the Swiss scene in recent years moved closer together and therefore more exciting than ever. Quality counts, not the musical background or language. The knowledge of different musical styles - and thus respect for them - is growing. The exchange across national borders is increasing. Again, there are many young, continuous examples: the projects of Paed Conca with Lebanese musicians, the Ensemble Rue Du Nord, the Swiss project Balkan Creative Music, which many in recent years through the Lucerne workshop in Chicago triggered collaborations and many more.
These are all enrichment receiving this form of music alive for me and carry on and not "highly compromised" are. Perhaps young musicians find new answers to questions that responded to the generation of the 60-year-old in itself? The dogmas of free improvised music are in the last millennium, now it has become much freer.
is revealed in the next misunderstanding: For Thomas Meyer placed under the free improvisation, to the departure into unknown territory behind them. As evidence, he is a concert this year was with Peter Brötzmann, the "fact even well-shaped lines" from him. Apart from the fact that the discussion of whether Brötzmann can play all (or Anthony Braxton swing, Derek Bailey play on harmonies, Picasso drawing in perspective ...) an outdated stereotype is that bores me, Brötzmann is a bad example. Those who had ears to hear, has already seen this side of him much sooner, not later than on his solo recordings. A serious operation a few years ago and a related healthier lifestyle may have contributed to theirs. Thomas Meyer sees the most as a step backwards, but I was disappointed by Brötzmann, if he would sound the same for 40 years. Times have changed and some battles are fought. In the spirit of the times he goes whistling on his way, who wants to blame him, it remains curious and powerful, chooses his fellow musicians who can keep up with him and are often a good deal younger than he sounds and better than ever.
As an epilogue, a concert experience: Coincidentally, on the same weekend as the STV / Lucerne Festival evening of improvised music in the South Pole was a small and because many public march bursting at the seams Mullbau a Chris Erb curated festival. Excerpts: According to Hans-Peter Pfammatter lyrical piano playing has Flo Stoffner put down a loud-distorted planar solo guitar set, the young Bieler scene was represented by Vincent Membrez and Lionel Friedli on qoniak Groove duo, immediately after Hildegard Kleeb almost classical-modern piano chords to Pelayo Arrizabalagas turntables. Before that was a long dramatic arc of the electronic duo to hear current, a veritable working band. My personal highlight was a - if you will - cross-generational trio with Hans Koch, Christian Weber and Hans-Peter Pfammatter. It never sounded stale, because it is the broad experience of these musicians, it led to a very modern, formal and content, better music, with underground bonus. It had everything Thomas Meyer missing. Such a festival would have sounded 15 years ago, definitely different.
Marc Unternährer
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