The Special Feature 2/2024 Editorial: The art of spontaneity: Exploring the boundaries of improvisation

A live musical performance is inevitably tied to a specific time and place. Even if the piece has been performed before, the unique combination of the occasion, musicians, and audience creates an encounter that can never be exactly replicated.

This uniqueness is even more pronounced when the music performed is improvised. As Libero Mureddu cites Steve Lacy in this special issue, improvisation has been described as a process “where the performed piece and the time for its composition are of equal length.” However, whether improvisation qualifies as composition can be debated, as improvisation and composition are fundamentally distinct forms of expression – or, more precisely, have been conceptualised as such in Western music. Yet, this conceptualization itself might be misleading. Although improvisation is often set against written music, it is interwoven with various approaches to music-making in ways that transcend the written vs. improvised dichotomy.

Firstly, improvisation frequently plays a crucial role in the creation of written music, which is often idealised as a wholly rational process oriented toward a predetermined goal. Conversely, many cultures do not distinguish “improvisation” as a separate mode of expression because it is so integral to all musical activities. Improvisation can also occur in hybrid and unexpected forms. For instance, an act of improvisation might happen unintentionally during a performance, or it might follow a predetermined structure. Moreover, improvisation can never be as free and boundless as it is often idealised to be, as an individual’s improvisation is inevitably shaped by their unique musical understanding. Nevertheless, this unique understanding can manifest in surprising ways when combined with other musicians.

This special issue of FMQ highlights improvisation, exploring this multifaceted phenomenon through various genres and approaches. We delve into the experiences of musicians who balance spontaneity and structure, revealing how improvisation shapes their creative processes and performances. As we will see, the topic is marked by complexity that manifests itself in kaleidoscopic ways.

Featured picture created with DALL·E 2.