In den letzten Jahrzehnten hat sich in der Mediävistik die Meinung einiger Forscher durchgesetzt, den oralen Traditionen käme bei der Erforschung der frühmittelalterlichen Musikgeschichte ein hoher Stellenwert zu. Bei Berücksichtigung dieses Aspektes entsteht ein völlig anderes Geschichtsbild als bei einer ausschließlichen Betrachtung der in Noten überlieferten Musikproduktionen. Die Erforschung der nicht-schriftlichen Musik steht vor dem Problem, dass die diesbezügliche Quellenlage extrem dürftig ist. In vielen Fällen lässt sich diese Tradition entweder nur aus dem Kontext erschließen oder aus Hinweisen, die sich verstreut und eher zufällig in diversen Quellen finden. Das darf nicht zu dem Fehlschluss verleiten, Fantasien, Improvisationen und das schriftlose Musizieren seien ohne Bedeutung gewesen. Der Beitrag stellt diese Thematik in einem größeren Kontext dar und berücksichtigt auch außereuropäische Aspekte der oralen Traditionen. / In the last decades it was established among some researchers in the field of mediaeval studies that oral traditions seem to be of considerable significance to the research of early medieval music history. Consideration of this aspect leads to a completely different conception of history compared to a perspective limited exclusively to music production as it survives on the page. Yet research into non-written music is faced with the problem that relevant sources are extremely limited. In many cases this oral tradition can only become accessible by interpreting original contexts or through indications scattered rather haphazardly in various sources. This should not lead to the fallacy that fantasies, improvisations, and non-notated music making were without importance, however. This article presents this topic in a larger context and also considers non-European aspects of oral traditions.

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Stories of the Wind is an audiovisual performance exploring various media to tell a story, integrating media at the intersection of visual arts and music, leveraged by technology. Different materials and technologies coexist as pieces of an audiovisual performance, with images, sound objects and interactive works. The production of this work was informed by artistic-scholarship, which involved the combination of aesthetic education and aesthetic experience with research and analysis in the process of artistic and academic creation. This project was meant to be exhibited in the Cube, at the Moss Arts Center, at Virginia Tech. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was not possible to present the project in the space that it was created for, so a video adaptation was made to be submitted for the thesis defense. The video submitted as the thesis project pandemic adaptation can be seen through the following link: https://youtu.be/dH8ce9KO41w / M.F.A. / Stories of the Wind is an audiovisual performance telling a story using visual arts and music. It was created to be performed in the Cube, at the Moss Arts Center, at Virginia Tech. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was not possible to perform the project. A video adaptation was made instead, which can be seen through the following link: https://youtu.be/dH8ce9KO41w

In the field of musical expression, the complex relationship between improvisation and the cognitive processes that underlie creativity presents a fascinating yet challenging puzzle, prompting this thesis to explore the connection between musical improvisation and creative cognition among musicians. Focusing on the development of robust methods for feature extraction and representation, it utilizes unsupervised Machine Learning (ML) techniques to project improvisations from a prime melody into a high-level latent space. The methodology involves iterative analysis employing Variational Autoencoder (VAE) models, initially pre-trained with a larger dataset and fine-tuned with a musical improvisation dataset provided by the Max Plank Institute. Evaluation encompasses Evidence Lower Bound (ELBO) loss metric and dimensionality reduction techniques like Principal Component Analysis (PCA), t-distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (t-SNE), Multidimensional Scaling (MDS), and Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP) to explore latent space representations. The results reveal that experienced musicians exhibit a greater divergence from the prime melody compared to amateurs. Moreover, professionals’ samples demonstrate more refined clustering and nuanced adjustments between improvisations projected in the latent space. / Inom musikaliska uttryck är det komplexa förhållandet mellan improvisation och de kognitiva processer som ligger till grund för kreativitet ett fascinerande men utmanande pussel, vilket föranleder denna avhandling att utforska sambandet mellan musikalisk improvisation och kreativ kognition bland musiker. Avhandlingen fokuserar på utvecklingen av robusta metoder för extraktion och representation av funktioner och använder oövervakade maskininlärningstekniker (ML) för att projicera improvisationer från en huvudmelodi till ett latent utrymme på hög nivå. Metoden innebär iterativ analys med hjälp av VAE-modeller (Variational Autoencoder), som ursprungligen förutbildades med ett större dataset och finjusterades med ett dataset för musikalisk improvisation från Max Plank Institute. Utvärderingen omfattar förlustmåttet Evidence Lower Bound (ELBO) och dimensionalitetsreducerande tekniker som Principal Component Analysis (PCA), t-distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (t-SNE), Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) och Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP) för att utforska latenta rymdrepresentationer. Resultaten visar att erfarna musiker uppvisar en större avvikelse från huvudmelodin jämfört med amatörer. Dessutom visar professionella musiker mer raffinerade kluster och nyanserade justeringar mellan improvisationer som projiceras i den latenta rymden.

Ce mémoire de maîtrise porte sur l’intégration de l’improvisation dans la création de trois de mes œuvres récentes. Ces œuvres sont : Nyctophilia – minimum 11’00’’ – pour quatuor à cordes et soliste improvisateur ; Æther – 10’ – pour trio à instrumentation non définie ; Presqu’étoile – 10’ – pour grand orchestre. En guise d’introduction, je présente mes préoccupations artistiques, l’origine de mon travail ainsi que la dualité qui semble opposer l’improvisation et la composition. Je dresse ensuite, en lien avec mes influences personnelles, un bref portrait de l’improvisation dans le jazz et dans la musique savante axé sur la seconde moitié du 20e siècle. Finalement, les œuvres font l’objet d’une analyse ciblée afin de démontrer les moyens utilisés pour intégrer l’improvisation dans la composition. Chacune des trois œuvres expose un moyen spécifique issu de ma réflexion et de mes recherches afin de gérer l’improvisation : Nyctophilia – axe de gestion de l’information ; Æther – conversationnalité et improvisation libre ; Presqu’étoile – comprovisation à partir d’Æther. / The focus of this master’s thesis is the integration of improvisation in three of my recent pieces: Nyctophilia – minimum 11’00’’ – for string quartet and soloist improviser ; Æther – 10’’ – for a trio of undetermined instruments ; Presqu’étoile – for full orchestra. As an introduction, I present my artistic concerns, the origin of my work, and the seeming duality that places improvisation in opposition to composition. Then I draw, according to my personal influences, a brief portrait of improvisation in jazz and in art music, primarily in the second half of the 20th century. Finally, I analyze three of my pieces to show the means utilized to integrate improvisation into composition. Each piece exhibits a specific way to manage the inclusion of improvisation, these methods being the result of my reflections and research. Nyctophilia – axis as a means of information management ; Æther – conversationnality and free improvisation ; Presqu’étoile – comprovisation in relation to Æther.

La présente thèse porte sur l’improvisation jazz, et plus particulièrement sur sa pratique sans accompagnement au saxophone. Cette pratique est efficace surtout pour les musiciens qui jouent des instruments monodiques, comme le saxophone. L’objectif est d’analyser la compétence de certains saxophonistes en ce qui concerne surtout l’habileté de bien utiliser mélodiquement le contenu harmonique présent dans l’ensemble des standards qui font partie intégrante du répertoire jazz. La démarche de recherche adoptée est constituée, dans un premier temps, d’une recherche de plusieurs points de vue chez différents musiciens de jazz reconnus mondialement qui ont intégré la pratique sans accompagnement systématiquement dans leur routine. Dans un deuxième temps, des transcriptions d’extraits d’improvisations sans accompagnement ont été réalisées, avec un approfondissement quant à la pratique du saxophoniste Chris Potter. Ces transcriptions, qui ont été faites au saxophone ténor (donc sur un instrument transpositeur en si bémol), ont été analysées théoriquement afin d’identifier la manière dont le saxophoniste intègre le concept d’improvisation harmonique. Après ces analyses théoriques, l’auteur présente son point de vue concernant les moyens utilisés par Chris Potter pour faire ressortir l’harmonie à travers la mélodie improvisée. L’étape suivante a consisté à l’appropriation des moyens liés à la pratique sans accompagnement en tant que saxophoniste, permettant de mieux intégrer les aspects harmoniques des standards étudiés pour améliorer la qualité des improvisations lors du jeu en groupe. Finalement, les résultats obtenus permettent d’observer que la pratique de l’improvisation jazz sans accompagnement à travers le concept d’improvisation harmonique améliore la performance dans une situation réelle de concert.

Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard und Booker Little, alle 1938 geboren, gelten als stilprägende Trompeter des Modern Jazz um 1960. Ausgehend vom Trompetenspiel Dizzy Gillespies, Miles Davis’ und Clifford Browns in den 1950er Jahren werden in der vorliegenden Studie anhand aufwendig angefertigter Transkriptionen ausgewählter Trompetensoli improvisatorische Eigenheiten Morgans, Hubbards und Littles aus der Zeit um 1960 aufgezeigt. Dabei werden als methodische Besonderheit die Spielweisen jeweils im Blues, in Balladen sowie bei Stücken im Uptempo miteinander verglichen. Eigenkompositionen finden ebenso Berücksichtigung wie die Aktivitäten der drei Trompeter als Sidemen. So entstehen umfassende musikalische Porträts von Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard und Booker Little in einer besonders bewegten Phase der Jazzgeschichte. / Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard and Booker Little, all born in 1938, are considered style-defining trumpeters of the modern jazz era around 1960. Based on the trumpet playing of Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Clifford Brown in the 1950s, the present study uses elaborate transcriptions of selected trumpet solos to illustrate the improvisational characteristics of Morgan, Hubbard and Little from around 1960. As a methodological peculiarity, the playing styles in the genres of blues, ballad and in uptempo pieces are compared. Original compositions are taken into account as well as the activities of the three trumpeters as sidemen. Thus, comprehensive musical portraits of Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard and Booker Little emerge in a particularly turbulent phase of jazz history.

Denne D-uppsats i Musikterapi ved Kungliga Musikhögskolan i Stockholm undersøger på et fænonomenologisk grundlag, hvordan fem kvinder i et gruppeterapiforløb oplevede at arbejde med stemmen som terapeutisk redskab. Det overordnede formål med projektet var at udvikle en metode til at arbejde med stemmen som terapeutisk redskab.   I et eksperimentelt projekt over ti sessioner af hver to timers varighed, blev der arbejdet med forskellige aspekter af det at arbejde med stemmen, herunder afslapning/mindfulness før alle praktiske øvelser, vejrtræknings- og stemmetekniske øvelser og forskellige stemmeimprovisations øvelser. Maleri og tegning blev taget ind som en ekstra dimension i forhold til at arbejde med de psykologiske processer. Sessionerne blev filmet som dokumentation og siden blev sessionerne transkriberet, beskrevet og analyseret. Alle samtaler i gruppeterapien udgik fra Irving D.Yaloms eksistentielle psykologiske vinkel. Via en fænomenologisk forskningsmetode og med triangulering af spørgeskemaer er øvelserne og deres effekter på deltagernes oplevelse af blandt andet selvværd, det at tage sin plads og præstation, blevet undersøgt. Resultaterne indikerer 1) at afslapning/mindfulness kan have en positiv indvirkning på deltagernes personlige processer, 2) at stemmetekniske øvelser kan åbne op for flere forskellige personlige processer, herunder processer relateret til sociale regler, selvværd, præstation og det at blive mere bevidst om ens egen krop og dens funktioner i forhold til stemmen og vejrtrækningen. Resultaterne indikerer også, at vejrtrækningsøvelser og afslapning påvirker hinanden gensidigt og at vejrtrækningsøvelser kan bruges som individuelt værktøj i relation til angstdæmpning. Improvisationsøvelser findes at kunne åbne for meget forskellige personlige processer alt efter stemmetekniske forudsætninger. Følelser af frihed i forhold til stemmeidealer, manglende teknik, indlejrede sociale konventioner, forhold til autoriteter og regler, samt følelsen af at lege og eksperimentere, er nogen af de temaer som deltagerne oplevede der kom fokus på. Deltagerne oplevede at de var i stand til at overføre disse oplevelser til deres private livsforhold og at de her kunne skabe en forandring. I forhold til Male/tegne øvelsen viser resultaterne at deltagerne oplevede at kunne uddybe deres udfordringer og processer yderligere, og at de oplevede øvelsen overraskende nem, kravløs og legende.   Et uforudset resultat var, at det at arbejde med en medfølende intention i forhold til en selv, viste sig at være den allerstørste faktor for at forløbet udgjorde en terapeutisk forskel for de deltagende. Generelt oplevede deltagerne selve gruppeterapien som en støttende og kærlig proces og derfor inspirende i forhold til den enkeltes udfordring og proces. / This Magister Thesis in Music Therapy at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm examines on a phenomenological basis how five women in a group therapy process experienced working with voice exercises as a therapeutic tool. The overall objective of the project was to develop a method to work with the voice as a therapeutic tool. In an experimental course over ten sessions of two hours duration, the women worked with various aspects of voicework, including relaxation /mindfulness before all practical exercises, breathing and technical voice exercises and various voiceimprovisation exercises. Painting and drawing were taken in as an extra dimension to the work of the psychological processes. The sessions were video recorded as documentation and afterwards the sessions were transcribed, described and analyzed. All conversations in the group therapy were based on Irving D.Yaloms existential psychology. Through a phenomenological research method and triangulation of questionnaires, -the exercises and their influence on participants' experience, among others of self-esteem, of being able to take one´s needed space - and of performance, were examinded. The results indicates 1) that relaxation /mindfulness can have a positive impact on participants' personal processes, 2) that technical voice exercises can open up several different personal processes, including processes related to social rules, self-esteem, achievement and to become more aware of ones own body and its functions in relation to the voice and breathing. The results also indicate that breathing exercises and relaxation have a mutual influence on one another and that breathing exercises can be used as a tool for the individual, concerning anxiety reduction. Improvisation exercises can help opening up to different personal processes, depending on the level of technical experience of the voice the participant possesses. Feelings of freedom in relation to voice ideals, lack of voice technique, embedded social conventions, relationship to authorities and rules, as well as the feeling of playing and experimenting, were some of the themes the participants experienced to have a focus on. The participants found that they were able to transfer these experiences to their private life conditions and here to create a change. In relation to the painting / drawing exercise, it was found that the participants experienced to immerse their challenges and processes further and that they experienced this exercise surprisingly easy, non-demanding and playful. As an unexpected result it was found, that working with a compassionate intention towards oneself in the process made the largest therapeutic difference for the participants. In general, participants experienced the group therapy as supportive and with a loving atmosphere which inspired the individual´s challenges and processes.