The purpose of this research was to explore the fundamental elements that constitute, shape and define the thinking and creative processes embodied in musical style of ten prominent South African jazz pianists. The study was qualitative and underpinned by an exploratory research design. Using a collection of case studies, the study used semi-structured interviews to probe participants’ backgrounds, formative influences, and musical style within a South African context. An analysis of the findings resulted in the emergence of three main themes, namely; Developing a musical identity; Negotiating a personal style; and, Finding the South Africanness in jazz. The first main theme outlined the core influences that shaped the participants’ earliest conceptions of musical style, and thus their developing identities. Family members: modelling their parents’ and siblings’ musical interests, immediate environment, interacting with professional jazz musicians, and the socio-political environment, were found to be highly influential. Other factors included; learning which happened through formal, informal, social and self-directed. Listening and musical preferences were also found to be key to the forming identities of the pianists. The second main theme reflected a progression from an ‘outward’ technical understanding of style to an assimilated ‘inner’ one. The first manifested in the descriptions of noticeable elements in jazz music that have been shaped over time, while the second describes ways in which the pianists’ individual social and cultural experiences inform their musical styles. The third theme highlights participants’ challenge in defining a South African style, resulting in a need to conceptualise a term(s) that would better describe the nature of the music. South African works were found to be at the core of acquiring an understanding of the musical styles of South African jazz pianists. External influences within the South African musical style, and idiosyncratic features based on indigenous musical influences were key to the musical identities of South African jazz pianists. Furthermore, understanding the metanarratives that serve as creative inspirations for these compositions is vital. The study concludes that a South African jazz style represents an amalgam of internal and external musical influences, evolving over time. The incorporation of eclectic musical elements from the indigenous ‘musics’ of the various South African ethnic cultures add an inimitably South African articulation and prosody to the jazz language. The unique histories and narratives of South African jazz pianists have resulted in their distinct approach to the jazz style. / Thesis (DMus)--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Music / DMus / Unrestricted

L’objectif de cette thèse est de s’interroger sur la prégnance éventuelle de paradigmes romantiques chez les pianistes improvisateurs solistes issus du jazz. Du modèle de la virtuosité soliste au style et plus généralement à l’esprit romantique,est-il possible de déceler, chez eux, une part d’héritage assumée ou non ? Concernant des pianistes aussi différents que les virtuoses de la musique savante romantique du XIXe siècle en Europe et les pianistes de jazz américains du siècle suivant, le terme d’héritage pourrait sembler inadapté voire abusif. Or il ne faut pas sous-estimer l’apport de la musique savante écrite aux musiques improvisées, en particulier dans le domaine pianistique. Tous les pianistes improvisateurs se sont plus ou moins trouvés confrontés à des pages extraites des répertoires classique, romantique ou contemporain, tout au moins pendant leurs études pianistiques qui pour certains, ont été extrêmement approfondies. Peut-on discerner dans le jeu de certains virtuoses les influences des deux grands génies romantiques au caractère si différent que furent Chopin l’intimiste et Liszt l’extraverti au travers de cette virtus latine reliant habileté et transcendance, apanage du héros prométhéen qui vole le feu pour l’offrir à l’humanité ? La musique improvisée est fréquemment une entité de partage, le récital de soliste restant l’exception. C’est à l’occasion de ce moment privilégié que les rares élus, dont la relation à l’instrument sur lequel ils jouent est à chaque fois nouvelle, accèdent au statut de héros en valorisant énergie, action et savoir humain. De Jelly Roll Morton, autoproclamé « inventeur » du jazz à l’improvisation totale de l’ère post-bop, en passant par les pianistes de stride et Art Tatum, la représentation du romantisme revêt des aspects protéiformes allant de l’émancipation des aspects fonctionnels liés à la danse aux préoccupations programmatiques d’un Brad Mehldau se remémorant Schumann. / The aim of this thesis is to question the possible impact of romantic paradigms for soloist improviser pianists coming from the jazz scene. From the soloist virtuosity to the style and more generally to the romantic spirit, is it possible to find in their work a certain heritage, whether it is overtly admitted or not? However, 19th century classical music virtuosi and jazz pianists from the following century are so different that it seems natural to wonder whether the word ‘heritage’ is the proper one to use. Yet, the contribution of written classical music to improvised music pieces shouldn’t be overlooked, especially when examining thepianistic domain. Every improviser pianists have been faced with pieces from the classical, romantic or contemporary repertoire to some extent, at the very least during their piano studies which, for some of them, were extremely advanced. Through the Latin virtus connecting dexterity and transcendence – the prerogative of the Promethean hero stealing fire as a present for humanity - could it be possible to find in the playing of certain virtuosi the influence of the two great romantic geniuses, Chopin the intimist and Liszt the extrovert, whose characters were so different? Improvised music is frequently a moment of sharing (soloists’ recitals being the exception) and it is the moment when a few chosen ones can reach the status of heroes, emphasizing energy, action and human knowledge. From Jelly Roll Morton, self-proclaimed “inventor” of jazz music, the stride pianists and Art Tatum,to the complete improvisation of the post-bop era, romanticism is represented through many different protean aspects such as the emancipation of functional aspects connected to dance or again the programmatic concerns of a certain Brad Mehldau, reminiscing about Schumann.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the theoretical causes of the stylistic results of both compositions and spontaneous improvisations of jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk. The specific topics chosen for analysis include Klangfarben (sound colors), rhythmic displacement (the relocation or complete removal of expected rhythmic events), and economy of means (the judicious use of silence, simplicity, and economy). All of the above topics are addressed with regard to the composer's original works, his selected renditions of works by other composers, and his improvisations. The musical examples appear in transcription form, as some of them are unpublished. The topics are introduced in the first chapter, and individually addressed in subsequent chapters.