Correlation between Baroque Music and Cool Jazz Essay

What exactly is jazz? As defined by Merriam Webster Dictionary jazz is â€Å"American music developed especially from ragtime and blues and characterized by propulsive syncopated rhythms, polyphonic ensemble playing, varying degrees of improvisation, and often deliberate distortions of pitch and timbre†. While this definition is true and a â€Å"cookie cutter† definition of jazz it is not completely accurate Jazz is one large genre with many sub-genres within it such as swing, bebop, free jazz, hard bop, and cool jazz. Yes jazz was derived from ragtime and blues but what is not commonly known is that Baroque music had a hand in the development of this art form. In this paper I show the correlation between Baroque music and cool jazz and how their†¦show more content†¦This was the end-result of the search for new modes of expression. With the use of the Theory of Affections, the Baroque created some of the deepest expressions of emotion. The music of the Renaissance known as prima practica was very stiff, and in many ways too arranged and structured for the new modern style of the Baroque. Seconda practica, the new Baroque style was a vehicle of spontaneous improvisation and artistic expression, but it failed to displace the prima practica for quite some time. Some composers used both styles of practica; prima practica was used in church music and seconda practica was used in secular vocal music. Monteverdi, the composer who defined prima and seconda practica is known for using the seconda practica in his compositions. He believed that seconda practica with its unconventional dissonances, and unanticipated harmonies, was a more affecting and emotional style. In Baroque composition one of the most important creations established early on was the concept of contrast in volume and tempo. The use of harsh dissonances and unusual harmonies ties back in with the Theory of Affections. In the Baroque era one of the most impo rtant establishments was the concept of contrast. This contrast was seen in musical dynamics (loud and soft), instrumental and vocal range (high and low), and in tempos (fast and slow). Baroque music has unique expressions, suggesting the usage ofShow MoreRelatedMusic Makes Children Smarter : Music Essay1610 Words   |  7 PagesMusic Makes Children Smarter Music in many ways. has a potential to allure an individual, especially children, to improve their intellect, when involved in music. Schools and organizations had researched and estimated that schools with music curriculum, have more graduation and successful rates than school that do not doesn’t have music subjects. Universities have concluded that a specific part of our brain had a major role that can progress to become intellectual when exposed to classical music