HP 511T Renaissance Improvisation
Renaissance musicians improvised with a brilliance unsurpassed in any repertoire. Blending characteristics of both classical and popular music, Renaissance music allows great expressive freedom in a wide variety of forms and styles. There will be extensive work with the improvisations manuals of virtuosi such as Ganassi, Ortiz and Bassano which give a multitude of improvisation exercises and written out solos and from which to learn to internalize their brilliant vocabularies into a personal style. We will also study Renaissance polyphony in madrigals, motets, songs and dances, learn to improvise within these compositions as well as how to improvise over grounds, create free fantasias, etc. Through study and performance of Renaissance masterpieces, extensive listening and polyrhythmic practice and student compositions, we will learn to improvise fluently in the melodic style of the 16th century and enjoy enriched interpretative skills which will enhance any repertoire.