"I'm a Barbie Girl" in the style of 6 classical composers

[Master Jacques]

Do you not think the Diabelli variations etc are not notated Improvisations produced after the event ?

Certainly not. We have the sketches to prove that. Piece took him four years to write and perfect. Apparent spontaneity takes years of preparation. Which is why so much jazz improvisation sounds cliched and undercooked.

[Roger Webb]

.................. Isn't improvisation essentially a spontaneous and live performance technique?

Schoenberg said 'Composing is a slowed-down improvisation; often one can't write fast enough to keep up with the stream of ideas.

Interestingly, ace improvisor Wayne Shorter said almost the same thing, and added that improvisation was speeded-up composition.

[Ian Thumwood]

It is wierd how you see things because improvisation in jazz has strived to innovate by taking the music beyond the confines of the source material, changing the harmony, rhythm and even form. It is not difficult to understand why Bach's keyboard music is so satisfying for jazz musicians.

I agree some jazz can be clichéd ,especially if someone of just running the changes. The goal in jazz is totally different and is to be in the zone in the moment. Tge flipside also works. Many classical fansove Art Tatum's piano playing yet there have been critics who think he was playing variations and not spontaneous improvising.

At the end of the day, it is a matter of how far you want to stretch out in the source material. The YouTube clip is really clever and well researched but it is effectively a sophisticated party trick. This is exactly how someone coming from jazz will view Beethoven's variations on God Save the King. As I said, I am not a fan of Beethoven and his most important keyboard work is contained in the sonatas. The variations were his best sellers amongst those buying his sheet music. He would probably have knocked out his own Barbie Doll had he been around.

[Ian Thumwood]

Schoenberg said 'Composing is a slowed-down improvisation; often one can't write fast enough to keep up with the stream of ideas.

Interestingly, ace improvisor Wayne Shorter said almost the same thing, and added that improvisation was speeded-up composition.

Yes but Wayne Shorter represents the apogee of improvisation....especially with his quartet. No cliches here and well beyond what Beethoven could have foreseen 200 years beforehand.

[Ian Thumwood]

The Chopin and Ravel variations were the most interesting although rhe latter borrowed fromzme Tombeau du Couperin, I think.

I really like the way you get the modulations in the last two pieces although the Mozart and Beethoven were really good impersonations.

[Quarky]

......background to the original post......I gather the composer Josep comes originally from Barcelona::

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFJ3mgx0xy0

[Pulcinella]

......background to the original post......I gather the composer Josep comes originally from Barcelona::

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFJ3mgx0xy0

Is his first name Manuel?

(I'm already wearing my coat!)

[Padraig]

Is his first name Manuel?

(I'm already wearing my coat!)

josep castanyer alonso - Google Search

[french frank]

......background to the original post......I gather the composer Josep comes originally from Barcelona::

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFJ3mgx0xy0

Fascinating. That was a so much more intelligent (I think) way of getting people to at least take a bit of notice of classical music - and respect it, rather than having negative feelings about it

[Ian Thumwood]

Fascinating. That was a so much more intelligent (I think) way of getting people to at least take a bit of notice of classical music - and respect it, rather than having negative feelings about it

I agree with this and think it does make you think about the building blocks of music. I am not sure that it would convert someone but maybe make a musician realise the similarities in music as opposed to the differences.

There are a large number of these kinds of tricks on YouTube. They are really good fun. I expect AI will soon render this exercise obsolete and we will hear all sorts of permutations.

[Mario]

negative feelings about it