Free Play:FORM UNFOLDING – putting it into practice

Introduction and early thoughts
I chose this topic because I’m highly interested in the essence of creative improvisation in a band situation, the sources of bursts for inspiration and the process of art making that may lead to the creation of a new composition.
In my final recital for my BMus degree I performed an original piece of mine entitled “Meditation for Trane”. It is a piece, which derived from intensive listening to the John Coltrane album “Sun Ship”. I guess the listening opened up my mind and made me think differently about creating original works. I started to write a melody with a very open mind and decided to begin the piece with the interval of an octave - this part of the writing process was the most important since the rest of the tune just sort fell into place within 2 hours. My theme evolved and the nature of it suggested that open improvisation would be most suitable to fit the main theme.
The case of natural evolvement in composition and performance
The chapter ‘FORM UNFOLDING’ in Stephen Nachmanovitch’ book, reads: “In a piece of music, the opening chord, drone, or rhythm, instantly generates expectations that generates questions that in turn feed the next bit of the music”.
There are millions of ways of composing and structuring artwork. Each piece evolves its own structure, its own world.The word Create comes from “to make grow”.
As an improvisation evolves, the selections we have made affect the selections we will make.
Now. This concept is evident in compositions written by famous jazz musicians and is often used as a springboard for improvisation. A small cell is put into practice – the cell is shown from different positions/views, which represents a childlike act of “playing around”. We all know the natural tendency for a child to suddenly turn to something else because of boringness. Following to that, it is natural for us to try and construct a sense of structure or even story.
It is the most natural and honest way of evolvement – a resolution may occur in the improvisation, then suddenly take off again, creating a new chapter derived from another small cell of information.
The mind can only create when connected to ones true inner self - when the mind is open, empty, patient and listening to our inner creative child (play).
Personal observations

In my situation I was inspired and triggered by a recording on a subject that really interested me. It is my observation that the best creative bursts come from visiting lots of different areas being either in life or music. Listening to an album all the way through (or with one pause), will impose a greater impact on our inner composer and creative muse. I can imagine that an album consisting primarily of improvisation is one of the most effective ways of achieving these inspiring creative bursts, for a musician. The amounts of information we receive here inspire and can lead to creativity. A break from music can also trigger creativity for when we revisit our instrument or try to compose.
But inspiration can in fact come from a variety of sources and I believe that this can be an area to explore e.g. visiting art galleries, go to the theatre, live concerts, listening to famous speeches, exploreless known instruments (African or Indian instruments) and reading books.
It is said that travelling can help us come up with ideas, because we kind of loose ourselves or disappear into an altered state of our consciousness. I have an example:
- The other day when I was on the bus, I suddenly came up with a few simple ideas, which can be used as cells to create a composition. Or call it parameter / Limitation.
My idea suggested choosing only 2 notes, 3 notes, 4 notes or 5 notes and playing around with these, i.e. with rhythms and harmonic changes and thereby developing a theme that can be used as a basic structure for improvisation. This is a very common yet simple idea, which could easily, if not certainly have been the main approach for Thelonious Monk’s compositions.
“To live outside the law, you must be honest”, Bob Dylan song.
Unfolding structure and revisiting ideas
Nachmanovitch writes that the idea of editing, reshaping, breaking apart, shifting and lengthening the phrases of the raw material may seem unnatural to us at first, but in fact that the opposite is true.
So, the muse in us acts from inspiration and the editor acts from judgement and reason. If we leave our improviser out of the process, revision becomes impossible.
If we look at old compositional ideas, they may seem meaningless at first, but if we look at them sidewaysand do a little disappearing, they begin to make sense and grow tentacles, like primitive living things.
Some elements of artistic editing:

  1. Deep feeling for the intentions beneath the surface
  2. Sensual love of the language
  3. Sense of elegance
  4. Ruthlessness (coldness)

The first three can be categorized as havinggood taste, which involves sensation, sense of balance and knowledge of the medium, mixed with an appropriate sense of outrageousness. And ruthlessness in order to keep the artwork clear and simple – note,the difference between simplicity and insipidity (not tasty) is crucial to be aware of!
In the beginning stage of exploring/composing, many lovely lines and phrases may pop-up – but they may not seem to fit with the rhythm and shape of what’s already there. After undergoing the editing process we may begin to perfect the structure (form) of our ideas and stringing them together. The feeling associated with this accomplishment is one of the most delightful aspects of art making. There comes a moment when everything slides into shape.
A revelation emerges and some may feel tear bringing emotions through this recognition or accomplishment?
This is yet a feeling that I can look forward to encounter, as I grow as an artist editing and shaping my ideas.