Exposition

Goldberg’s Variations: investigating Aaron Goldberg’s improvisational style (last edited: 2023)

Jelle van der Meulen
open exposition

About this exposition

Name: Jelle van der Meulen Main Subject: Jazz Piano Research Supervisor: Patrick Schenkius Title of Research: Goldberg’s Variations: investigating Aaron Goldberg’s improvisational style Research Question: How can I emulate characteristic devices from Aaron Goldberg’s improvisational style and apply these to my own playing? Summary of Results: In this research paper four improvisational devices that Aaron Goldberg uses are analysed. Examples of these devices are taken from five transcriptions of improvised solos on jazz standards (Con alma, Fantasy in D, The shadow of your smile, (Un) stable mates and Perhaps) and from recordings where Aaron Goldberg functions as a leader. The devices are selected for their occurrence in (almost) all of the transcribed solo’s and because they stand out and attract attention. Together they make up an important part of Aaron Goldberg’s playing style. The four devices are: chromatic runs returning to one note, arpeggios over the bar line, motivic development and lines in intervals. Following the analyses and some words on the (possible) origin of these devices (Aaron Goldberg didn’t invent them, they are part of the jazz vocabulary and came forth out of the improvisational styles of musicians from the history of jazz) the research deals with the emulation of the devices and offers exercises which an improviser can do to apply the devices to his/her playing. Biography: Jelle van der Meulen (1990) studied jazz piano from 2008 at the conservatory of Amsterdam where he received his bachelor’s diploma in 2013. There he studied with Karel Boehlee, Rob van Bavel, Hans Vroomans and Kris Goessens. In 2015 he started his master studies at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague where he studied with Juraj Stanik and is currently studying with Wolfert Brederode. Jelle is the pianist of the hard bop band Bop This! and he leads his own piano trio. Jelle’s playing is featured on three recordings so far, the albums ‘Introducing’ and ‘Page Two’ by Bop This! and on the album ‘Out of Universe’ by the Amstel Bigband of which Jelle was the pianist from 2011 until 2014.
typeresearch exposition
keywordsPiano, Jazz, Aaron Goldberg, Improvisation, Music
date14/03/2017
archived13/07/2023
last modified13/07/2023
statusarchived
share statuspublic
affiliationRoyal Conservatoire The Hague
licenseAll rights reserved
urlhttps://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/235891/235892
archived inKC Research Portal
portal issue5. Archived expositions


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id name copyright license
346560 Research FINAL 3.0 Jelle van der Meulen All rights reserved
346474 Abstract Jelle van der Meulen All rights reserved
346471 Research Paper Jelle van der Meulen All rights reserved
346469 5. Perhaps Jelle van der Meulen All rights reserved
346466 Jelle van der Meulen Jelle van der Meulen All rights reserved
346465 Jelle van der Meulen Jelle van der Meulen All rights reserved
346463 2. Fantasy in D Jelle van der Meulen All rights reserved
346461 1. Con Alma Jelle van der Meulen All rights reserved
314415 Chromatic runs returning to one note Jelle van der Meulen All rights reserved
314399 Exercise for arpeggio's in tenths intervalls jelle van der Meulen All rights reserved
314392 Research grondverf 2.0 jelle van der meulen All rights reserved
314381 4. Unstablemates Jelle van der Meulen All rights reserved
308102 Research Grondverf versie Jelle van der Meulen All rights reserved
273084 The shadow of your smile transcription Jelle All rights reserved
273082 Analyse Goldberg Solo Fantasy in D jelle All rights reserved
273080 Con Alma, Aaron Goldberg Jelle All rights reserved
273078 Research introduction and sources Jelle All rights reserved
235912 Research proposal 1 Jelle All rights reserved

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