Musically Novel
Improvisations on The Ledge
The Theme Dream Machine
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Musical themes seem to emerge from the sonic abyss almost by their own volition. But where do they come from?

Are they elusive attempts to describe the moment? State of musical mind? Emotion translated into sound? Or are they just, as I discussed in the previous episode, a form of musical memory (and forgetting.)
After working through this episode, I must admit that while the provenance of musical themes seems to be some combination of all of the above, in the end, they remain somewhat elusive. Melodic ghosts in the machine of our minds.

What I do know is that musical themes want to emerge from the sonic abyss. Like everything else in the universe, order wants to emerge from chaos. This is how life happens. And music.
Which leads me to my next episode: how do musical structures naturally emerge from themes?

Music Performed or Referenced:

  • Que Sera, Sera

  • Fly Me to Moon

  • Suite for Jazz Quartet Live (midroll and tag music): https://petersaltzman.bandcamp.com/album/tre-jazz-quartet-live-1999

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Musically Novel
Improvisations on The Ledge
In "Improvisations on the Ledge," award-winning composer-pianist Peter Saltzman searches for universal truths by stumbling upon them—both with words and music. The basic premise is simple: he improvises on the piano, then talks about what the music tells him. Then makes music about what the talking tells him. Then...well, it goes on like this. Droll, funny, dramatic, musical, short.