Berklee	
  College	
  Of	
  Music:	
  Valencia	
  Campus	
  
Master	
  of	
  Music	
  
Contemporary	
  Performance	
  

	
  
	
  
	
  

Piotr	
  Orzechowski	
  

	
  
	
  
	
  
Roots	
  of	
  Artistic	
  Identity	
  
Themes	
  of	
  Traditional	
  Polish	
  Dances	
  
in	
  Modern	
  Improvised	
  Music	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
July	
  2014	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
Valencia,	
  Spain	
  

Contents	
  
	
  
Introduction	
  .............................................................................................	
  3	
  
	
  
Polish	
  Dances	
  ...........................................................................................	
  5	
  
	
  
Dances	
  in	
  triple	
  meter	
  ....................................................................................	
  7	
  
Oberek	
  ....................................................................................................................	
  7	
  
Mazur	
  ...................................................................................................................	
  10	
  
Kujawiak	
  .............................................................................................................	
  14	
  
Polonez	
  ................................................................................................................	
  16	
  
	
  
Dances	
  in	
  duple	
  meter	
  .................................................................................	
  19	
  
Krakowiak	
  ..........................................................................................................	
  19	
  
Zbójnicki	
  .............................................................................................................	
  22	
  
	
  
Summary	
  ...........................................................................................................	
  25	
  
	
  
Modern	
  Improvised	
  Music	
  ................................................................	
  27	
  
	
  
Improvisation	
  in	
  Classical	
  Music	
  ............................................................	
  28	
  
Improvisation	
  in	
  Jazz	
  ...................................................................................	
  32	
  
Modern	
  Trends	
  and	
  Improvisation	
  .......................................................	
  35	
  
	
  
Summary	
  ...........................................................................................................	
  36	
  
	
  
Conclusions	
  ............................................................................................	
  37	
  
	
  
Steps	
  to	
  be	
  taken	
  by	
  a	
  Creative	
  Musician	
  ............................................	
  38	
  
My	
  First	
  Step	
  ....................................................................................................	
  39	
  
	
  
Closing	
  Statement	
  .........................................................................................	
  43	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

2	
  

Introduction	
  
	
  
In	
   the	
   first	
   place	
   I	
   should	
   admit	
   that	
   the	
   following	
   work	
   is	
  
intended	
  to	
  expound	
  my	
  personal	
  understanding	
  of	
  the	
  topic,	
  my	
  
own	
   path	
   of	
   discovering	
   the	
   roots	
   of	
   improvisation	
   and	
   the	
  
connection	
   between	
   folkloric	
   music	
   in	
   general	
   and	
   personal	
  
musical	
   statement	
   of	
   a	
   modern	
   artist.	
   Besides	
   describing	
   the	
  
Polish	
  music	
  itself,	
  naming	
  and	
  specifying	
  diverse	
  types	
  of	
  dances	
  
coming	
   from	
   different	
   parts	
   of	
   the	
   country	
   and	
   time	
   periods,	
   I	
  
would	
   like	
   to	
   highlight	
   my	
   own	
   theory	
   regarding	
   its	
   enigmatic	
  
relation	
   to	
   the	
   genre	
   we	
   refer	
   to	
   as	
   Jazz	
   and	
   contemporary,	
  
improvised	
  music.	
  
	
  
What	
   I	
   would	
   like	
   to	
   prove	
   here	
   is	
   that	
   we,	
   as	
   performing	
  
artists,	
  should	
  not	
  perceive	
  our	
  musical	
  language	
  only	
  as	
  a	
  result	
  
of	
   gathering	
   a	
   number	
   of	
   inspirations	
   from	
   the	
   external	
  
environment,	
   different	
   and	
   fresh	
   ideas	
   which	
   can	
   become	
   strong	
  
impulses	
   for	
   our	
   creation,	
   but	
   also,	
   partly,	
   as	
   an	
   outcome	
   of	
   our	
  
cultural	
   origins	
   which	
   constitute	
   an	
   inherent	
   part	
   of	
   our	
   psyche.	
  
The	
  process	
  of	
  searching	
  for	
  artistic	
  originality,	
  understanding	
  the	
  
individuality	
  in	
  improvisation	
  is	
  always	
  littered	
  with	
  fascinations	
  
in	
   fulfilled	
   musicians	
   who	
   “discovered	
   themselves”,	
   but	
   at	
   the	
  
same	
  time	
  (consciously	
  or	
  not)	
  we	
  are	
  constantly	
  dealing	
  with	
  this	
  
mysterious	
   element	
   which	
   is	
   modelling	
   our	
   final	
   musical	
  
statement,	
   which	
   is	
   making	
   us	
   special,	
   unusual,	
   and	
   this	
   is	
   our	
  
background:	
   as	
   far	
   as	
   musicians	
   are	
   concerned,	
   the	
  
aforementioned	
  background	
  is	
  folkloric	
  music.	
  Our	
  culture	
  exerts	
  
the	
   indelible,	
   continuous	
   impact	
   we	
   are	
   carrying	
   all	
   the	
   time,	
  
hidden	
   in	
   shame	
   or	
   shown	
   with	
   pride,	
   forgotten	
   with	
  
disappointment	
  or	
  discovered	
  with	
  enthusiasm,	
  used	
  with	
  respect	
  
and	
  wisdom	
  or	
  just	
  lost	
  in	
  the	
  ocean	
  of	
  strong	
  influences.	
  
	
  
In	
  my	
  case	
  my	
  musical	
  root	
  is	
  Polish	
  music,	
  wonderfully	
  and	
  
poetically	
   portrayed	
   by	
   our	
   great	
   classical	
   composers	
   like	
  
Fryderyk	
   Chopin,	
   Karol	
   Szymanowski,	
   Henryk	
   Wieniawski,	
  
Stanisław	
   Moniuszko,	
   Witold	
   Lutosławski,	
   Krzysztof	
   Penderecki,	
  
Wojciech	
  Kilar,	
  Grażyna	
  Bacewicz	
  or	
  Ignacy	
  Paderewski.	
  	
  
	
  

3	
  

	
  
The	
  purpose	
  of	
  my	
  work	
  is	
  not	
  to	
  analyse	
  their	
  œuvre,	
  it	
  is	
  
not	
   my	
   point	
   to	
   focus	
   on	
   rearranged,	
   stylized	
   music,	
   even	
   if	
  
sometimes	
  it	
  truly	
  represents	
  the	
  prototype	
  well,	
  because	
  my	
  goal	
  
is	
   to	
   list	
   and	
   describe	
   the	
   origins,	
   rhythms,	
   melodies	
   and	
   chord	
  
changes	
   coming	
   from	
   ancient	
   times,	
   formed	
   through	
   our	
   Slavic	
  
and	
  Lechitic	
  civilisation,	
  through	
  Christianity	
  until	
  now.	
  
	
  
I	
   believe	
   that	
   the	
   most	
   interesting	
   part	
   of	
   the	
   process	
   of	
  
personal	
  realization	
  of	
  the	
  significance	
  of	
  the	
  ethnic	
  impact	
  in	
  my	
  
music	
  was	
  just	
  observing	
  myself	
  in	
  the	
  process	
  of	
  discovering	
  my	
  
uniqueness	
   not	
   only	
   while	
   playing	
   jazz,	
   constructing	
   jazz	
   or	
  
classical	
  improvisation,	
  but	
  also	
  while	
  composing.	
  From	
  my	
  early	
  
years	
  I	
  had	
  always	
  been	
  convinced	
  that	
  my	
  own	
  musical	
  language	
  
in	
   artistic	
   invention	
   would	
   be	
   the	
   key	
   to	
   my	
   personal	
  
accomplishment,	
   but	
   afterwards	
   I	
   understood	
   that	
   the	
   way	
   to	
  
achieve	
  my	
  own	
  language	
  is	
  to	
  be	
  honest	
  in	
  creation,	
  whatever	
  it	
  
means	
   in	
   practical	
   terms.	
   Now,	
   after	
   a	
   one	
   year	
   separation	
   from	
  
my	
  motherland,	
  after	
  my	
  experience	
  with	
  artists	
  from	
  all	
  around	
  
the	
   world	
   here	
   in	
   Berklee	
   Valencia,	
   I	
   have	
   finally	
   come	
   to	
   the	
  
conclusion	
  that	
  being	
  honest	
  and	
  following	
  inner	
  rules	
  artistically	
  
means	
   to	
   be	
   attached	
   to	
   my	
   own	
   culture	
   and	
   to	
   fulfill	
   its	
   eternal	
  
“assumptions”.	
  
	
  
The	
   reason	
   I	
   have	
   decided	
   to	
   centre	
   on	
   Polish	
   dances	
   is	
  
because	
   besides	
   folkloric	
   rites	
   and	
   rituals,	
   witchcrafts,	
   songs	
   and	
  
chants,	
   forms	
   like	
   Oberek,	
   Mazur,	
   Polonez,	
   Zbójnicki,	
   Krakowiak,	
  
and	
   Kujawiak	
   are	
   the	
   strongest	
   points	
   of	
   my	
   interest	
   right	
   now	
  
and	
  apart	
  from	
  that	
  they	
  are	
  manifesting	
  our	
  ethnic	
  attributes	
  in	
  
the	
   best	
   possible	
   way	
   by	
   showing	
   different	
   rhythms,	
   melodies,	
  
and	
  harmonies.	
  I	
  hope	
  it	
  will	
  be	
  the	
  right	
  choice	
  to	
  make,	
  in	
  order	
  
to	
  describe	
  the	
  beauty	
  of	
  music	
  from	
  my	
  country	
  and	
  at	
  the	
  same	
  
time	
  a	
  good	
  point	
  of	
  reference	
  to	
  elaborate	
  on	
  the	
  possibilities	
  of	
  
using	
  these	
  forms	
  or	
  its	
  characteristics	
  in	
  modern	
  music.	
  
	
  
	
  

	
  
	
  

4	
  

Polish	
  Dances	
  
	
  
The	
   Polish	
   culture	
   is	
   probably	
   the	
   most	
   homogeneous	
   one	
  
in	
   East	
   Central	
   Europe,	
   but	
   at	
   the	
   same	
   time	
   it	
   has	
   a	
   very	
   varied	
  
structure.	
   To	
   consider	
   forms	
   of	
   the	
   dances	
   we	
   have	
   to	
   split	
   the	
  
country	
  into	
  a	
  few	
  significant	
  regions	
  related	
  to	
  the	
  period	
  of	
  time	
  
when	
   Poland	
   as	
   a	
   country	
   was	
   formed.	
   In	
   order	
   to	
   illustrate	
   the	
  
origins	
   and	
   characteristics	
   of	
   each	
   form	
   we	
   shall	
   distinct	
   three	
  
crucial	
   areas	
   where	
   the	
   directions	
   of	
   musical	
   development	
   were	
  
particularly	
  extraordinary	
  and	
  unique.	
  	
  
	
  
The	
  first	
  one,	
  the	
  Mazovia,	
  is	
  a	
  low-­‐lying,	
  east-­‐central	
  region	
  
of	
   Poland,	
   situated	
   across	
   a	
   middle	
   course	
   of	
   the	
   Vistula	
   River,	
  
where	
   the	
   Mazur	
   dance	
   comes	
   from.	
   The	
   second	
   one	
   is	
   the	
  
Kuyavia,	
   the	
   north-­‐central	
   region	
   situated	
   in	
   the	
   basin	
   of	
   the	
  
middle	
  Vistula	
  and	
  upper	
  Noteć	
  rivers,	
  where	
  the	
  Kujawiak	
   dance	
  
was	
   shaped.	
   The	
   third	
   region,	
   referred	
   to	
   as	
   the	
  Lesser	
  Poland,	
   is	
  
located	
   in	
   the	
   southern	
   part	
   of	
   the	
   country,	
   in	
   upper	
   confluence	
   of	
  
the	
   Vistula	
   River,	
   covering	
   large	
   upland,	
   where	
   dances	
   such	
   as	
  
Krakowiak	
   (name	
   based	
   on	
   the	
   city	
   Kraków)	
   and	
   Zbójnicki	
   (from	
  
the	
  region	
  closest	
  to	
  the	
  Tatra	
  Mountains)	
  come	
  from.	
  
	
  
In	
   this	
   chapter	
   my	
   intention	
   is	
   to	
   demonstrate	
   the	
  
similarities	
   and	
   differences	
   between	
   six	
   Polish	
   dance	
   forms	
  
divided	
   into	
   two	
   groups	
   generated	
   by	
   myself,	
   which	
   are	
   mainly	
  
correlated	
   to	
   the	
   divergences	
   in	
   time	
   signature	
   and	
   rhythm.	
   The	
  
first	
   group	
   contains	
   four	
   dances	
   in	
   triple	
   meter:	
   Oberek,	
   Mazur,	
  
Kujawiak	
   and	
   Polonez,	
   and	
   the	
   second	
   group	
   includes	
   two	
   duple	
  
time	
  ones:	
  Krakowiak	
  and	
  Zbójnicki.	
  	
  
	
  
Besides	
   describing	
   the	
   features	
   of	
   the	
   abovementioned	
  
forms,	
  I	
  will	
  attempt	
  to	
  demonstrate	
  their	
  philosophical	
  meaning	
  
and	
   the	
   sense	
   of	
   a	
   final	
   shape	
   of	
   each	
   dance,	
   which	
   has	
   been	
  
forming	
  through	
  hundreds	
  or,	
  in	
  some	
  cases,	
  thousands	
  of	
  years.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

5	
  

	
  
My	
   point	
   in	
   doing	
   so	
   is	
   to	
   demonstrate	
   the	
   power	
   of	
   the	
  
human	
   forces	
   called	
   origins,	
   ingrained	
   deeply	
   within	
   us,	
   exerting	
  
their	
   own	
   indelible	
   impact	
   on	
   all	
   our	
   daily	
   activities,	
   particularly	
  
in	
   the	
   realm	
   of	
   art.	
   My	
   conclusions	
   in	
   that	
   matter	
   will	
   also	
   include	
  
an	
  introduction	
  to	
  ideas,	
  which	
  I	
  set	
  out	
  to	
  analyse	
  within	
  the	
  next	
  
chapters.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

	
  

6	
  

Group	
  I	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  Dances	
  in	
  triple	
  meter	
  
	
  
The	
  Oberek	
  
	
  
The	
  Oberek,	
  also	
   referred	
   to	
   as	
   the	
  Ober	
  and	
   the	
  Obertas,	
   is	
  
one	
  of	
  national	
  Polish	
  dances,	
  danced	
  by	
  couples	
  to	
  instrumental	
  
music	
   (violin,	
   bass	
   and	
   a	
   drum,	
   sometimes	
   with	
   a	
   type	
   of	
  
accordion	
   called	
   Harmonia)	
   in	
   triple	
   meter	
   of	
   3/8.	
   Very	
   fast	
   and	
  
vigorous,	
   joyful	
   AABB	
   form	
   contains	
   a	
   huge	
   number	
   of	
   various	
  
stamps,	
  jumps,	
  lifts	
  and	
  shouts.	
  The	
  name	
  Oberek	
  derives	
  from	
  the	
  
Polish	
   expression	
   obracać	
   się,	
   which	
   means	
   to	
   spin	
   and	
   it	
   is	
   not	
  
related	
   to	
   any	
   region	
   of	
   the	
   country	
   in	
   contrast	
   to	
   the	
   vast	
  
majority	
   of	
   others.	
   It	
   was	
   often	
   danced	
   during	
   wedding	
  
celebrations,	
  rites	
  or	
  other	
  secular	
  ceremonies.	
  	
  
	
  
The	
   instrumental	
   accompaniment	
   to	
   this	
   dance	
   can	
   be	
  
added	
   either	
   to	
   singing	
   or	
   just	
   to	
   dancing.	
   Musicians	
   respond	
   to	
  
the	
  opening	
  verse	
  sung	
  or	
  played	
  by	
  a	
  soloist,	
  which	
  in	
  many	
  cases	
  
is	
   the	
   first	
   A	
   section	
   of	
   the	
   form	
   (it	
   is	
   also	
   common	
   to	
   start	
   the	
  
piece	
   with	
   4	
   bars	
   upbeat,	
   the	
   anacrusis	
   consists	
   two	
   dotted	
  
quarter	
  notes	
  and	
  six	
  eight	
  notes	
  with	
  crescendo	
  and	
  rubato	
  in	
  the	
  
end).	
  
	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  example	
  no.	
  1	
  
	
  

7	
  

	
  
The	
  main	
  melody	
  is	
  performed	
  or	
  sometimes	
  spontaneously	
  
improvised	
   on	
   the	
   violin,	
   accordion	
   or	
   sung	
   by	
   a	
   singer	
   with	
   an	
  
accompaniment	
   of	
   the	
   bass	
   instrument	
   playing	
   fifths	
   rhythmically	
  
on	
  simple	
  chord	
  changes	
  based	
  on	
  dominant	
  and	
  tonic.	
  The	
  drum	
  
(or	
   a	
   tambourine),	
   besides	
   pointing	
   every	
   eight	
   note	
   in	
   the	
  
measure	
   is	
   following	
   the	
   melody	
   by	
   accenting	
   some	
   more	
  
important	
  notes	
  and	
  the	
  endings	
  of	
  every	
  section.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  example	
  no.	
  2	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  
	
  
Although	
  the	
  first	
  written	
  documents	
  mentioning	
  this	
  form	
  
come	
   from	
   the	
   seventeenth	
   century,	
   it	
   is	
   clear	
   that	
   the	
  
quintessence	
   of	
   the	
   Oberek’s	
   musical	
   characteristics	
   had	
   been	
  
existing	
  and	
  had	
  been	
  developing	
  for	
  centuries.	
  	
  
	
  
We	
  can	
  observe	
  these	
  unique	
  characteristics	
  not	
  only	
  in	
  this	
  
form	
   but	
   also	
   in	
   many	
   other	
   similar	
   ones	
   from	
   different	
   parts	
   of	
  
Poland	
   including	
   main,	
   national	
   dances	
   like	
   Mazur	
   (big	
  
similarities),	
   Kujawiak	
   or	
   Polonez.	
   However,	
   there	
   is	
   no	
   doubt	
  
about	
   the	
   fact	
   that	
   the	
  Oberek	
  exemplifies	
   or	
   represents	
   them	
   in	
  
the	
   most	
   profound	
   and	
   apparent	
   way,	
   at	
   the	
   same	
   time	
   not	
  
bearing	
  any	
  relationship	
  to	
  any	
  particular	
  region.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

8	
  

	
  
To	
  summarize	
  –	
  this	
  form	
  emerged	
  in	
  the	
  Polish	
  culture	
  as	
  a	
  
way	
   to	
   celebrate	
   and	
   enjoy	
   different	
   kinds	
   of	
   occasions.	
   It	
   also	
  
perfectly	
   shows	
   the	
   character	
   of	
   cultural	
   mentality	
   and	
   the	
   daily	
  
behaviour	
   of	
   Polish	
   people,	
   presenting	
   the	
   national	
   spirit	
   and	
   in	
  
my	
  opinion	
  can	
  be	
  treated	
  as	
  a	
  foundation	
  underlying	
  all	
  national	
  
dances	
  included	
  in	
  the	
  group	
  of	
  triple	
  meter.	
  The	
  Oberek,	
  thanks	
  to	
  
its	
   all-­‐demonstrable	
   features	
   is	
   very	
   much	
   like	
   a	
   prototype	
   of	
  
others	
  and,	
  as	
  a	
  dance	
  form,	
  it	
  perfectly	
  expresses	
  the	
  core	
  of	
  the	
  
Polish	
  musical	
  sense,	
  the	
  way	
  of	
  perceiving	
  the	
  reality	
  and	
  the	
  way	
  
of	
  gaining	
  motivation	
  to	
  share	
  in	
  general.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

9	
  

The	
  Mazur	
  
	
  
The	
   Mazur,	
   or	
   the	
   Mazurek	
   is	
   also	
   a	
   national	
   Polish	
   dance	
  
originating	
   from	
   the	
   Mazovia	
   region,	
   very	
   often	
   mistakenly	
  
identified	
   with	
   the	
   Oberek	
   because	
   of	
   their	
   almost	
   identical	
  
musical	
   features.	
   However,	
   apart	
   from	
   the	
   same	
   time	
   signature	
  
(3/8),	
  a	
  lively	
  tempo,	
  type	
  of	
  introduction,	
  set	
  of	
  sections	
  (AABB),	
  
instrumentation,	
  dancers	
  movements	
  and	
  the	
  general	
  tone	
  we	
  can	
  
notice	
  some	
  differences	
  between	
  these	
  two	
  dance	
  forms	
  as	
  well.	
  	
  
	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
First	
   and	
   foremost,	
   while	
   in	
   the	
   Oberek	
   a	
   plan	
   of	
   set	
   up	
  
accents	
   is	
   more	
   loose	
   and	
   unplanned,	
   in	
  the	
  Mazur	
  we	
   can	
   easily	
  
distinguish	
   some	
   regularity	
   and	
   common	
   behaviours	
   in	
   that	
  
matter.	
   Strong	
   points	
   are	
   usually	
   placed	
   on	
   the	
   third	
   beat	
   of	
   the	
  
measure	
  (sometimes	
  irregularly	
  replacing	
  with	
  the	
  second	
  beat).	
  
	
  

	
  
	
  
	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
   	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
   	
  
	
  

	
  

	
  
	
  

	
  
	
  

	
  
	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  example	
  no.	
  3	
  

	
  

	
  
	
  
	
  

10	
  

The	
  accuracy	
  in	
  emphasizing	
  accents	
  is	
  probably	
  somehow	
  
related	
   to	
   the	
   tempo	
   of	
   the	
   dance,	
   which	
   is	
   usually	
   a	
   little	
   bit	
  
slower	
   than	
   in	
   the	
   Oberek.	
   This	
   specific	
   aspect	
   undoubtedly	
  
exerted	
  a	
  kind	
  of	
  impact	
  on	
  modelling	
  the	
  melody	
  as	
  well,	
  because	
  
typically	
   it	
   is	
   very	
   transparent	
   and	
   memorable,	
   more	
   centred	
  
upon	
   the	
   attractive	
   element,	
   which	
   is	
   the	
   beauty	
   of	
   the	
   melodic	
  
line.	
  	
  	
  
	
  
	
  

	
  	
  	
  example	
  no.	
  4	
  

	
  

	
  
	
  
Finally,	
  the	
  Mazur	
  dance	
  form	
  is	
  nothing	
  more	
  than	
  a	
  special	
  
kind	
  of	
  the	
  Oberek	
  coming	
  from	
  the	
  Mazovia	
  region,	
  with	
  a	
  slightly	
  
altered	
   contour	
   thanks	
   to	
   the	
   strong	
   Mazovian	
   community	
  
providing	
   its	
   own	
   identity	
   and	
   a	
   very	
   interesting	
   final	
   purport.	
  
The	
   transparency	
   of	
   the	
   name	
  clearly	
   points	
   to	
   the	
   relation	
   with	
   a	
  
particular	
   area	
   of	
   the	
   country,	
   bearing	
   very	
   noticeable	
   and	
  
obvious	
  similarities	
  to	
  Oberek.	
  	
  
	
  
At	
  the	
  same	
  time	
  it	
  might	
  have	
  a	
  bit	
  more	
  “catchy”	
  melodic	
  
line	
   for	
   an	
   average	
   listener,	
   that	
   makes	
   this	
   form	
   more	
  
demonstrative	
  and	
  much	
  more	
  official	
  as	
  well.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

11	
  

Owing	
   to	
   its	
   better	
   recognition,	
   the	
   Mazur	
   form	
   became	
   a	
  
huge	
  inspiration	
  for	
  a	
  number	
  of	
  Polish	
  composers	
  like	
  Fryderyk	
  
Chopin	
  (who	
  wrote	
  58	
  stylized	
  Mazurkas,	
  mainly	
  for	
  solo	
  piano),	
  
Karol	
   Szymanowski	
   (22	
   Mazurkas,	
   also	
   for	
   solo	
   piano),	
   Oskar	
  
Kolberg	
   (as	
   a	
   researcher	
   he	
   gathered	
   around	
   10	
   thousand	
  
folkloric	
   melodies,	
   composed	
   a	
   number	
   of	
   stylized	
   Obereks	
   and	
  
Mazurkas),	
  Henryk	
  Wieniawski	
  or	
  Grażyna	
  Bacewicz.	
  	
  
	
  
Moreover,	
   the	
   form	
   was	
   very	
   popular	
   and	
   influential	
  
amongst	
  classical	
  composers	
  all	
  around	
  Europe	
  such	
  as	
  Alexander	
  
Scriabin,	
   Pyotr	
   Tchaikovsky	
   and	
   Alexander	
   Borodin	
   from	
   Russia,	
  
Bedřich	
  Smetana	
  and	
  Antonín	
  Dvořák	
  from	
  the	
  Czech	
  Republic	
  or	
  
Claude	
  Debussy	
  and	
  Maurice	
  Ravel	
  from	
  France.	
  
	
  
In	
   addition,	
   a	
   significant	
   piece	
   of	
   information,	
   worth	
  
mentioning	
   in	
   my	
   thesis,	
   is	
   that	
   even	
   the	
   Polish	
   national	
   anthem	
  
Mazurek	
  Dąbrowskiego	
   is	
   based	
   on	
   the	
   form	
   of	
   Mazur,	
   composed	
  
by	
   Józef	
   Wybicki	
   in	
   1797	
   (two	
   years	
   after	
   the	
   Third	
   Partition	
   of	
  
Poland	
   had	
   turned	
   into	
   the	
   removal	
   of	
   the	
   Polish–Lithuanian	
  
Commonwealth	
  from	
  the	
  map	
  of	
  Europe),	
  inspired	
  by	
  an	
  original	
  
folkloric	
  melody.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

example no. 5

	
  

	
  
	
  

12	
  

	
  
Whereas	
   the	
   examples	
   of	
   the	
   Mazur’s	
   interpretations	
   I	
  
provided	
   are	
   essential	
   to	
   show	
   the	
   momentous	
   role	
   of	
   this	
   form,	
  
at	
   the	
   same	
   time	
   my	
   intention	
   is	
   to	
   highlight	
   a	
   delicate	
   matter,	
  
namely	
  the	
  phenomenon	
  of	
  discounting	
  the	
  Oberek	
  in	
  the	
  cultural	
  
output	
   and	
   weakening	
   its	
   importance	
   and	
   position	
   among	
   other	
  
national	
  dances.	
  
	
  
As	
  I	
  previously	
  emphasized,	
  in	
  my	
  opinion	
  the	
  Oberek	
  form	
  
with	
   all	
   its	
   attributes	
   is	
   more	
   like	
   a	
   mysterious	
   prototype	
   of	
  
almost	
  all	
  the	
  other	
  dances,	
  while	
  the	
  Mazur	
  is	
  one	
  of	
  the	
  ways	
  to	
  
interpret	
  it.	
  In	
  other	
  words,	
  if	
  someone	
  asked	
  what	
  the	
  idiom,	
  the	
  
core	
  of	
  the	
  Polish	
  musical	
  characteristics	
  is,	
  we	
  should	
  admit	
  that	
  
Oberek	
  portrays	
  it	
  in	
  the	
  most	
  perfect	
  way	
  and	
  Mazur’s	
  additional	
  
features	
  were	
  just	
  formed	
  according	
  to	
  that.	
  	
  
	
  
It	
  is	
  not	
  the	
  question	
  of	
  a	
  conflict	
  between	
  these	
  two	
  forms	
  
but	
   of	
   a	
   difference	
   between	
   their	
   dissimilar	
   relationships	
   to	
   the	
  
very	
   origin;	
   unlike	
   the	
   rest,	
   Oberek’s	
   fundamental	
   characteristics	
  
exist	
   in	
   almost	
   every	
   Polish	
   type	
   of	
   dance	
   with	
   a	
   number	
   of	
  
modifications.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

13	
  

The	
  Kujawiak	
  
	
  
The	
  Kujawiak	
   is	
   a	
   national	
   Polish	
   dance	
   from	
   the	
   region	
   of	
  
Kuyavia,	
   also	
   danced	
   by	
   couples	
   to	
   instrumental	
   music	
   with	
   a	
  
setup	
   of	
   players	
   similar	
   to	
   that	
   of	
   the	
   Oberek	
   and	
   the	
   Mazur	
  
(sometimes	
   supplemented	
   by	
   the	
   clarinet	
   or	
   different	
   kind	
   of	
  
flutes)	
   in	
   triple	
   meter	
   (this	
   time	
   more	
   accurate	
   to	
   put	
   3/4).	
   In	
  
terms	
   of	
   further	
   parallels	
   it	
   is	
   not	
   difficult	
   to	
   notice	
   the	
   same	
  
AABB	
   form,	
   an	
   analogous	
   kind	
   of	
   introduction	
   or	
   even	
   a	
   similar	
  
rhythm	
  structure.	
  
	
  

	
  

	
  

However,	
   there	
   is	
   also	
   a	
   number	
   of	
   significant	
   differences	
  
that	
   make	
   the	
  Kujawiak	
   exceptional	
   and	
   absorbing.	
   First	
   of	
   all,	
   the	
  
tempo	
  of	
  this	
  dance	
  is	
  much	
  slower	
  here	
  in	
  comparison	
  with	
  the	
  
two	
   previous	
   examples.	
   The	
   melody	
   is	
   usually	
   in	
   the	
   minor	
   key	
  
with	
   a	
   very	
   lyrical	
   or	
   even	
   sentimental	
   melodic	
   line.	
   The	
  
melancholic	
  tone	
  has	
  its	
  impact	
  on	
  the	
  resonance	
  of	
  every	
  section	
  
starting	
  from	
  the	
  introduction,	
  which	
  in	
  this	
  case,	
  due	
  to	
  its	
  longer	
  
duration	
   acquires	
   a	
   new,	
   enigmatic	
   meaning,	
   through	
   A	
   and	
   B	
  
sections	
   with	
   a	
   very	
   calm	
   and	
   transparent	
   way	
   of	
   leading	
   the	
  
melodic	
  phrase	
  and,	
  finally,	
  the	
  endings	
  of	
  these	
  sections	
  finished	
  
with	
   accents,	
   this	
   time	
   performed	
   more	
   decisively,	
   resolutely,	
  
sometimes	
  even	
  with	
  a	
  kind	
  of	
  desperation.	
  

	
  

14	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  example	
  no.	
  6	
  

	
  
The	
   Kujawiak	
   with	
   all	
   its	
   characteristics,	
   created	
   by	
   the	
  
Kuyavian	
   people,	
   pictures	
   ideally	
   the	
   magnificent	
   landscape	
   of	
   the	
  
Kuyavia	
  region	
  in	
  a	
  metaphoric	
  way.	
  It	
  is	
  also	
  a	
  great	
  example	
  of	
  
how	
   diverse	
   the	
   Polish	
   folkloric	
   music	
   can	
   be,	
   how	
   many	
   points	
   of	
  
view	
  and	
  ways	
  to	
  interpret	
  the	
  reality	
  we	
  can	
  perceive.	
  
	
  
Nevertheless,	
  the	
  evident	
  connections	
  with	
  the	
  Oberek	
  and	
  
the	
   Mazur	
   raise	
   the	
   question	
   of	
   the	
   origins	
   again;	
   we	
   can	
  
distinguish	
  the	
  differences	
  in	
  the	
  Kujawiak,	
  a	
  discourse	
  about	
  the	
  
beauty	
  of	
  details	
  and	
  inner	
  reasons	
  for	
  their	
  existence,	
  but	
  at	
  the	
  
same	
   time	
   we	
   let	
   ourselves	
   become	
   seduced	
   by	
   its	
   secretive,	
  
immortal	
   parallels	
   emerging	
   from	
   the	
   Polish	
   history,	
   and	
   we	
   pay	
  
tribute	
  to	
  them.	
  
	
  
This	
   exuberant,	
   sorrowful	
   dance	
   form	
   stays	
   in	
   great	
  
contrast	
   to	
   the	
   enthusiastic,	
   joyful	
   tone	
   of	
   the	
   Oberek	
   and	
   may	
  
correctly	
   be	
   treated	
   as	
   an	
   opposition;	
   as	
   a	
   way	
   of	
   expressing	
  
reverse	
   emotions	
   but	
   based	
   on	
   the	
   same	
   musical	
   groundwork	
  
identical	
  to	
  all	
  dances	
  included	
  in	
  the	
  triple	
  meter	
  group.	
  
	
  
	
  

15	
  

The	
  Polonez	
  
	
  
The	
   Polonez,	
   or	
   in	
   French	
   Polonaise	
   is	
   probably	
   the	
   most	
  
internationally	
   recognizable	
   dance	
   form	
   coming	
   from	
   a	
   group	
   of	
  
national	
   Polish	
   dances.	
   Danced	
   by	
   couples,	
   walking	
   around	
   great	
  
reception	
   dance	
   halls	
   or	
   in	
   the	
   open-­‐air	
   in	
   a	
   very	
   distinguished	
  
and	
  elegant	
  way	
  with	
  moderate	
  tempo.	
  Accompanied	
  by	
  different	
  
sets	
   of	
   instruments,	
   in	
   triple	
   meter,	
   usually	
   with	
   AABB	
   setup	
   of	
  
sections.	
   In	
   this	
   case,	
   the	
   rhythm	
   structure	
   and	
   arrangement	
   of	
  
accents	
   are	
   relatively	
   unusual	
   in	
   comparison	
   to	
   the	
   dance	
   forms	
  
mentioned	
   earlier	
   (emphasizing	
   the	
   first	
   beat	
   in	
   every	
   measure	
  
with	
  a	
  longer	
  step).	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

	
  	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  
	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  example	
  no.	
  7	
  

	
  

	
  
	
  
In	
  the	
  first	
  place	
  it	
  is	
  principal	
  to	
  stress	
  that	
  this	
  form	
  owes	
  
its	
  uniqueness	
  to	
  its	
  ceremonial	
  and	
  splendorous	
  character,	
  which	
  
obviously	
   has	
   a	
   strong	
   reflection	
   in	
   musical	
   characteristics.	
   The	
  
melody	
   is	
   usually	
   composed	
   with	
   some	
   short	
   phrases,	
   very	
  
majestic	
   and	
   sometimes	
   ornamented.	
   The	
   key	
   is	
   typically	
  
undefined.	
  
	
  
	
  

	
  
	
  

16	
  

	
  
	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  example	
  no.	
  8	
  

	
  

	
  
	
  
Analogously	
   to	
   the	
  Oberek,	
  the	
   name	
   Polonez	
   is	
   not	
   related	
  
to	
  any	
  region	
  of	
  the	
  country,	
  but	
  this	
  time	
  the	
  reason	
  for	
  that	
  fact	
  
is	
   more	
   correlated	
   with	
   a	
   social	
   role	
   of	
   the	
   dance	
   shaped	
   by	
   the	
  
history.	
   In	
   the	
   past,	
   the	
   Polonez	
   used	
   to	
   be	
   named	
   Taniec	
   Polski	
  
(the	
   Polish	
   Dance)	
   or	
   Chodzony	
   (the	
   Walking	
   Dance),	
   and	
   it	
   was	
  
performed	
  during	
  folk	
  or	
  secular	
  wedding	
  celebrations	
  and	
  formal	
  
balls.	
   The	
   processional	
   character	
   of	
   the	
   dance	
   and	
   its	
   final	
   form	
  
was	
   being	
   shaped	
   within	
   a	
   period	
   of	
   time	
   when	
  the	
   Polonez	
   was	
  
adopted	
   by	
   the	
   upper	
   class	
   of	
   the	
   Polish	
   society	
   and	
   when	
   it	
  
became	
  popular	
  all	
  around	
  Europe.	
  
	
  
Due	
   to	
   its	
   very	
   sophisticated	
   form	
   and	
   numerous	
  
differences	
   in	
   comparison	
   with	
   other	
   Polish	
   dances,	
   the	
   Polonez	
  
became	
   an	
   important	
   reference	
   for	
   many	
   great	
   classical	
  
composers	
   like	
   Johann	
   Sebastian	
   Bach,	
   Wolfgang	
   Amadeus	
  
Mozart,	
   Ludwig	
   van	
   Beethoven,	
   Franz	
   Schubert,	
   Robert	
  
Schumann,	
   Franz	
   Liszt,	
   Modest	
   Mussorgsky,	
   Nikolai	
   Rimsky-­‐
Korsakov,	
   Pyotr	
   Tchaikovsky,	
   Alexander	
   Scriabin,	
   and	
   of	
   course	
  
Polish	
   authors	
   like	
   Fryderyk	
   Chopin,	
   Karol	
   Szymanowski,	
  
Stanisław	
   Moniuszko,	
   Henryk	
   Wieniawski,	
   Zbigniew	
   Noskowski,	
  
Wojciech	
   Kilar	
   and	
   many	
   others.	
   Its	
   form	
   is	
   also	
   used	
   in	
   many	
  
national	
  songs	
  or	
  several	
  Christmas	
  Carols,	
  like	
  Bóg	
  się	
  Rodzi,	
  (God	
  
Is	
  Being	
  Born).	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

17	
  

example	
  no.	
  9	
  

	
  

	
  
	
  
Obviously,	
   this	
   dance	
   form	
   has	
   strong	
   roots	
   in	
   a	
   Polish	
   form	
  
referred	
   to	
   as	
   Chodzony,	
   which	
   is	
   possibly	
   related	
   to	
   some	
   ancient	
  
ritual	
   of	
   exorcising	
   ghosts	
   from	
   the	
   village	
   cottages	
   with	
   sung	
  
accompaniment	
   and	
   marching	
   step	
   but	
   the	
   modern	
   shape	
   of	
   the	
  
Polonez,	
  apart	
  from	
  its	
  foundation	
  remains	
  under	
  a	
  strong	
  musical	
  
influence	
   of	
   other	
   dances.	
   It	
   is	
   more	
   like	
   an	
   aristocratic	
  
personification	
   of	
   a	
   mixture	
   of	
   different	
   characteristics,	
   almost	
  
like	
   an	
   official	
   hybrid	
   of	
   all	
   national	
   dances	
   presented	
   in	
   a	
  
symbolic	
   and	
   representational	
   way.	
   This	
   probably	
   explains	
   why	
  
one	
  of	
  its	
  names	
  is	
  Polski	
  (the	
  Polish).	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

18	
  

Group	
  II	
  
Dances	
  in	
  duple	
  meter	
  
	
  
The	
  Krakowiak	
  
	
  
The	
  Krakowiak	
  is	
  a	
  national	
  Polish	
  dance	
  deriving	
  from	
  the	
  
Lesser	
   Poland	
   region;	
   its	
   name	
   comes	
   from	
   Kraków,	
   the	
   former	
  
capital	
   town	
   of	
   the	
   Polish	
   Kings	
   and	
   nowadays	
   the	
   third	
   biggest	
  
city	
  in	
  Poland.	
  
	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  This	
  vigorous	
  dance	
  form	
  consists	
  of	
  different	
  elements	
  like	
  
running,	
   shuffling,	
   passing	
   and	
   jumping.	
   Very	
   fast	
   and	
   dynamic,	
  
danced	
  by	
  couples	
  with	
  the	
  leading	
  man	
  directing	
  the	
  dance	
  from	
  
the	
   first	
   pair,	
   in	
   duple	
   meter	
   (2/4)	
   to	
   instrumental	
   music	
   with	
  
very	
   specific	
   syncopation	
   and	
   rhythm	
   structure,	
   supposedly	
  
imitating	
  horses	
  gallop.	
  
	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  example	
  no.	
  10	
  

	
  

	
  
Its	
  form	
  is	
  also	
  quite	
  unusual;	
  A	
  and	
  B	
  sections	
  are	
  repeated	
  
twice	
   but	
   instead	
   of	
   coming	
   back	
   to	
   the	
   top,	
   we	
   are	
   moving	
   to	
  
doubled	
  section	
  C,	
  D	
  and	
  so	
  on,	
  wherein	
  every	
  following	
  segment	
  
is	
  evidently	
  altered.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  

19	
  

Another	
   remarkable	
   feature	
   is	
   the	
   fact	
   that	
   each	
   melodic	
  
phrase	
   is	
   symmetrically	
   repeated,	
   which	
   creates	
   nearly	
   identical	
  
pairs	
  of	
  melodies	
  in	
  every	
  section.	
  The	
  melodic	
  line	
  itself	
  is	
  usually	
  
quite	
  resolute	
  and	
  haughty;	
  very	
  concise	
  in	
  the	
  basic	
  state,	
  but	
  it	
  
can	
   be	
   ornamented	
   with	
   lots	
   of	
   extra	
   rhythmic	
   figures,	
  
spontaneous	
  triad	
  passages,	
  and	
  additional	
  dotted	
  notes.	
  	
  	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
	
  

	
  	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  example	
  no.	
  11	
  

	
  

	
  
	
  
The	
  Krakowiak	
  is	
  the	
  most	
  famous	
  and	
  representative	
  dance	
  
in	
   duple	
   mater	
   with	
   its	
   own,	
   strong	
   individuality	
   but,	
   besides	
   a	
  
number	
   of	
   evident	
   differences	
   (mainly	
   completely	
   contrasting	
  
time	
   signature),	
   it	
   perfectly	
   exposes	
   the	
   Polish	
   national	
   spirit	
  
compared	
   to	
   the	
   Oberek	
   and	
   other	
   Oberek-­‐oriented	
   dances.	
  
Furthermore,	
   we	
   can	
   even	
   characterize	
   some	
   interesting	
  
structural	
   connections	
   between	
   these	
   two	
   dance	
   forms,	
   for	
  
example	
   both	
   of	
   them	
   use	
   the	
   same	
   syncopated	
   rhythm	
   pattern,	
  
which	
   is	
   only	
   articulated	
   in	
   a	
   dissimilar	
   way	
   and	
   used	
   in	
   a	
  
different	
  beat	
  in	
  the	
  measure.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

20	
  

Possibly,	
   the	
   people	
   from	
   the	
   Lesser	
   Poland	
   created	
   this	
  
form	
   as	
   a	
   kind	
   of	
   mixture	
   consisting	
   of	
   some	
   Polish	
   triple	
   meter	
  
dances	
   and	
   the	
   classical	
   music,	
   most	
   probably	
   secular	
   dances	
  
originating	
   from	
   the	
   Renaissance	
   period	
   (in	
   duple	
   meter),	
   when	
  
Kraków	
  occupied	
  a	
  very	
  strong	
  position	
  in	
  the	
  field	
  of	
  music	
  and	
  
the	
  Kraków’s	
  scene	
  was	
  fairly	
  influential	
  in	
  the	
  region,	
  the	
  country	
  
and	
  all	
  over	
  Europe.	
  
	
  
The	
   other	
   worthwhile	
   theory	
   would	
   be	
   that	
   the	
   Krakowiak	
  
is	
   in	
   fact	
   a	
   hybrid	
   of	
   a	
   triple	
   meter	
   dance	
   like	
   the	
   Oberek	
   and	
  
another	
  dance	
  coming	
  from	
  the	
  most	
  southern	
  part	
  of	
  Poland,	
  just	
  
over	
  the	
  border	
  with	
  Slovakia,	
  at	
  the	
  foot	
  of	
  the	
  Tatra	
  Mountains,	
  
named	
  the	
  Zbójnicki.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

21	
  

The	
  Zbójnicki	
  
	
  
The	
  Zbójnicki	
  is	
  a	
  very	
  specific	
  dance	
  form	
  which	
  originated	
  
in	
  the	
  Podhale	
  region	
  (the	
  southernmost	
  part	
  of	
  the	
  Lesser	
   Poland	
  
occasionally	
  titled	
   the	
   Polish	
  highlands),	
   danced	
   by	
   a	
   group	
   of	
   men	
  
called	
   Zbójnik	
   which	
   means	
   a	
   robber	
   from	
   that	
   particular	
   area.	
  
Incredibly	
   enthusiastic	
   and	
   vital	
   in	
   the	
   variable	
   tempo,	
   performed	
  
with	
  an	
  accompaniment	
  of	
  a	
  small	
  string	
  ensemble	
  in	
  duple	
  meter,	
  
with	
  many	
  kinds	
  of	
  steps	
  and	
  rampant	
  figures,	
  especially	
  jumping	
  
and	
  knee-­‐bending.	
  
	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  

	
  

	
  
The	
  whole	
  form	
  of	
  the	
  dance	
  can	
  be	
  compared	
  to	
  a	
  kind	
  of	
  a	
  
suite,	
   which	
   includes	
   an	
   ad-­‐libitum	
   introduction,	
   sung	
   couplets	
  
and	
   fast	
   marching	
   in	
   circles	
   with	
   diverse,	
   extra	
   figures.	
   Men,	
  
Zbójnicy	
  always	
  dance	
  with	
  their	
  decorative	
  axes	
  called	
  Ciupagas,	
  
which	
  play	
  an	
  important	
  role	
  in	
  some	
  movements.	
  A	
  feature	
  that	
  
is	
   very	
   emblematic	
   of	
   the	
   music	
   from	
   the	
   Podhale	
   region	
   is	
   that	
  
harmony,	
  chord	
  changes	
  and	
  the	
  melody	
  are	
  all	
  based	
  on	
  a	
  unique	
  
scale	
  called	
  Skala	
  Góralska,	
  which	
  means	
  the	
  Mountaineer’s	
  Scale.	
  
	
  
	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  example	
  no.	
  12	
  

	
  

22	
  

Short	
   melodic	
   phrases	
   are	
   strongly	
   linked	
   with	
   downbeats	
  
of	
   the	
   measure,	
   which	
   makes	
   them	
   very	
   short,	
   resolute	
   and	
  
concise.	
   After	
   presenting	
   the	
   theme	
   melody	
   during	
   the	
   first	
  
couplet	
   in	
   a	
   slow	
   tempo	
   or	
   even	
   tempo	
   rubato,	
   when	
   men	
   start	
  
dancing	
   in	
   the	
   circle,	
   the	
   pulse	
   is	
   gradually	
   changing	
   to	
   a	
   fast	
  
tempo	
   and	
   the	
   melodic	
   line	
   becomes	
   ornamented	
   in	
   many	
   ways	
  
by	
   the	
   leading	
   instrument,	
   which	
   in	
   most	
   cases	
   is	
   the	
   violin	
  
accompanied	
   by	
   very	
   metrical	
   hits	
   of	
   the	
   rest	
   of	
   the	
   string	
  
ensemble.	
  
	
  
	
  

	
  	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  example	
  no.	
  13	
  

	
  

	
  
	
  
The	
   musical	
   characteristics	
   and	
   dance	
   patterns	
   of	
   the	
  
Zbójnicki	
   form	
   are	
   evidently	
   typical	
   of	
   many	
   dances	
   of	
   this	
   region,	
  
also	
   of	
   forms	
   coming	
   from	
   the	
   opposite	
   side	
   of	
   the	
   Tatra	
  
Mountains	
  –	
  Slovakia	
   and	
   Hungary.	
   The	
   most	
   probable	
   version	
   is	
  
that	
  the	
  prototype	
  of	
  this	
  dance	
  was	
  the	
  procession	
  dance,	
  which	
  
was	
   the	
   main	
   form	
   of	
   dance	
   for	
   ancient	
   nations	
   from	
   this	
  
highlands	
  area.	
  
	
  
It	
   wonderfully	
   shows	
   the	
   temperament	
   and	
   vitality	
   of	
   the	
  
people	
   who	
   have	
   been	
   living	
   there	
   for	
   centuries.	
   An	
   additional,	
  
extraordinary	
   confirmation	
   of	
   these	
   attributes	
   would	
   be	
   that	
   the	
  
culture	
  of	
   Podhale	
   is	
   still	
   alive,	
   it	
   is	
   easy	
   to	
   notice	
   people	
   in	
   folk	
  
costumes	
   and	
   men	
   with	
   Ciupagas	
   even	
   in	
   the	
   streets	
   of	
   the	
  
highland	
   “capital”,	
   Zakopane	
   city,	
   not	
   to	
   mention	
   the	
   countless	
  
villages	
   around,	
   where	
   the	
   Zbójnicki	
   and	
   other	
   dances	
   like	
  
Góralski,	
  Krzesany,	
  Drobny	
  are	
  still	
  danced	
  regularly.	
  
	
  

23	
  

	
  
The	
   rhythmical	
   and	
   overall	
   similarities	
   between	
   the	
  
Zbójnicki	
  and	
  the	
  Krakowiak	
  are	
  very	
  strong,	
  but	
  at	
  the	
  same	
  time	
  
highly	
   important	
   and	
   therefore	
   worth	
   mentioning.	
   The	
   reason	
   I	
  
selected	
   Zbójnicki	
   from	
   a	
   group	
   of	
   dances	
   coming	
   from	
   the	
  
Podhale	
   region	
   is	
   not	
   only	
   its	
   huge	
   popularity,	
   but	
   also	
   the	
  
strength	
   of	
   the	
   way	
   it	
   has	
   affected	
   and	
   changed	
   the	
   cultural	
  
environment	
  of	
  the	
  entire	
  Lesser	
  Poland	
  area	
  and	
  beyond.	
  
	
  
This	
   form	
   was	
   born	
   and	
   was	
   growing	
   in	
   the	
   mountains,	
  
developed	
   by	
   small,	
   strong	
   male	
   communities	
   as	
   a	
   symbol	
   of	
   their	
  
independence,	
   inner	
   powers,	
   bravery	
   and	
   fearlessness.	
   At	
   some	
  
point	
   back	
   in	
   the	
   day,	
   this	
   exceptional	
   land	
   was	
   discovered	
   by	
  
others	
   and	
   their	
   culture,	
   music,	
   social	
   practices	
   were	
   gradually	
  
absorbed,	
  which	
  we	
  can	
  perceive	
  based	
  on	
  this	
  specific	
  example.	
  	
  
	
  
The	
   Krakowiak,	
   with	
   its	
   2/4	
   time	
   signature	
   (the	
   only	
  
national	
  Polish	
  dance	
  form	
  that	
  does	
  not	
  represent	
  triple	
  meter),	
  
the	
  kind	
  of	
  dance	
  movements	
  and	
  the	
  general	
  musical	
  tone	
  bears	
  
clear	
   references	
   to	
   the	
   music	
   from	
   the	
   Polish	
   highlands	
   region,	
  
especially	
  to	
   the	
   Zbójnicki	
   dance.	
  After	
  all,	
  my	
  further	
  observation	
  
is	
   that	
  Krakowiak	
  is	
   still	
   well	
   known	
   and	
   occasionally	
   danced	
   by	
  
villagers	
  in	
  the	
  Podhale.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

24	
  

	
  
Summary	
  
	
  
The	
   main	
   purpose	
   of	
   presenting	
   these	
   six	
   most	
  
characteristic	
  and	
  well-­‐known	
  Polish	
  dances	
  is	
  not	
  only	
  putting	
  all	
  
distinctions	
   and	
   common	
   features	
   together	
   and	
   showing	
   the	
  
musical	
  diversity	
  but	
  also	
  explaining	
  the	
  origins	
  of	
  specific	
  dance	
  
forms.	
  	
  
	
  
Having	
   gone	
   through	
   all	
   these	
   various	
   ways	
   of	
   musical	
  
expression	
  quite	
  carefully,	
  we	
  are	
  getting	
  closer	
  to	
  the	
  questions,	
  
which	
  are	
  the	
  key	
  to	
  understanding	
  the	
  main	
  thesis	
  of	
  this	
  entire	
  
work;	
  namely,	
  the	
  question	
  why	
  these	
  forms	
  have	
  the	
  final	
  shape	
  
as	
  described	
  above.	
  
	
  
Besides,	
   the	
   matter	
   is	
   why,	
   despite	
   all	
   differences	
   and	
  
variations,	
   we	
   can	
   still	
   admit	
   that	
   Oberek,	
   Mazur,	
   Kujawiak,	
  
Polonez,	
   Krakowiak,	
   Zbójnicki	
   and	
   others	
   are	
   truly	
   Polish	
   dances	
  
by	
   naturally	
   perceiving	
   and	
   extricating	
   the	
   secretive	
   core,	
   which	
  
remained	
  unchanged	
  throughout	
  history.	
  
	
  
Lastly,	
   if	
   the	
   real	
   folkloric	
   music	
   becomes	
   less	
   and	
   less	
  
popular,	
   the	
   dancing	
   practice	
   in	
   fact	
   vanishes	
   in	
   the	
   air,	
   it	
   is	
  
advisable	
  to	
  ask	
  where	
  we	
  can	
  find	
  this	
  core	
  nowadays,	
  besides	
  a	
  
few	
  remaining	
  villages	
  scattered	
  throughout	
  Poland.	
  Is	
  it	
  lost?	
  Or	
  
we	
   just	
   do	
   not	
   need	
   it	
   anymore	
   in	
   order	
   to	
   create	
   our	
   music	
  
because	
  of	
  an	
  extremely	
  vast	
  number	
  of	
  influences	
  all	
  around	
  the	
  
world.	
  Have	
  we	
  already	
  replaced	
  our	
  national,	
  cultural	
  personality	
  
structure	
   with	
   external	
   inspirations	
   and	
   blindly	
   keep	
   on	
   following	
  
the	
  movement	
  of	
  globalization	
  and	
  the	
  social	
  progress?	
  
	
  
From	
   the	
   my	
   point	
   of	
   view,	
   in	
   order	
   to	
   answer	
   these	
  
questions	
   it	
   is	
   necessary	
   to	
   understand	
   the	
   primary	
   meaning	
   of	
  
the	
  improvisation	
  as	
  a	
  principal	
  element	
  forming	
  our	
  reality	
  by	
  a	
  
spontaneous	
  act	
  of	
  creation.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

25	
  

The	
   real,	
   instinctive	
   improvisation	
   is	
   a	
   complex	
   process	
   of	
  
demonstrating	
   our	
   identity,	
   which	
   not	
   only	
   includes	
   our	
   artistic	
  
imports,	
   influences,	
   overheard	
   genres	
   or	
   personal	
   taste	
   moulded	
  
by	
   life,	
   but	
   also	
   contains	
   something	
   separated	
   from	
   our	
  
consciousness,	
   something	
   constant	
   and	
   everlasting,	
   something	
  
which	
   created	
   ethnic	
   groups	
   and,	
   in	
   the	
   end,	
   whole	
   nations	
   by	
  
separating	
   one	
   culture	
   from	
   another.	
   Here,	
   we	
   can	
   observe	
  
improvisation	
   in	
   this	
   sense	
   as	
   folkloric	
   creation;	
   dance	
   forms	
  
invented	
   naturally,	
   in	
   the	
   purest	
   way	
   by	
   human	
   communities	
  
living	
   in	
   harmony	
   with	
   nature	
   and	
   in	
   peace	
   with	
   the	
   principal	
  
rules	
  of	
  life.	
  
	
  
We,	
   as	
   artists,	
   by	
   understanding	
   the	
   real	
   meaning	
   of	
  
improvisation,	
   should	
   conceive	
   of	
   the	
   opportunity	
   to	
   find	
   our	
  
roots	
  by	
  exploring	
  our	
  own	
  culture,	
  but	
  at	
  the	
  same	
  time	
  we	
  shall	
  
remember	
   that	
   even	
   if	
   we	
   have	
   no	
   intention	
   of	
   doing	
   so,	
   it	
   will	
  
remain	
   existing	
   somewhere	
   inside	
   us,	
   hidden	
   or	
   used	
  
subconsciously.	
  Again,	
  this	
  is	
  an	
  integral	
  part	
  of	
  our	
  identity.	
  
	
  

	
  

26	
  

Modern	
  Improvised	
  Music	
  
	
  
In	
  this	
  chapter	
  I	
  will	
  strive	
  to	
  showcase	
  the	
  phenomenon	
  of	
  
improvisation	
   in	
   different	
   contexts,	
   and	
   attempt	
   to	
   demonstrate	
  
the	
   role	
   of	
   spontaneous	
   creation	
   in	
   forming	
   the	
   musical	
   styles	
   like	
  
classical	
  music,	
  jazz	
  and	
  modern	
  trends.	
  
	
  
As	
   I	
   stated	
   before,	
   sense	
   of	
   improvisation	
   has	
   a	
   much	
   wider	
  
meaning	
   to	
   me;	
   it	
   is	
   not	
   only	
   about	
   a	
   live	
   act	
   of	
   unrehearsed	
  
performance,	
  just	
  a	
  solo	
  in	
  a	
  jazz	
  piece	
  or	
  free	
  music,	
  it	
  is	
  a	
  state	
  
of\mind,	
  which	
  allows	
  us	
  to	
  create.	
  Sometimes	
  this	
  state	
  inspires	
  
us	
   to	
   write	
   a	
   composition,	
   sometimes	
   it	
   forces	
   us	
   to	
   move	
  
specifically	
   with	
   music	
   and	
   create	
   dance	
   forms,	
   sometimes	
   it	
  
allows	
   us	
   to	
   play	
   a	
   particular	
   type	
   of	
   music,	
   which	
   we	
   had	
   no	
   idea	
  
about	
   before.	
   It	
   is	
   a	
   vehicle	
   for	
   the	
   expression	
   of	
   our	
   feelings,	
  
either	
   intense	
   or	
   fleeting,	
   positive	
   and	
   negative	
   aspects	
   of	
   our	
  
existence	
  in	
  our	
  own,	
  sophisticated	
  way.	
  	
  
	
  
While	
  listing	
  all	
  these	
  ways	
  mentioned	
  above,	
  we	
  can	
  notice	
  
not	
   only	
   differences	
   but	
   also	
   similarities;	
   we	
   can	
   detect	
   some	
  
interesting	
   parallels,	
   which	
   shaped	
   groups	
   of	
   cultures,	
   and	
   their	
  
own	
  independence.	
  
	
  
Therefore,	
   it	
   is	
   highly	
   significant	
   to	
   expose	
   how	
   this	
  
exceptional	
  state	
  of	
  mind	
  has	
  already	
  evolved	
  in	
  the	
  history,	
  how	
  
it	
   is	
   progressing	
   nowadays,	
   and	
   if	
   it	
   still	
   has	
   the	
   potential	
   to	
   affect	
  
the	
   future	
   of	
   music,	
   especially	
   the	
   genres	
   more	
   connected	
   with	
  
live	
  improvisation.	
  In	
  the	
  next	
  topics	
  I	
  am	
  going	
  to	
  focus	
  on	
  these	
  
matters.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

	
  

27	
  

Improvisation	
  in	
  Classical	
  Music	
  
	
  
Besides	
  the	
  European	
  refined	
  concept	
  of	
  the	
  perfect	
  type	
  of	
  
music	
   understood	
   more	
   as	
   a	
   branch	
   of	
   science	
   based	
   on	
   cosmic	
  
rules,	
  biblical	
  values	
  and	
  the	
  primary	
  meaning	
  of	
  beauty	
  and	
  truth,	
  
classical	
   music	
   was	
   strongly	
   affected	
   by	
   the	
   human	
   aspect	
  
throughout	
  history,	
  which	
  has	
  been	
  modelling	
  the	
  shape	
  and	
  has	
  
been	
   creating	
   the	
   actual	
   result	
   of	
   a	
   composer’s	
   creation.	
   This	
  
human	
  aspect	
  contained	
  some	
  features	
  like	
  impacts	
  from	
  outside	
  
of	
   Europe,	
   fusions	
   of	
   cultures	
   on	
   the	
   European	
   continent	
   and	
  
factors	
   of	
   accidental	
   nature	
   as	
   well,	
   but	
   essentially	
   it	
   was	
  
overwhelmed	
   by	
   the	
   identity	
   of	
   individual	
   composers,	
   their	
  
cultural	
   background	
   and	
   national	
   attachment.	
   As	
   I	
   previously	
  
pointed	
  out,	
  these	
  identities	
  were	
  manifested	
  by	
  different	
  kinds	
  of	
  
improvisation	
  outcomes.	
  
	
  
What	
   is	
   easy	
   to	
   notice	
   is	
   that	
   having	
   started	
   from	
   Gregorian	
  
Chants,	
   having	
   gone	
   through	
   medieval	
   mannerism,	
   the	
  
Renaissance	
   and	
   the	
   Baroque,	
   the	
   general	
   direction,	
   which	
   was	
  
the	
  previously	
  chosen	
  course,	
  was	
  shifting.	
  In	
  other	
  words,	
  to	
  put	
  
it	
   in	
   even	
   simpler	
   terms,	
   the	
   role	
   of	
   the	
   classical	
   music	
   had	
   the	
  
constant	
   tendency	
   to	
   become	
   more	
   understandable,	
   entertaining	
  
and	
   enjoyable	
   for	
   the	
   audience,	
   which	
   reached	
   its	
   highest	
   point	
   in	
  
the	
  Classical	
  period.	
  
	
  
This	
  propensity	
  can	
  be	
  interpreted	
  as	
  a	
  massive	
  movement	
  
of	
  searching	
  for	
  a	
  perfect	
  balance	
  between	
  universal	
  doctrines	
  and	
  
indelible	
  human	
  impact,	
  or	
  as	
  an	
  illustration	
  of	
  the	
  symbolic	
  fight	
  
between	
   the	
   divine	
   and	
   the	
   human	
   nature,	
   but	
   besides	
   the	
  
meaning,	
   the	
   fact	
   of	
   this	
   long-­‐term	
   trend	
   would	
   be	
   difficult	
   to	
  
deny.	
  
	
  
From	
   the	
   historical	
   point	
   of	
   view,	
   composers	
   began	
   to	
   focus	
  
more	
   on	
   their	
   own	
   invention,	
   they	
   started	
   signing	
   their	
   works	
  
with	
   real	
   names	
   and	
   put	
   a	
   lot	
   of	
   effort	
   into	
   incorporating	
  
subjective	
  musical	
  impressions	
  into	
  them	
  in	
  order	
  to	
  immortalise	
  
them	
  and	
  to	
  individualise	
  the	
  character	
  of	
  the	
  composition	
  itself.	
  
	
  

28	
  

	
  
The	
   role	
   of	
   a	
   creator-­‐composer	
   was	
   gradually	
   switching	
  
from	
   a	
   model	
   of	
   soulful	
   servant	
   with	
   pure	
   intentions	
   of	
   building	
  
the	
   artistic	
   monument	
   in	
   the	
   name	
   of	
   God,	
   to	
   a	
   self-­‐centred	
  
careerist,	
   mainly	
   focused	
   on	
   his	
   reputation	
   and	
   recognition	
   or	
  
alternatively	
  on	
  the	
  idea	
  of	
  progress,	
  as	
  the	
  only	
  target	
  and	
  main	
  
sense	
  of	
  art	
  in	
  general	
  (further	
  development).	
  An	
  interesting	
  point	
  
to	
   mention	
   here	
   is	
   the	
   very	
   clear	
   difference	
   between	
   these	
   two	
  
attitudes.	
  	
  
	
  
In	
   the	
   first	
   case	
   the	
   author	
   believed	
   that	
   all	
   his	
   musical	
  
discoveries	
   were	
   coming	
   from	
   a	
   non-­‐materialistic,	
   ideal	
   world	
  
which	
   we,	
   as	
   humans	
   can	
   hardly	
   explore	
   and	
   draw	
   conclusions	
  
based	
  on	
  our	
  observations,	
  distinguish	
  the	
  rules	
  and	
  use	
  them	
  in	
  
the	
   process	
   of	
   creation.	
   In	
   the	
   second	
   extremity	
   a	
   composer	
   is	
   not	
  
attached	
  to	
  any	
  rule	
  except	
  for	
  the	
  audience's	
  taste,	
  sense	
  of	
  style	
  
or	
   intelligence	
   of	
   the	
   listeners,	
   an	
   actual	
   trend	
   or	
   mode,	
   his	
   own	
  
caprice	
  or	
  such	
  a	
  prosaic	
  matter	
  as	
  the	
  material	
  situation.	
  
	
  
That	
   is	
   why	
   Romanticism	
   was	
   in	
   a	
   way	
   the	
   process	
   of	
  
unchaining	
   the	
   art	
   from	
   the	
   advanced	
   musical	
   simulation	
   or	
  
illusion,	
   which	
   was	
   based	
   on	
   some	
   previously	
   discovered	
   rules,	
  
but	
   commonly	
   covered	
   by	
   a	
   commercial	
   layer,	
   entertaining	
   rather	
  
than	
   enlightening	
   role.	
   The	
   direction	
   of	
   this	
   era	
   was	
   a	
   kind	
   of	
  
strong	
   response	
   to	
   the	
   Classicism’s	
   falsity	
   and	
   its	
   window	
  
dressing	
   to	
   the	
   delight	
   of	
   the	
   people,	
   later	
   leading	
   through	
   big	
  
thoughts	
   and	
   ideas,	
   through	
   passionate	
   Expressionism	
   to	
   the	
   next	
  
extreme	
  –	
  mental	
  chaos	
  rationalized	
  by	
  the	
  idea	
  of	
  the	
  progress	
  as	
  
a	
  purpose.	
  
	
  
At	
   the	
   end	
   of	
   this	
   process	
   classical	
   music	
   lost	
   its	
   initial	
  
postulations,	
  commercial	
  values	
  and	
  its	
  powers	
  to	
  touch	
  people’s	
  
feelings	
   except	
   shock,	
   disgust	
   or	
   just	
   confusion,	
   which	
   we	
   can	
  
notice	
  nowadays.	
  Romantic	
  and	
  Neoromantic	
  inclination	
  towards	
  
folk	
  music	
  is	
  not	
  accidental	
  here.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

29	
  

While	
  in	
  previous	
  musical	
  eras	
  folk	
  music	
  was	
  treated	
  as	
  a	
  
lower-­‐class	
  genre,	
  starting	
  form	
  Classicism	
  through	
  Romanticism	
  
until	
  now	
  this	
  situation	
  has	
  been	
  changing.	
  	
  By	
  putting	
  more	
  effort	
  
into	
   developing	
   the	
   individuality,	
   composers	
   started	
   to	
   look	
   for	
  
new	
   inspirations,	
   among	
   others	
   derived	
   by	
   absorbing	
   features	
  
from	
   folkloric	
   music,	
   which	
   turned	
   its	
   highest	
   point	
   in	
  
Romanticism,	
   when	
   composers	
   showed	
   their	
   biggest	
   interest	
   in	
  
that	
   matter	
   within	
   different	
   kinds	
   of	
   works,	
   from	
   solo	
   forms,	
  
through	
  chamber	
  music,	
  to	
  orchestral	
  pieces.	
  
	
  
In	
  my	
  opinion	
  it	
  was	
  the	
  natural	
  tendency	
  to	
  leave	
  artificial	
  
musical	
   construction	
   behind	
   and	
   start	
   looking	
   for	
   sincerity,	
  
authenticity	
   by	
   getting	
   closer	
   to	
   their	
   own	
   roots;	
   at	
   the	
   same	
   time	
  
giving	
   up	
   evanescence	
   and	
   naivety	
   in	
   favour	
   of	
   passion	
   and	
  
unfettered	
  expression.	
  However,	
  no	
  one	
  imagined	
  that	
  with	
  time,	
  
this	
   expression	
   would	
   unchain	
   from	
   any	
   rule,	
   any	
   principle	
   and	
  
would	
   became	
   the	
   reason	
   for	
   their	
   disappearance	
   and	
   further	
  
artistic	
  blindness.	
  
	
  
Improvisation	
   in	
   the	
   meaning	
   of	
   a	
   live	
   spontaneous	
   act	
  
existed	
   in	
   classical	
   music	
   as	
   well,	
   firstly	
   as	
   a	
   tool	
   used	
   by	
  
musicians	
   to	
   improve	
   a	
   performance	
   by	
   adding	
   complex	
  
ornaments	
   to	
   the	
   notes	
   (mainly	
   Renaissance,	
   Baroque),	
   virtuoso	
  
cadenzas	
  in	
  instrumental	
  concerts	
  or	
  in	
  basso	
  continuo,	
  later	
  even	
  
as	
   a	
   whole	
   improvised	
   performance,	
   mainly	
   solo	
   (initially	
   in	
  
Classicism,	
   but	
   more	
   often	
   in	
   Romanticism).	
   But	
   here	
   it	
   is	
   really	
  
important	
   to	
   emphasize	
   that	
   even	
   if	
   the	
   whole	
   performance	
   was	
  
unprepared	
  and	
  impulsive,	
  this	
  kind	
  of	
  improvisation	
  has	
  nothing	
  
to	
  do	
  with	
  the	
  improvisation	
  invented	
  by	
  Jazz.	
  	
  
	
  
While	
   in	
   classical	
   music	
   the	
   whole	
   improvised	
   show	
   was	
  
about	
   imitating	
   and	
   fantasizing	
   an	
   already	
   existing	
   composition	
  
form	
   with	
   the	
   potential,	
   emotional	
   outcome,	
   in	
   Jazz	
   the	
   order	
   is	
  
opposite;	
  the	
  show	
  is	
  illustrating	
  emotions	
  in	
  the	
  first	
  place,	
  with	
  
the	
  potential	
  outcome	
  of	
  the	
  form.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

30	
  

	
  
Fryderyk	
   Chopin	
   once	
   said	
   that	
   for	
   him	
   the	
   composition	
  
process	
  is	
  nothing	
  more	
  than	
  catching	
  the	
  very	
  first	
  creative	
  idea	
  
in	
   its	
   pure	
   state	
   and	
   trying	
   to	
   put	
   it	
   on	
   the	
   paper	
   without	
   any	
  
accretions;	
   for	
   him	
   it	
   was	
   the	
   actual	
   challenge.	
   He	
   believed	
   that	
  
the	
   closer	
   composition	
   is	
   to	
   improvisation;	
   the	
   truer	
   the	
   musical	
  
statement	
  of	
  the	
  author	
  is.	
  
	
  
To	
   continue	
   this	
   reasonable	
   point,	
   according	
   to	
   Chopin’s	
  
musical	
   output,	
   I	
   would	
   say:	
   the	
   more	
   honest	
   improvisation	
   and	
  
musical	
   statement	
   of	
   the	
   author,	
   the	
   closer	
   the	
   distance	
   to	
   own	
  
origins,	
  to	
  folkloric	
  music.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

31	
  

Improvisation	
  in	
  Jazz	
  
	
  
The	
  phenomenon	
  of	
  Jazz	
  is	
  manifested	
  and	
  proved	
  by	
  	
  	
  
several	
  important	
  facts	
  as	
  follow:	
  	
  
	
  
-­‐ It	
   is	
   a	
   genre	
   with	
   the	
   foundation	
   of	
   African	
   folk	
   music	
  
mixed	
  with	
  achievements	
  in	
  classical	
  music;	
  
	
  
-­‐ Jazz	
   alters	
   the	
   role	
   of	
   improvisation	
   firstly	
   by	
   enriching	
  
its	
   significance	
   and	
   the	
   power	
   of	
   shaping	
   the	
  
composition,	
   later	
   by	
   changing	
   its	
   meaning	
   from	
   just	
   an	
  
extended	
   ornament	
   or	
   the	
   way	
   to	
   build	
   a	
   temporary	
  
musical	
  piece,	
  into	
  improvisation	
  act	
  as	
  an	
  equivalent	
  of	
  a	
  
musical	
  piece;	
  
	
  
-­‐ Jazz	
   has	
   a	
   tendency	
   to	
   develop	
   by	
   adapting	
   new	
  
influences	
  taken	
  from	
  other	
  genres;	
  by	
  losing	
  its	
  primary	
  
attributes	
   coming	
   from	
   folk	
   music,	
   it	
   saves	
   improvisation	
  
as	
  a	
  last	
  bastion	
  possible	
  to	
  distinct;	
  
	
  
-­‐ Jazz,	
   firstly	
   stated	
   as	
   a	
   popular,	
   dance	
   music,	
   becomes	
  
known	
  worldwide	
  as	
  a	
  new	
  art	
  form;	
  
	
  
-­‐ Jazz	
   creates	
   the	
   new	
   model	
   of	
   an	
   artist,	
   composer,	
  
interpreter,	
  performer	
  and	
  improviser	
  in	
  one	
  package.	
  
	
  
	
  
Improvisation	
  is	
  a	
  natural	
  form	
  of	
  human	
  expression,	
  which	
  
has	
  existed	
  in	
  every	
  culture	
  and	
  in	
  each	
  human	
  community	
  able	
  to	
  
interpret	
   the	
   outward	
   reality.	
   Folkloric	
   music	
   was	
   in	
   a	
   way	
  
designed	
   by	
   instinctive	
   improvisation	
   based	
   on	
   the	
   analyses	
   of	
  
surroundings	
   and	
   the	
   previously	
   settled	
   mental	
   character;	
   there	
  
was	
   never	
   any	
   need	
   to	
   manifest	
   the	
   existence	
   of	
   improvisation,	
   or	
  
to	
  assign	
  a	
  dominant	
  role	
  to	
  it.	
  Even	
  if	
  in	
  some	
  specific	
  cultures	
  the	
  
importance	
  of	
  improvisation	
  live	
  act	
  is	
  easier	
  to	
  distinguish,	
  it	
  was	
  
still	
  linked	
  closely	
  with	
  the	
  whole	
  piece	
  or	
  a	
  dance,	
  in	
  most	
  cases	
  it	
  
was	
  not	
  celebrated	
  separately.	
  
	
  

32	
  

	
  
While	
   in	
   Europe	
   classical	
   music	
   was	
   invented	
   without	
   an	
  
impact	
   of	
   spontaneous	
   improvisation,	
   or	
   even	
   as	
   an	
   intended	
  
perfect	
  contrary	
  to	
  pagan,	
  “artless”	
  folk,	
  the	
  rest	
  of	
  the	
  world	
  was	
  
still	
  mainly	
  linked	
  with	
  their	
  native	
  culture.	
  	
  
	
  
Deportations	
   of	
   African	
   people	
   to	
   the	
   United	
   States	
   and	
   a	
  
long	
   period	
   of	
   slavery	
   on	
   a	
   massive	
   scale	
   created	
   the	
   favourable	
  
circumstances	
   to	
   renew	
   the	
   original	
   music	
   from	
   Africa	
   but	
   in	
   a	
  
more	
  unconscious	
  way,	
  with	
  strong,	
  new	
  influences	
  of	
  European-­‐
American	
   music;	
   this	
   is	
   how	
   Blues,	
   Ragtime,	
   Gospel,	
   Minstrels,	
  
Spirituals	
  and	
  others	
  were	
  invented.	
  The	
  element	
  of	
  improvisation	
  
was	
   obviously	
   present	
   in	
   every	
   newly	
   created	
   genre	
   due	
   to	
   its	
  
close	
  relationship	
  with	
  folk,	
  but	
  at	
  the	
  beginning	
  its	
  role	
  was	
  not	
  
leading;	
  at	
  that	
  time	
  the	
  interesting	
  phenomenon	
  was	
  the	
  type	
  of	
  
rhythm	
   syncopation,	
   an	
   innovative	
   sense	
   of	
   time	
   of	
   African	
  
people,	
  called	
  Swing.	
  
	
  
After	
   the	
   Swing	
   era	
   where	
   improvisation	
   was	
   undoubtedly	
  
developing,	
   Bebop	
   style	
   was	
   initiated,	
   which	
   finally	
   renewed	
   the	
  
meaning	
   of	
   improvisation	
   forever.	
   It	
   became	
   an	
   unusual	
   way	
   to	
  
express	
   personal	
   feelings,	
   happiness,	
   anger,	
   nostalgia,	
   fury,	
  
curiosity	
   and	
   ecstasy,	
   a	
   way	
   to	
   portray	
   the	
   prosaic	
   part	
   of	
   our	
  
existence,	
  hardships	
  of	
  everyday	
  life	
  and	
  a	
  subjective	
  point	
  of	
  view	
  
on	
  the	
  sense	
  of	
  life.	
  	
  
	
  
Later,	
  when	
  Jazz	
  music	
  was	
  propagated	
  more	
  in	
  Europe	
  and	
  
on	
   other	
   continents	
   as	
   an	
   art	
   form,	
   with	
   a	
   gradually	
   vanishing	
  
foreign	
   Swing	
   feature,	
   a	
   role	
   of	
   improvisation	
   took	
   on	
   the	
  
characteristics	
   of	
   individualism,	
   firstly	
   by	
   different	
   fusions	
   with	
  
other	
   young	
   genres	
   like	
   funk,	
   rock,	
   hip-­‐hop	
   or	
   with	
   Latin	
   music,	
  
later	
   by	
   stronger	
   connection	
   with	
   classical	
   music	
   and	
   Jazz	
  
interpretations	
   by	
   European	
   musicians.	
   Artists	
   from	
   all	
   around	
  
the	
  world	
  started	
  looking	
  for	
  their	
  own	
  musical	
  way	
  of	
  expression	
  
in	
   Jazz,	
   their	
   individual	
   language	
   in	
   improvisation	
   and	
   jazz	
  
composition	
  with	
  many	
  different	
  results.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  

33	
  

The	
   reason	
   why	
   Jazz	
   with	
   its	
   exceptional	
   kind	
   of	
  
improvisation	
   became	
   so	
   popular	
   and	
   respectable	
   in	
   Europe	
   is	
  
because	
   of	
   a	
   gap,	
   created	
   by	
   a	
   strong	
   division	
   between	
   ideal	
  
classical	
  music	
  movement	
  and	
  European	
  folkloric	
  music	
  treated	
  as	
  
a	
   relict	
   of	
   the	
   past	
   for	
   centuries.	
   People	
   weaned	
   away	
   from	
   this	
  
sort	
   of	
   expression	
   found	
   a	
   new	
   genre	
   very	
   attractive	
   and	
   fresh	
  
while	
   musicians	
   started	
   to	
   think	
   entirely	
   differently	
   about	
   the	
  
concept	
  of	
  sharing	
  feelings	
  through	
  music.	
  	
  
	
  
Finally	
   Jazz	
   has	
   become	
   a	
   symbol	
   of	
   individuality	
   expressed	
  
by	
   unchained	
   improvisation,	
   in	
   any	
   form,	
   with	
   any	
   musical	
  
characteristics	
   and	
   accretions.	
   Nowadays	
   musicians	
   are	
   looking	
  
for	
  their	
  uniqueness	
  by	
  mixing	
  the	
  genres,	
  mixing	
  their	
  favourite	
  
styles	
  presented	
  by	
  great	
  masters,	
  but	
  sometimes	
  also	
  by	
  trying	
  to	
  
understand	
  their	
  own	
  musical	
  roots.	
  The	
  last	
  tendency	
  is	
  the	
  one,	
  
where	
  Jazz,	
  after	
  a	
  long	
  trip	
  through	
  many	
  styles	
  is	
  coming	
  back	
  to	
  
its	
   own	
   origins,	
   the	
   folkloric	
   music,	
   but	
   this	
   time	
   with	
   a	
   wide	
  
palette	
   of	
   different	
   cultures.	
   For	
   now	
   it	
   is	
   more	
   about	
   literal	
  
connecting	
   folk	
   themes	
   and	
   different	
   jazz	
   attributes,	
   inter	
   alia	
  
swing	
   (coming	
   from	
   African	
   culture),	
   but	
   I	
   believe	
   this	
   direction	
  
can	
   and	
   will	
   lead	
   us	
   to	
   more	
   sophisticated	
   ideas	
   and	
   musical	
  
discoveries.	
  
	
  
The	
   main	
   invention	
   coming	
   from	
   the	
   Jazz	
   movement	
   is	
  
ultimately	
   improvisation	
   with	
   its	
   new	
   meaning,	
   stimulating	
  
musicians	
   from	
   all	
   around	
   the	
   world	
   to	
   find	
   their	
   own	
   way	
   to	
  
express	
  themselves	
  in	
  this	
  incomparable	
  manner,	
  inspiring	
  other	
  
genres	
  to	
  use	
  the	
  improvisation	
  as	
  well,	
  but	
  if	
  the	
  last	
  noticeable	
  
attribute	
  of	
  Jazz	
  will	
  be	
  just	
  an	
  improvisation,	
  then	
  is	
  it	
  still	
  Jazz?	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Well,	
  it	
  depends	
  on	
  a	
  definition,	
  but	
  we	
  cannot	
  deny	
  that	
  the	
  
direction	
   of	
   development	
   of	
   this	
   kind	
   of	
   music	
   perfectly	
   proves	
  
the	
   extremely	
   significant	
   role	
   of	
   improvisation	
   in	
   our	
   lives	
   and	
   art	
  
at	
  the	
  same	
  time	
  showing	
  us	
  its	
  folkloric	
  origins.	
  Now	
  it	
  is	
  only	
  our	
  
responsibility	
   to	
   learn	
   this	
   lesson	
   and	
   move	
   forward	
   while	
  
bearing	
  in	
  mind	
  that	
  only	
  honest	
  improvisation	
  has	
  the	
  power	
  to	
  
express	
  our	
  identity,	
  create	
  new	
  genres	
  and	
  change	
  the	
  future.	
  
	
  

34	
  

	
  Modern	
  Trends	
  and	
  Improvisation	
  
	
  
As	
   I	
   previously	
   mentioned,	
   Classical	
   Music,	
   by	
   putting	
  
money	
  on	
  expression,	
  firstly	
  as	
  an	
  opposition	
  to	
  the	
  dispassion	
  of	
  
Classicism,	
   later	
   as	
   contrary	
   to	
   the	
   musical	
   rules	
   in	
   general,	
  
created	
   the	
   tendency	
   to	
   loose	
   its	
   own	
   indissoluble	
   attributes.	
   It	
  
lost	
   its	
   early	
   postulations	
   based	
   on	
   perfect	
   rules	
   coming	
   from	
  
biblical,	
  Christian	
  values,	
  it	
  lost	
  the	
  commercial	
  feature,	
  which	
  was	
  
making	
   it	
   the	
   leading	
   type	
   of	
   music	
   in	
   Europe,	
   and	
   in	
   the	
   end	
   it	
  
lost	
  the	
  ability	
  to	
  touch	
  the	
  feelings	
  of	
  ordinary	
  people	
  because	
  of	
  
musical	
  extremism.	
  
	
  
In	
   Europe,	
   the	
   commercial	
   feature	
   of	
   Classical	
   Music	
   was	
  
rapidly	
   inherited	
   by	
   an	
   incredibly	
   wide	
   palette	
   of	
   recently	
   born	
  
genres	
   like	
   Pop	
   in	
   general,	
   Rock,	
   Punk,	
   Rhythm	
   and	
   Blues,	
   Funk,	
  
Drum	
   and	
   Bass,	
   Hip-­‐Hop,	
   World	
   Music,	
   Electronic	
   Music	
   like	
  
Disco,	
   Big	
   Beat,	
   Techno,	
   House	
   and	
   many	
   others	
   (for	
   some	
   time	
  
Jazz	
  played	
  this	
  role	
  as	
  well,	
  mainly	
  in	
  the	
  Swing	
  era).	
  According	
  
to	
   the	
   enlightening	
   role,	
   real	
   passion	
   and	
   the	
   educative	
   impact	
  
caused	
   by	
   the	
   capacity	
   to	
   move	
   people’s	
   feelings	
   and	
   morals,	
  
Classical	
   Music	
   lost	
   the	
   fight	
   with	
   Jazz	
   and	
   related	
   genres	
   like	
  
Third	
   Stream,	
   new	
   concepts	
   of	
   Free	
   Jazz,	
   alternative	
   electronic	
  
music	
   and	
   many	
   different	
   fusions	
   of	
   modern	
   improvised	
   and	
  
conceptual	
   music.	
   Without	
   these	
   features,	
   and	
   without	
   its	
   own	
  
roots	
   constructed	
   on	
   universal	
   perfection,	
   Classical	
   Music	
   is	
   now	
  
standing	
  on	
  the	
  verge	
  of	
  a	
  cliff,	
  with	
  a	
  completely	
  dazzled	
  idea	
  of	
  
progress	
  through	
  expression	
  without	
  any	
  limits	
  or	
  standards.	
  
	
  
Thousands	
   of	
   new	
   kinds	
   of	
   music	
   and	
   the	
   global	
   music	
  
business	
   does	
   not	
   further	
   an	
   increase	
   in	
   the	
   general	
   level	
   of	
  
genres,	
  their	
  content	
  of	
  art	
  or	
  the	
  amount	
  of	
  progressive	
  musical	
  
movements	
  focused	
  on	
  authentic	
  improvisation,	
  refined	
  concepts	
  
of	
   composition	
   or	
   innovative	
   live	
   acts.	
   However,	
   we	
   can	
   detach	
  
some	
   of	
   them,	
   be	
   aware	
   of	
   its	
   existence	
   and	
   development,	
   at	
   the	
  
same	
  time	
  observing	
  the	
  progress	
  of	
  Classical	
  Music,	
  which	
  more	
  
and	
   more	
   often	
   becomes	
   involved	
   in	
   affairs	
   with	
   popular	
   music	
  
and	
  other	
  genres,	
  including	
  Jazz.	
  	
  
	
  

35	
  

Summary	
  
	
  
By	
   describing	
   the	
   role	
   of	
   improvisation	
   in	
   the	
   most	
  
important	
  musical	
  movements	
  of	
  the	
  last	
  few	
  centuries	
  I	
  made	
  an	
  
effort	
   to	
   emphasize	
   its	
   role	
   in	
   shaping	
   a	
   structure	
   of	
   different	
  
kinds	
  of	
  genres,	
  but	
  also	
  to	
  show	
  an	
  evident	
  relationship	
  between	
  
improvisation	
   and	
   folkloric	
   music,	
   which	
   is	
   not	
   accidental	
   or	
  
previously	
  planned,	
  but	
  inseparably	
  interlinked.	
  
	
  
My	
  observations	
  in	
  this	
  matter	
  are	
  leading	
  back	
  to	
  the	
  initial	
  
assumptions	
   of	
   my	
   thesis:	
   our	
   artistic	
   creativity	
   and,	
   ultimately,	
  
our	
  musical	
  outcome	
  is	
  not	
  only	
  a	
  consequence	
  of	
  some	
  influences	
  
and	
  stimulations	
  from	
  the	
  outside,	
  but	
  also,	
  because	
  we	
  might	
  be	
  
the	
   source	
   of	
   inspiration	
   to	
   others,	
   we	
   have	
   our	
   identity,	
   which	
  
has	
  been	
  evolving	
  in	
  our	
  unique	
  culture	
  and	
  has	
  been	
  shaping	
  this	
  
culture	
   as	
   well.	
   With	
   the	
   historical	
   reference	
   and	
   with	
   the	
  
awareness	
   of	
   modern	
   tendencies,	
   this	
   statement	
   can	
   be	
   treated	
  
not	
   only	
   as	
   a	
   way	
   of	
   interpreting	
   the	
   facts	
   but	
   also	
   as	
   an	
  
interesting	
   indication	
   for	
   next	
   generations	
   of	
   musicians	
   and	
  
authors.	
   It	
   is	
   essential	
   to	
   dispel	
   all	
   doubts	
   about	
   the	
   meaning	
   of	
  
folkloric	
  music,	
  to	
  show,	
  that	
  it	
  is	
  not	
  just	
  an	
  out-­‐of-­‐date	
   musical	
  
genre,	
   but	
   this	
   is	
   the	
   music	
   generated	
   entirely	
   by	
   improvisation,	
  
by	
   our	
   special,	
   individual	
   attributes,	
   which	
   now	
   any	
   progressive	
  
artist	
  is	
  seeking.	
  
	
  
Nowadays,	
  after	
  decades	
  of	
  building	
  the	
  modern	
  civilisation,	
  
when	
  we	
  are	
  no	
  longer	
  living	
  in	
  small	
  communities,	
  with	
  recently	
  
increasing	
   globalization	
   movement,	
   immersed	
   in	
   the	
   ocean	
   of	
  
cultures,	
   languages,	
   points	
   of	
   view,	
   political	
   systems,	
   moral	
   values	
  
and	
   finally	
   musical	
   genres,	
   it	
   is	
   very	
   difficult	
   to	
   find	
   our	
   own	
  
identity,	
  especially	
  when	
  our	
  intention	
  is	
  to	
  play	
  innovative	
  types	
  
of	
   music	
   like	
   Jazz.	
   Nevertheless,	
   according	
   to	
   my	
   theoretical	
  
research,	
  in	
  order	
  to	
  find	
  individuality	
  in	
  the	
  musical	
  statement	
  it	
  
is	
  necessary	
  just	
  to	
  identify	
  the	
  origins	
  of	
  individuality.	
  Of	
  course,	
  
our	
   indelible,	
   cultural	
   characteristics	
   are	
   not	
   the	
   only	
   factor	
   to	
  
structure	
  the	
  artist’s	
  musical	
  outcome,	
  but	
  this	
  is	
  the	
  only	
  one	
  we	
  
cannot	
  abandon.	
  
	
  

36	
  

Conclusions	
  
	
  
My	
   first	
   milestone	
   point	
   in	
   this	
   topic	
   was	
   when	
   I	
   realized	
  
how	
   many	
   features	
   my	
   previous	
   artistic	
   outcome	
   and	
   lately	
  
revealed	
  Polish	
  folkloric	
  music	
  had	
  in	
  common.	
  By	
  learning	
  more	
  
about	
   the	
   characteristics	
   such	
   as	
   rhythms	
   of	
   dances,	
   way	
   of	
  
leading	
   the	
   melody	
   by	
   folk	
   players,	
   type	
   of	
   accentuation	
   and	
  
syncopation	
   in	
   dance	
   movements,	
   I	
   became	
   convinced	
   about	
   an	
  
important	
   statement;	
   thanks	
   to	
   my	
   determined,	
   long-­‐term	
  
attempts	
   to	
   find	
   my	
   own	
   musical	
   identity	
   without	
   a	
   proper	
  
knowledge	
  of	
  folkloric	
  music,	
  I	
  was	
  unconsciously	
  getting	
  closer	
  to	
  
my	
   cultural	
   background.	
   In	
   other	
   words	
   I	
   finally	
   understood	
   what	
  
it	
   really	
   meant	
   to	
   “be	
   honest”	
   in	
   improvisation,	
   composition	
   or	
  
any	
  other	
  way	
  of	
  musical	
  expression.	
  
	
  
Therefore,	
   in	
   Berklee	
   Valencia	
   I	
   took	
   a	
   strong	
   decision	
   to	
  
investigate	
  my	
  origins	
  in	
  a	
  more	
  profound	
  way	
  and	
  dedicate	
  time	
  
to	
  finding	
  an	
  answer	
  to	
  several	
  key	
  questions	
  such	
  as:	
  
	
  
-­‐ What	
   is	
   my	
   artistic	
   identity	
   and	
   how	
   is	
   it	
   related	
   to	
   my	
  
cultural	
  background?	
  
	
  
-­‐ What	
  is	
  the	
  role	
  of	
  improvisation	
  in	
  folkloric	
  music	
  and	
  in	
  
other	
  genres?	
  
	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  And	
  finally:	
  
	
  
-­‐ If	
   the	
   characteristics	
   of	
   Polish	
   folkloric	
   music	
   are	
  
common	
   to	
   my	
   sense	
   of	
   musicality	
   expressed	
   through	
  
improvisation	
  and	
  composition,	
  what	
  should	
  be	
  my	
  next	
  
artistic	
  step?	
  What	
  am	
  I	
  going	
  to	
  do	
  with	
  this	
  knowledge?	
  
	
  
I	
  believe	
  that	
  the	
  last	
  question	
  should	
  not	
  only	
  refer	
  to	
  me	
  
but	
  also	
  to	
  all	
  musicians	
  who	
  are	
  planning	
  to	
  improve	
  their	
  artistic	
  
statement	
  by	
  making	
  it	
  more	
  truthful,	
  powerful	
  and	
  reliable.	
  The	
  
question	
   is	
   what	
   we,	
   as	
   composers,	
   improvisers	
   and	
   all	
   music	
  
creators	
  should	
  do	
  with	
  this	
  knowledge.	
  
	
  

37	
  

Steps	
  to	
  be	
  taken	
  by	
  a	
  Creative	
  Musician	
  
	
  
	
  
According	
   to	
   my	
   understanding	
   I	
   have	
   identified	
   three	
  
possible	
  steps,	
  which	
  a	
  modern	
  musician	
  shall	
  take:	
  
	
  
	
  
1.	
  	
  First	
  Step:	
  Exploration	
  and	
  Experience	
  
	
  
To	
   mix	
   folkloric	
   themes	
   and	
   forms	
   with	
   already	
   existing	
  
musical	
   language,	
   which	
   consists	
   of	
   a	
   number	
   of	
   influences,	
  
favourite	
   genres	
   as	
   well	
   as	
   unconscious	
   cultural	
   elements.	
   It	
   is	
  
necessary	
   to	
   mention,	
   that	
   in	
   most	
   cases	
   this	
   way	
   will	
   be	
   more	
  
about	
  discovering	
  and	
  learning	
  than	
  creating	
  art.	
  Of	
  course	
  it	
  can	
  
generate	
   some	
   musical	
   profits	
   but	
   it	
   is	
   advisable	
   to	
   be	
   aware	
   of	
  
the	
   difference	
   between	
   folkloric	
   musical	
   outcomes	
   and	
   the	
  
characteristics,	
   which	
   are	
   modelling	
   these	
   outcomes.	
   At	
   the	
   end,	
  
by	
   quoting	
   previous	
   forms	
   literally	
   in	
   our	
   music,	
   we	
   can	
   only	
  
study	
  and	
  practice	
  with	
  the	
  aim	
  of	
  creating	
  something	
  new.	
  
	
  
	
  
2.	
  Second	
  Step:	
  Consciousness	
  and	
  Creation	
  
	
  
To	
   create	
   music	
   or	
   represent	
   other	
   genres	
   with	
   a	
   proper	
  
knowledge	
  of	
  folkloric	
  musical	
  characteristics,	
  and	
  the	
  awareness	
  
of	
  its	
  essential	
  meaning	
  for	
  artistic	
  identity.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
3.	
  Third	
  Step:	
  Imagination	
  and	
  Invention	
  	
  
	
  
To	
   try	
   to	
   find	
   a	
   new	
   formula,	
   in	
   which	
   folkloric	
  
characteristics	
   would	
   not	
   only	
   be	
   an	
   important	
   component	
   but	
  
rather	
   the	
   main	
   foundation	
   of	
   the	
   entire	
   musical	
   structure	
   with	
  
the	
  potential	
  ability	
  to	
  transform	
  into	
  a	
  new	
  genre.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

38	
  

My	
  First	
  Step	
  
	
  
Despite	
   the	
   fact	
   that	
   it	
   has	
   never	
   been	
   my	
   intention	
   to	
  
create	
  stylizations	
  of	
  dances,	
  in	
  Berklee	
  Valencia	
  I	
  decided	
  to	
  take	
  
the	
  First	
  Step	
  from	
  my	
  list,	
  compose	
  three	
  musical	
  pieces	
  based	
  on	
  
Polish	
  dances,	
  arrange	
  them	
  with	
  completely	
  different	
  approaches	
  
and	
   finally	
   record	
   the	
   results	
   in	
   a	
   studio.	
   To	
   accomplish	
   my	
   goal,	
   I	
  
used	
  various	
  instrumentation	
  setups	
  and	
  section	
  deployments.	
  
	
  
As	
  I	
  stated	
  in	
  the	
  Polish	
  Dances	
  chapter,	
  the	
  Oberek	
  is	
  in	
  my	
  
opinion	
   the	
   most	
   representative	
   and	
   concise	
   dance	
   form	
   among	
  
the	
   group	
   named	
   Dances	
   in	
   triple	
   meter	
   and	
   that	
   is	
   why	
   I	
   have	
  
chosen	
  it	
  to	
  prepare	
  two	
  original	
  interpretations.	
  	
  
	
  
In	
   the	
   first	
   case	
   I	
   composed	
   a	
   tune,	
   which	
   consists	
   of	
   a	
  
bunch	
  of	
  melodies	
  referring	
  to	
  the	
  Oberek’s	
  style.	
  I	
  partly	
  rejected	
  
the	
   routine	
   AABB	
   form	
   and	
   did	
   some	
   reharmonization	
   and	
   time	
  
signature	
   changes	
   but	
   the	
   most	
   important	
   factor	
   here	
   is	
   the	
   way	
  
of	
  developing	
  the	
  form	
  by	
  improvisation	
  of	
  the	
  solo	
  piano.	
  	
  
	
  
In	
  my	
  interpretation	
  I	
  was	
  striving	
  to	
  intensify	
  and	
  highlight	
  
the	
  rest	
  of	
  Oberek’s	
  characteristics	
  like	
  syncopation,	
  accentuation	
  
and	
  others.	
  	
  

	
  

39	
  

Oberek I
A

#
& # 38
## œ . œ
&
G

5

# 3
& # 8

A

9

A

D

œ œ œ œ œ.

œ
œ œ

D/F #

œ
œ œ œ

œ. œ œ

17

œ œ œ œ œ.

œ œ œ

&

##

C #-

# œ # œ œJ

# œ œ nœ.
& #

(D/F #

D

#
& # œ. œ œ œ œ œ
G

B

Piotr Orzechowski

Open Intro on Cue 4 bars

A/C #

j
œ

C/G

B b/F

D

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ. œ œ

F #b9/A # G/B

œ. œ œ
G

3

C #-13

G

C #b9/F

3

C #-7

35

&

41

&

##
##

C # 9/E b

bœ œ nœ
C7

A b/C

B b 13/F

E b 7/B b

Ab

œ

j
œ œ
œ

C/G

F7

œ.

œ

C 7b9/E

C #/F

œœ
œ
J

bœ œ œ bœ œ nœ
nœ œ œ
E b7 4 -

Ab

3
nœ bœ œ œ œ bœ œ nœ nœ bœ œ
bœ œ nœ. œ nœ œ œ bœ œ bœ bœ J J J
œ
J J J

bœ
bœ bœ œ nœ nœ œ
3

œ.

B 7/F #

œ œ œ.

F7

C #-/G #

œ œ œ.

# nœ bœ nœ. œ œ
bœ nœ. œ nœ œ nœ bœ œ œ bœ œ œ
& #
F7

29

D

F #/A

D 7/G

œ œ
œ

D/F #

œ œ œ
œ œ œ

#œ

œ.

3
28 œ 3
38
œ œ œ œ
œ

E-

A7

œ. œ œ

E-

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ. œ œ

D/A

œ.

œ

24

G

F-

bœ nœ œ
J J J

- 3

C7

œ nœ

F-

œ nœ

bœ œ

œ

‰

© Piotr Orzechowski

	
  	
  	
  	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  example	
  no.	
  14	
  

40	
  

My	
  second	
  treatment	
  of	
  the	
  Oberek	
  form	
  is	
  more	
  complex;	
  I	
  
created,	
  as	
  presented	
  below,	
  a	
  minimal-­‐style	
  counterpoint	
  played	
  
by	
   piano,	
   guitar,	
   electric	
   bass	
   and	
   drums,	
   on	
   the	
   top	
   of	
   which	
  
suddenly	
   appears	
   an	
   improvised	
   Oberek’s	
   melody,	
   performed	
   on	
  
the	
  piano.	
  By	
  analogy,	
  the	
  way	
  of	
  approaching	
  improvisation	
  and	
  
interpretation	
  is	
  the	
  key	
  factor.	
  	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
Oberek II
For Guitar, Piano Bass & Percussion
Piotr Orzechowski

A

Guitar

Double Bass

b
& b b b b 44 .. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

œ

œ œ œ œ

œ

œ œ œ œ
œ ‰ ‰ œJ ‰ ‰
Œ ‰ œj œ
J

? b b b 44 .. Œ
bb

œœœœœœ
œœœœœœ

..
.
œ.

B

Gtr.

D.B.

b
& b b b b .. œ œ œ œ n œ n œ

œ ..
œ œ bœ œ bœ œ œ œ
œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ nœ nœ œ œ
œœœ
4
œ œ nœ œ œ
? b b b .. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ n œ b œ
J
œ
œ
‰Œ
J ‰ Œ ..
bb
œ
bb
& b b b ..

BRIDGE

8

Gtr.

!

? b b b .. Œ n œ œ œ œ
bb
nœ nœ

11

D.B.

D

BRIDGE

b
& b b b b ..

11

Gtr.

!

? b b .. Œ œ œ œ
bbb
nœ nœ nœ

8

D.B.

Open

D

!

.. ..

!

.. ..

!

.. ..

!

.. ..

Guitar Solo

Piano Solo

!

..

!

..

!

..

!

..

C

Gtr.

b
& b b b b .. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

b
& b b b b .. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

17

Gtr.

	
  

	
  

œ

œ œ œ

œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

œ

œ œ œ

œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

©

	
  

	
  

..
..

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
	
  example	
  no.	
  15	
  

	
  

41	
  

From	
   the	
   second	
   group:	
   Dances	
   in	
   duple	
   meter	
   I	
   chose	
   the	
  
Zbójnicki,	
   because	
   of	
   very	
   strong	
   characteristics,	
   which	
   had	
   a	
  
significant	
   role	
   of	
   affecting	
   other	
   dances,	
   like	
   for	
   instance	
   the	
  
Krakowiak.	
   I	
   composed	
   the	
   melody	
   referring	
   to	
   the	
   themes	
   of	
  
Zbójnicki	
  dance	
  and	
  arranged	
  it	
  for	
  the	
  piano	
  and	
  double	
  bass	
  duo.	
  
I	
   tried	
   to	
   retain	
   the	
   suite	
   form	
   of	
   the	
   dance	
   and	
   to	
   express	
   the	
  
sublime	
   vibe	
   by	
   using	
   its	
   characteristic	
   scale	
   in	
   the	
   melody	
   but	
  
again,	
   the	
   most	
   important	
   things	
   happen	
   beyond	
   the	
   notes	
  
presented	
  below,	
  in	
  the	
  studio.	
  
	
  
	
  
Zbójnicki
Piotr Orzechowski
INTRO (fast)

## 4 . B& 4 . !
7

&

12

&

##
##

A (slow)

j
œ. œ œ œ œ

#
& # .. œ . œj œ œ œ
24

&

##

j œ œ
œ. œ œ

D/F

solo piano
E b/A b

#
& # .. œ œ # ˙ .

29

œ . œj # œ
œ œ

E/G

œ œ #˙.

solo bass
B-

#
& # .. # œ n œ
˙.

33

(slow)
(D/B b
D

#
& # .. œ . œj œ œ œ

37

	
  
	
  

œ . œj # œ œ œ

E/F

#œ nœ ˙.
j
œ. œ #œ œ œ

E/F

(E/C

!

Eb

!

B-

!

#œ nœ ˙.

E b/A b

1.

E b/A b

!

accel.

B-

œ œ #˙.

!

!

#œ nœ ˙.

B-

œ œ #˙.

..

!
!

#œ nœ ˙.

E b/A b

E/G

E/F

B-

j
œ. œ #œ œ œ œ œ
#˙.

D/F

(fast)

E b/A b

œ . œj # œ
œ œ œ œ #˙.

j œ œ
œ. œ œ

D

!

E/F

D

B

!

D

!

#œ nœ ˙.

..

!

!

..

!

!

..

E b/A b

(Eb/C #

œ œ #˙.

© Piotr Orzechowski

B-

(Bmaj)

#œ nœ ˙.

!

..

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  example	
  no.	
  16	
  

	
  
42	
  

	
  
Closing	
  Statement	
  
	
  
I	
   am	
   deeply	
   convinced	
   that	
   the	
   First	
   Step	
   taken	
   in	
   Berklee	
  
Valencia	
   is	
   a	
   stepping	
   stone	
   to	
   my	
   further	
   development.	
   In	
   my	
  
opinion	
   the	
   next	
   Steps	
   can	
   be	
   within	
   reach	
   but	
   attainable	
   only	
  
thanks	
   to	
   strong	
   determination	
   and	
   intransigence	
   in	
   following	
   the	
  
previously	
  taken	
  direction.	
  
	
  
With	
   the	
   knowledge	
   I	
   have	
   already	
   gained	
   here	
   I	
   will	
  
definitely	
   persevere	
   in	
   my	
   efforts	
   to	
   learn	
   more,	
   compose	
   new	
  
tunes	
   and	
   take	
   next	
   approaches	
   to	
   improvisation;	
   I	
   am	
   going	
   to	
  
shift	
   fluently	
   between	
   two	
   first	
   Steps	
   for	
   some	
   time,	
   with	
  
strenuous	
   awareness	
   of	
   the	
   existence	
   of	
   the	
   third	
   one.	
   I	
   believe	
  
this	
  is	
  the	
  only	
  possible	
  way	
  to	
  reach	
  the	
  third	
  level,	
  which	
  would	
  
be	
  one	
  of	
  my	
  chief	
  artistic	
  goals	
  in	
  the	
  future.	
  
	
  
For	
   me	
   personally,	
   the	
   birth	
   of	
   such	
   exceptional	
   musical	
  
movement	
   as	
   Jazz	
   is	
   a	
   proof	
   that	
   reaching	
   the	
   third	
   level	
   is	
  
actually	
   possible	
   and	
   even	
   more,	
   it	
   is	
   unavoidable.	
   I	
   believe	
   that	
  
exploring	
  our	
  own	
  culture,	
  understanding	
  it,	
  ultimately	
  identifying	
  
with	
   own	
   roots	
   and	
   exploiting	
   its	
   characteristics	
   can	
   naturally	
  
lead	
   to	
   some	
   new	
   artistic	
   beginning,	
   understood	
   as	
   a	
   gradual	
  
realization	
   of	
   that	
   matter	
   by	
   specific	
   groups	
   of	
   musicians.	
   Some	
   of	
  
us	
  will	
  remain	
  observers,	
  some	
  of	
  us	
  will	
  unconsciously	
  concur	
  to	
  
this	
   movement,	
   but	
   there	
   are	
   also	
   artists,	
   whose	
   role	
   will	
   be	
   to	
  
blaze	
  a	
  trail	
  and	
  take	
  the	
  risk.	
  
	
  
After	
   all	
   I	
   consider	
   the	
   authenticity	
   the	
   most	
   important	
  
factor	
   in	
   modern	
   improvised	
   music.	
   In	
   order	
   to	
   share	
   our	
   real	
  
emotions,	
  feelings,	
  thoughts	
  and	
  ideas	
  through	
  music,	
  we	
  have	
  to	
  
be	
  authentic,	
  we	
  have	
  to	
  be	
  ourselves.	
  	
  
	
  
But	
   what	
   does	
   it	
   mean	
   to	
   be	
   myself?	
   Well,	
   when	
   the	
   answer	
  
to	
  this	
  question	
  will	
  became	
  more	
  important	
  than	
  our	
  music	
  itself,	
  
then	
  some	
  day	
  the	
  rest	
  of	
  our	
  doubts	
  will	
  be	
  finally	
  dispelled.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  

43