This is the first time I go to jazz concert. For me, this is very fantastic because its style is different from classical music and I’m appreciating Jazz player‘s skill. Before I come to the U.S., I always listen to classical music and I have seldom opportunity to hear jazz and its not popular in my country. If I want to hear jazz, the only one way is to buy CD. Compared to classical music, audience, clothing and music style are completely different from classical music. Therefore, I will make a comparison between classical music and jazz I see in this concert.
Jazz comes from African-American people. They are the most important contributor to the contemporary culture. African-American not only creates jazz, but also plays an important role in its development. Some people think the word comes from French “jasper”, which means “chatting”. When people are chatting, they don’t care what they talk about. So “jazz” means impromptu. That’s why I hear the performers play freely in the concert.
Classical music is the art music which comes from Western liturgical and secular music. It develops from 11th century to present times. The central norms of this tradition become popular between 1550 and 1900, which is known as the common practice period.
After I sit down, I feel the atmosphere in the jazz concert is different from classical music concert. Everybody is very happy, unlike classical music concert which is very serious. I see many children and a two year old baby, which you can’t see them in classical music concert. Environment of classical music should be quiet and serious. Furthermore, some tickets will be written “No children can participate under seven years old”. But in Jazz concert, this is okay to let children enter. I also heard the baby is crying when the performer is playing the first piece of music. In classical music concert, staffs can let you get out of the concert hall.
At the opening, I see faculties are introducing how this concert will be proceed and how many groups are invited to perform on the concert. In classical music concert, people will not see this phenomenon. The person who introduces whole concert and songs is music critic.
When the players are playing, I see them dressed not as formal as classical music performers. Especially some girls are wearing short skirts or sleeveless clothes. Classical music performers, in contrast, wear dresses and their color is not fancy.
The jazz music and classical music are also very different. Jazz is likes romantic period music, which emphasize the feeling and skill of the players. Therefore, the players sometimes add their own notes and ornaments which aren’t written in the piece of music, unlike classical music, in which players must perform what is written on scores. They can’t add notes or phrases in the pieces of music.
In this concert, I see there are two groups playing the same song called “hey ba ba re bop”. In classical music concert, unless it is a competition, no two will perform the same songs. Elementary school’s students make a light and lively performance, in contrast, senior high school’s student make a blues performance. In classical music, all performers need perform as close as they can to the original song. They can’t perform, for example, Bach’s songs in Chopin’s style. That means performers can’t perform themselves. They should show what the original composers want to say in pieces of music. If they can’t, they will be criticized.
Some singing groups play CD as accompany instrument, which you can’t see in classical music concert. Classical music concert emphasize “live performance”. In concert, singers will accompanied by piano or other musical instruments. They can’t perform with CDs.
Jazz band is freely composed. Maybe one saxophone player and one double bass player can be grouped. Symphony orchestras’ form is fixed. It must have strings, brass, woodwind and percussion. There is a group singing a song without accompany, which in classical music, it only appears in church music or Gregorian Chants. Most of other Cantata will have instrumental accompaniment.
These are what I see and hear in this jazz concert. Listening to classical music concert is more serious, but jazz is relatively relaxed. Jazz concert will not really care about playing wrong notes. Everybody can enjoy it and has fun.
