Our
nonchalantly clever friend, sprezzatura, made his mark not only in conversation
and dress but also in music. As a
pianist, this was exciting to discover. But I wasn’t surprised to find out what its theme-song is: jazz. You can hear it in the music as much as you can see it in the pianist--one hand on the keyboard, eyes wandering around the room, reflecting an ambiance of easiness. The music itself is laid back, seemingly casual,
but paradoxically striking and captivating.
But
that’s not what they played in the 1600s.
Johann
Sebastian Bach was the star of the 1600s and is still a highly-praised musician
today. His music is admirable for its technicalities—it’s
very vertical, systematic, and almost dry. Yet this somehow expressed the culture of the scientific revolution. The music has purpose; it moves progressively forward towards a predetermined destination. (For image of Bach's sheet music, click here).
Playing Bach requires concentration and drilling--there's little room for improvisment because the interpretation is straightforward. It's dull but comfortable. Jazz, on the other hand, is a whole different ball game. A few chords are thrown at you but the music that stares back at you from the piano is more white than black. It's daunting, sometimes petrifying, but also thrilling. It could take you nowhere and it'd still be a great adventure (try it out here).
 |
| Jazz Piano Sheet Music |
So was sprezzatura re-personified in the 1600s? Or did Bach's music, coupled with other Baroque arts and scientific discoveries take center stage?
Image Sources: "Piano clip art" (via pxhere)
"Jazz Piano" (public domain images via Wikimedia Commons)
