[Dixielandjazz] Re: 'Obbligato' (was: An outstanding tuba solo)

[Dan Augustine]

Bill, Russ, and DJML--
     I think you're both right, almost.  ("It's a breath mint! It's a 
candy mint!  It's both!")(or, from Pogo: "Is a Jack higher than an 
Ace, or is it smaller than a Spade?  It's both, leastwise it's 
mostly.")
     My copy of the _Harvard Dictionary of Music_ (second edition, 
1969) says about 'obbligato' this:

     "Obligatory, usually with reference to an instrument (_violino
      obbligato_) or part that must not be omitted; the opposite is
      _ad libitum_.  Unfortunately, through misunderstanding or
      carelessness, the term has come to mean a mere accompanying
      part that may be omitted if necessary.  As a result, one must
      decide in each individual case whether obbligato means 'obbligato'
      or 'ad libitum'; usually it means the former in early music and
      the latter in more recent pieces."

In popular music like dixieland, my own feeling is that the original 
solo is frequently quoted (badly or partially sometimes) as a custom, 
or a way of honoring the song and the player.  The clarinet player 
then usually goes on to play his own solo afterwards.

     Dan
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Date: Mon, 02 May 2005 12:02:15 -0700
>From: Russ Guarino <russg at redshift.com>
>To: Bill Gunter <jazzboard at hotmail.com>
>Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] An outstanding tuba solo
>Cc: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
>
>Bill,
>
>The term "Obligato" has taken on a kind of specialized meaning in this
>discussion e-mail group and has been assigned the general meaning of the
>clarinet going up and down the horn doing harmonic "color" behind the soloist
>or during the ensemble chorus.
>
>I notice that most bands think of the clarinet's job as doing the "Obligato"
>work.  When I first hear the expression, I wasn't sure what it meant as
>technically, in classic work, it means a solo or smi-solo that moves through a
>number of notes spanning the instrument, up and down the instrument's range. [
>At least that's how I understood it ].
>
>Defining the clarinet's job in Dixieland, when not soloing, I think of the
>clarinet adding "harmonic color" which could be obligato movements,  pedal
>tones, long tones or chordal sequential movement at a moderate 
>speed.  I do all
>of the above depending on the tune and nature of the phrasing.
>
>Steve Barbone is the master of these things, I wonder what would be his
>explanation.
>
>Russ Guarino
>
>Bill Gunter wrote:
>
>>  Hi Russ and all,
>>
>>  I'm not sure I totally agree with your definition of "obligato" . . .
>>  "Obligato is the general background movement of the clarinet during full
>>  ensemble or backing up other instruments."
>>
>>  My music dictionary defines 'obbligato' as "a part which cannot be omitted,
>>  being indispensably necessary to a proper performance . . ." - sort of an
>>  "obligatory" part, I would imagine.
>>
>>  However, some others may chime in with a comment or two along the way to
>>  either support or attack my position.
>>
>>  Respectfully submitted,
>>
>>  Bill "picky picky picky" Gunter
>  > jazzboard at hotmail.com

-- 
**--------------------------------------------------------------------**
**  Dan Augustine     Austin, Texas    ds.augustine at mail.utexas.edu   **
**    "Never let a computer know you're in a hurry." -- Unknown       **
**--------------------------------------------------------------------**