[Dixielandjazz] Obbligato v Solo

[Anton Crouch]

Hello all

Bill G does a good line in 'picky, picky ... ' and more strength to his arm
for it. 

BUT...  "obbligato" is more than just necessary - it's a particular type of
"necessary".

Yes, confusing. The brief article in New Grove 2 says, in part:

'An adjective or noun referring to an essential instrumental part. The term
is often used for a part ranking in importance just below the principal
melody and not to be omitted. Obbligato is the opposite of Ad libitum when
the latter qualifies the mention of a part in a title ..... Used in
connection with a keyboard part in the 18th century, obbligato designated a
fully written-out part instead of a figured bass. Sometimes obbligato means
simply independent ...

In music for voice with instruments, ‘obbligato’ refers to a prominent
instrumental part in an aria or other number. The archetype of the
obbligato part is the instrumental solo which, with a basso continuo,
constitutes the accompaniment of vast numbers of late Baroque arias.'

In the above, the mention of "voice" is useful for discussion in a jazz
context.

I'd offer the following:

The trumpet accompaniment in a classic vocal blues performance is clearly
"obbligato" trumpet. The trumpet part, when the singer is silent, is
ambiguous - I think it can best be described as "solo".

Russ G's use of "obligato" as '... the general background movement of the
clarinet during full  ensemble or backing up other instruments' is entirely
reasonable.

The famous clarinet part in "High Society" may now be necessary for
performance purposes, but it is not necessary musically - it is a "solo"

I'm not being picky   :-)
Anton