[Dixielandjazz] dogfight

[Jim O'Briant]

Dave Richoux wrote:

> I believe there is a slight difference between an Interlude 
> and a Dogfight/Break Strain - having to do with a modulation 
> (or no modulation.) I am not sure which is which at this point 
> but will research further!

The term "interlude" in music is a very general one use for many purposes
and to describe many different kinds of interludes.

Bill Haesler wrote:

> If needed we use the term 'interlude'.

Which is correct, but since some tunes have more than one kind of Interlude,
occurring in different places, I prefer a more specific term for each.

The "Dogfight" strain is a specific kind of interlude, found at a specific
place in a multi-strain work such as a march, a rag, or a popular song. That
specific place is virtually always between multiple presentations of the
TRIO of a march or a rag (approximately equivalent to the final strain of a
popular song that has at least three separate and distinct sections). 

The TRIO strain is usually in a different key from the preceding strain,
most often the subdominant key of the preceding strain. The Dogfight
generally modulates immediately to a minor key (most often the relative
minor of the TRIO key), and then modulates back toward the TRIO key, ending
on the dominant seventh of the TRIO key and thus providing a satisfying
return to the TRIO,

There are exceptions, of course, but the above description is correct in
most cases.

Examples of traditional jazz tunes that have a TRIO strain include:

-------------------

That's A-Plenty

Original Dixieland One Step

Panama

Bugle Boy Rag (Bugle Boy March; American Soldier March)

Chattanooga Stomp

Clarinet Marmalade (TRIO in same key as preceding strains)

Creole Belles

Milneburg Joys (Originally had Intro & first two strains in Ab, with the
TRIO in Db)

At a Georgia Camp Meeting (most bands play only the first two strains, and
omit the TRIO, but it's there in the original sheet music)

Grandpa's Spells

High Society

Maryland, My Maryland (the TRIO is the "O Tannenbaum" strain)

1919 Rag

Ory's Creole Trombone

Alexander's Ragtime Band (only two strains, but with the modulation from C
to F, the second strain is much like a TRIO strain)

-------------

Some of the above tunes have a "dogfight" strain between repetitions of the
TRIO and some don't. And some have an interlude between repetitions of the
trio, an interlude that serves the function of a "dogfight" but which lacks
the bass/treble contrast and/or lacks the modulation to a minor key and
return to the TRIO key that's typical of most dogfights. 

Some have a 4- or 8- bar passage leading to the key change at the TRIO. This
is another type of interlude, and it can go by several names -- Interlude,
Introduction to the TRIO, Modulation, for example. But it's not a Dogfight
because it's not between repetitions of the trio, and because its purpose is
to modulate to the new key, rather than providing contrast and then
returning to the previous key.

Jim O'Briant
Gilroy, CA
Tuba & Leader, The Zinfandel Stompers