Barbara Bleij - An Annotated Theory of Tonal Jazz Harmony
This work concerns itself with the theory of tonal jazz harmony. It consists of two parts. One part presents a theory in which melodic (horizontal), harmonic (vertical), and stylistic aspects of tonal jazz harmony are integrated and grounded in a solid theoretical foundation. The other part introduces the work and its contexts, followed by a commentary on the harmony theory through extensive annotations.
This work’s point of departure is that tonal jazz harmony is a specific variant of Western harmony and does not require a fundamentally new theoretical framework but, rather, crucial modifications of Western harmonic theory to accommodate and explain the musical phenomena adequately. Therefore, it adopts the Harmonielehre-format, a hybrid of speculative theory and pedagogical instruction. The work also touches upon key issues in jazz culture and jazz research, such as the long-standing questions of ‘ownership’ and ‘entitlement’ in jazz, gender, and the recent debates in the US around racism in and through music theory.
Two different corpora form the basis of the work. The first is tonal jazz, the core of which consists of ‘standards’ (compositions derived from the Great American Songbook from roughly 1930 to 1960, as performed by jazz musicians) and tonal jazz compositions. The second corpus is formed by the existing manuals of jazz harmony, reflecting a body of technical know-how loosely labeled ‘chord-scale theory', a vocabulary of harmonic possibilities applied by jazz performers. Chord-scale theory’s essential elements are critically evaluated with respect to the theoretical content, stylistic tenability, and practical applicability.
Barbara Bleij
Barbara Bleij (1965) is a pianist and theorist. She studied at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam (formerly Hilversum Conservatory) and holds degrees in Jazz Piano (studies with Jan Huydts and Rob Madna), Classical Music Theory (with Paul Scheepers a.o.) and Jazz Theory (with Boudewijn Leeuwenberg and Frans Elsen). She is co-founder of the Dutch Journal of Music Theory (currently Music Theory and Analysis) of which she was Editor from 1996 to 2007, and former President of the Dutch-Flemish Society for Music Theory. She teaches music theory at both the Jazz and Classical Departments (Royal Conservatory, The Hague, 1992-2001; Conservatorium van Amsterdam, 1990-present).
Projectinformatie
2012-2024
Prof. dr. Walter van de Leur, Universiteit van Amsterdam
Co-promotor: Michiel Schuijer
2024 ‘Clifford in the Classroom: “September Song”.’ Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie 21/1, 125–142. https://doi.org/10.31751/1207
2022 ‘Keith Waters: Postbop Jazz in the 1960s’. Review, Music, and Letters 103/2: 384-386.
2019 ‘Three Multifaceted Compositions by Wayne Shorter: “E.S.P.”, “Infant Eyes”, and “Virgo”.’ Music Theory Online 25/4 (peer-reviewed).
2009 ‘Het speciale effect van het Napels sextakkoord’, Akkoord 26 (2009), p. 31.
2008 ‘Muzikale vormen. De fuga’, Akkoord 23 (2008), pp. 22-23.
2008 ‘Muzikale vormen: De sonatevorm’, Akkoord 21 (2008), pp. 14-15.
2006 Jazz rhythm exercises, vol. 1 (Barbara Bleij & Patrick Schenkius). Houten: Ascolta.
2004 ‘On harmony and meaning in Clare Fischer’s music', Dutch Journal of Music Theory 9/3, pp. 210-216.
2001 ‘De Berklee-methode: Aantekeningen bij een jazzharmonieleer’, Tijdschrift voor Muziektheorie 6/2, pp. 131-36.
2000 [Review] ‘Annual Review of Jazz Studies’, Tijdschrift voor Muziektheorie 5/2 (2000), pp. 144-48.
1999 [Met Willem Blonk, Cor Brandenburg, Toon Hagen en Christiaan Winter] Akkoorden bij de woorden: Gezangen uit het Liedboek voor de Kerken met akkoordsymbolen. Zoetermeer: Boekencentrum.
selectie:
* hoofdvak Analyse en Methodiek & Geschiedenis, hoofdvak Theorie der Muziek, Jazz
* keuzevak Soloanalyse (jazz, BA)
* keuzevak Introductie Jazztheorie (klassiek, BA)
* keuzevak Super Nova: Wayne Shorter, Composer/Improviser (jazz, MA)
* keuzevak Clare Fischer/Gil Evans (jazz, BA)
* keuzevak Analyse Debussy/Ravel (jazz, BA, klassiek, BA)