Lecture 17

Third Stream

Third Stream music is a term coined in 1957 by composer Gunther Schuller to

describe a musical genre which is a synthesis of classical music and jazz
Improvisation, a key element of jazz but far less common in classical music, is
generally seen as a vital component of Third Stream
In 1961, Schuller defined Third Stream as a new genre of music located about
halfway between jazz and classical music
Schuller insisted that by definition there is no such thing as Third Stream Jazz

Classical vs. Jazz

Schuller noted that while purists on both sides of Third Stream objected to
tainting their favorite music with the other, more strenuous objections were
typically made by jazz musicians who felt such efforts were an assault on their
traditions
Schuller writes that by designating the music as a separate, third stream, the
other two mainstreams could go about their way unaffected by the attempts at
fusion
Because Third Stream draws on classical as much as jazz it is generally required
that composers and performers be proficient in both genres
Critics have argued that Third Streamby drawing on two very different styles
dilutes the power of each in combining them
Others reject such notions, and consider Third Stream an interesting musical
development

What Third Stream is Not

It is not jazz with strings

It is not jazz played on classical instruments
It is not classical music played by jazz players
It is not inserting a bit of Ravel or Schoenberg between be-bop changesnor the
reverse
It is not jazz in fugal form
It is not a fugue played by jazz players
It is not designed to do away with jazz or classical music; rather it is just another
option amongst many for todays creative musicians

Earlier Fusion Attempts

There were very early attempts to integrate jazz and classical music in the early
1900s
Though few of these examples might be strictly classified as Third Stream, they
do demonstrate that there was widespread mutual interest and appreciation from
both the jazz and classical traditions
Third Stream is notably separate from the symphonic jazz movement of the
1920s in that it involves improvisation
Some Ragtime music drew upon classical music
Symphonic pieces such as George Gershwins 1924 Rhapsody In Blue blended
jazz and symphonic music
Some works by French composer Darius Milhaud were influenced by jazz
Igor Stravinsky drew upon jazz for several compositions, such as Ragtime, Pianorag Rag Music and The Ebony Concerto

Experimentation

Despite earlier attempts at fusing classical and jazz, it was not until the mid-tolate 50s that more serious experiments began to take place
Schuller, John Lewis, J. J. Johnson, and Bill Russo were some of the more
significant composers attempting to bridge the gap between jazz and classical
music
Jazz critic Scott Yanow suggests that the impact of Third Stream music was
blunted by the rise of free jazz in the late 1950s, which overtook Third Stream as
the leading development in jazz

The Modern Jazz Quartet

The Modern Jazz Quartet was established in 1952 by Milt Jackson (vibraphone),
John Lewis (piano, musical director), Percy Heath (bass), and Kenny Clarke
(drums)
Connie Kay replaced Clarke in 1955
Through the years the quartet had performed in several jazz styles, including
bebop, cool jazz and third stream
Jackson and Lewis originally shared the role of musical director but Lewis
eventually took over the entire responsibility of this position

MJQ Style
The enigma of the MJQs music-making was that each individual member
could improvise with an exciting vibrancy but in toto the group specialized in
genteel baroque counterpoint

Their approach to jazz attracted promoters who sponsored jazz packet

concerts during the 1950s
One show would consist of several contrasting groups
The MJQ were ideal participants because no other group sounded like
them
They provided a visual contrast as well, attired in black jackets and
pin-striped trousers
The group played blues as much as they did fugues, but the result was
tantalizing when one considered the hard-swinging potential of each
individual player
Their best-selling record, Django, typified their neo-classical approach to
polyphony

John Lewis (1920 2001)

Born John Aaron Lewis on May 13, 1920 in LaGrange, Illinois
Lewis learned classical music and piano from his mother starting at the age of
seven
He continued his musical training at the University of New Mexico and also
studied anthropology
Lewis was among the most conservative of bop pianists
His improvised melodies, played with a delicate touch, were usually
simple and quiet
The accompaniments were correspondingly light, with his left hand
often just grazing the keys to produce a barely audible sound
Milt Jackson (1923 1999)
Born January 1, 1923 in Detroit, Michigan
Jackson was a vibraphonist and one of the most important figures in the hard
bop style, although he performed in several subgenres of jazz
Jackson differentiated himself from other vibraphonists in his attention to
variations on harmonics and rhythm
Bags was a nickname given to him by a bass player in Detroit
The bags was his collapsing vibraphone that he often carried on his
back in a bag to his gigs
Bags also referred to his habit of staying up all night
Django
Django is an album by The Modern Jazz Quartet, first released on LP in 1956
The song Django was composed by the group's pianist and musical director,
John Lewis
It is one of his best-known compositions, written in memory of the
French/Belgian gypsy guitarist, Django Reinhardt

Focus

Focus is a jazz album recorded in 1961, featuring Stan Getz on tenor saxophone
The album is a suite which was originally commissioned by Getz from composer
and arranger Eddie Sauter
The string ensemble included members of the Beaux-Arts Quartet
The theme of the opening track, Im Late, Im Late, is nearly identical to the
opening minutes of Bla Bartks Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta
Bartk had been an early supporter of Sauters, and Sauter intended the track as
an homage

Romances for a Jazz Soloist & Orchestra

From the album One Night / One Day by saxophonist Tom Scott
Composed by Patrick Williams
Recorded in 1986 in Los Angeles
This selection was particularly demanding because Scott had almost total freedom
to shape the pacing of his solos with the existing orchestral material, thus
requiring a complete understanding of the musical totality of the piece

Concerto for Jazz Clarinet & Orchestra

From the album Breakthrough by clarinetist Eddie Daniels

Composed & conducted by Jorge Calandrelli
Commissioned by Jack Elliott, conductor/director of the New American Orchestra
Premiered at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles in March of 1985
This concerto places a tremendous demand on Eddies talents, both as a
classically-trained performer and as a jazz musician

Sources
History and Tradition of Jazz by Thomas E. Larson
Jazz for Dummies by Dirk Sutro
Jazz a film by Ken Burns
http://en.wikipedia.org

Discography
1. Lyricosmos by Claus Ogerman & Michael Brecker
from the album Claus Ogerman featuring Michael Brecker
GRP Records GRD-9632

2. Django by the Modern Jazz Quartet

from the album The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz, Volume 4
Sony Music Special Products RD 033-4 A5 19477
3. Im Late, Im Late by Stan Getz & Eddie Sauter
from the album Focus
Verve 314 521 419-2
4. Romances for a Jazz Soloist and Orchestra by Tom Scott & Patrick Williams
from the album One Night / One Day
Soundwings SW-2102-CD
5. Concerto for Jazz Clarinet and Orchestra by Eddie Daniels & Jorge Calandrelli
from the album Breakthrough
GRP Records GRP-D-9533