At the intersection of a double continuum? Reflecting on an experiment of co-creation between a composer and five improvisors
Musical improvisation is often said to exist at the intersection of a double continuum, with the degree of spontaneity in creation on one axis, and the degree to which the performance is predetermined on the other. This article looks at the idea of the “double continuum” in improvisation using a case study—an analysis of the creative process of the project Sillon, the “comprovisatory” experiment of a composer and five improvisers from the collective Umlaut. Without denying the continuities that exist between improvisation and composition, the article sheds light on the specificity and singularity the musicians each attach to their individual practices beyond their mutual goal to produce a “hybrid” musical object