On both sides of the stage improv-comedys popularity has increased exponentially throughout the 1980s and 90s and into the new millennium. Presto! An original song is created out of thin air. With nothing but a suggestion from the audience; daring young improvisers working without a net or a script create hilarious characters; sketches; and songs. Thrilled by the danger; the immediacy; and the virtuosity of improv-comedy; spectators laugh and cheer. American improv-comedy burst onto the scene in the 1950s with Chicagos the Compass Players (best known for the brilliant comedy duo Mike Nichols and Elaine May) and the Second City; which launched the careers of many popular comedians; including Gilda Radner; John Belushi; and Mike Myers. Chicago continues to be a mecca for young performers who travel from faraway places to study improv. At the same time; the techniques of Chicago improv have infiltrated classrooms; workshops; rehearsals; and comedy clubs across North and South America; Europe; Australia; and Japan. Improvs influence is increasingly evident in contemporary films and in interactive entertainment on the internet. Drawing on the experiences of working improvisers; Whose Improv Is It Anyway? provides a never-before-published account of developments beyond Second Citys mainstream approach to the genre. This fascinating history chronicles the origins of "the Harold;" a sophisticated new "long-form" style of improv developed in the 80s at ImprovOlympic; and details the importance and pitfalls of ComedySports. Here also is a backstage glimpse at the Annoyance Theatre; best known on the national scene for its production of The Real Live Brady Bunch. Readers will get the scoop on the recent work of players who; feeling excluded by early improvs "white guys in ties;" created such independent groups as the Free Associates and the African American troupe Oui Be Negroes. There is far more to the art of improv than may be suggested by the sketches on Saturday Night Live or the games on Whose Line Is It Anyway? This history; an insiders look at the evolution of improv-comedy in Chicago; reveals the struggles; the laughter; and the ideals of mutual support; freedom; and openness that have inspired many performers. It explores the power games; the gender inequities; and the racial tensions that can emerge in improvised performance; and it shares the techniques and strategies veteran players use to combat these problems. Improv art is revealed to be an art of compromise; a fragile negotiation between the poles of process and product. The result; as shown here; can be exciting; shimmering; magical; and not exclusively the property of any troupe or actor.
#240252 in eBooks 2001-09-17 2001-09-17File Name: B002GKGBLE
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Even the non-musician can enjoy this well written biographyBy JasonI just finished reading this book - loved it. I have. of late. fallen in love with classical music. Its all I listen to in the car and at work. I felt it was time to learn more about one of my favorite composers. and this book was great.Facts I found most interesting:Bach came from a family of talented and respected musiciansHe was an incredibly talented and respected organist. Churches would have him come to examine and inspect their newly built organs. (Makes his organ compositions more interesting)He had 20 children (from two wives - the first died suddenly of illness) 10 made it to adulthood. While living in Leipzig his family lived in a large home by the times standards - 803 square feet!Much of Bachs work was lost after his death. He divided his manuscripts among his four musical children. and only Carl Philipp Emanuel managed his inherited music with care - the others sold theirs piecemeal.I am completely un-educated when it comes to the technical side of the music. so a lot of the discussion of the music itself went over my head. Still. I enjoyed the book immensely.11 of 12 people found the following review helpful. Impressive!By rodboomboomWolff certainly has done the research and then written a passionate account of this "learned musician" for the ages. Among the fine qualities of this biography is a clear. concise writing style with erudite thinking demonstrated sorting out the historical sources surrounding Bachs life.Tracing his life chronologically. the books theme is one of a composer/virtuoso/organ expert who develops out of self-interest and passion for music and especially his family background of musicians. He certainly had some ins because of this family heritage. but certainly on the same hand earned his way by his demonstrated abilities on the organ. pipe organ construction and maintenance and finally composition.Revolutionizing the music craft by his counterpoint and harmonization. his influence both to those who come after him including his two older sons. this man continues to play vital role in unfolding world of music.Minor missing element which certainly is understandable for the non-theologically inclined is the major influence that Bachs theology played in his music. From the surviving Cavlov Bible that we have from J.S.. we know this as certainty.41 of 44 people found the following review helpful. dry but readable and insightfulBy Michael J. CashenAfter reading this book I came away with a good understanding of Bachs musical achievements and his concept of what music is all about. This is a very well written and comprehensive look at Bachs music and musical evolution thru life - including his major. longer works (no minuets included) and musical surroundings. It is very well worth reading for its study of Bachs music if you have some technical musical background (more on that later).One small complaint: most of the music titles are given in German only. Since there are hundreds of such cases. it was impractical to do always search for a translation on the internet so Im sure I missed a few points. For example the titles of Bachs first three key teaching works are listed - with only the first in English. Wolff then says that "the carefully coordinated phraseology of all three titles" were impressive!Fortunately. the German version of "The Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach" is obvious in meaning but shamefully without translation: for many of us. one of our first piano pieces came from that notebook!Finally. this is not a complaint. but a warning. You will have great difficulty with this book if you dont have some background in musical terminology. notation. and Baroque music history. You should know the meaning of terms like "basso continuo". "counterpoint". "thoroughbass" (figured bass). etc. to appreciate the text. For example. there is much discussion of Bachs role in the evolution of the "Fugue". Other forms. such as the "motet" (sacred music not an integral part of the mass) are mentioned without definition. For such a background. I would recommend Kamiens "Music An Appreciation. Ed.8" - or a less expensive alternative that covers music from the Middle Ages to the Baroque Period.
