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Baroque Improvisation

Watch Nicola improvise:
Improv12. Fughetta in B-flat
01:40

Improv12. Fughetta in B-flat

I found this video while cleaning out a folder. Looks like I improvised it while the camera was running for my eighth episode on sequences. Not sure why I didn't post it then. I must not have been happy with it, but there are no career-ending mistakes. A parallel octave here and there, and the final tenor entrance was missing a note.
Improv10. Prelude and Fugue on Themes from the Audience
05:29

Improv10. Prelude and Fugue on Themes from the Audience

Lessons Applications, Inquiries, Comments for Nicola: nsc@juilliard.edu; ncanzano@umich.edu As I walk on stage, I am provided a few themes on paper upon which I'm expected to improvise in this portion of a small mid-morning recital in Juilliard's Morse Hall. I use one theme as a prelude and turn one into a fugue subject. In my nervousness, I forgot to play the themes for the audience, but.I did ask the composer of the snippets to verify afterward that I didn't cheat!
Improv7. Snow
02:57

Improv7. Snow

An improvisation based on the beautiful snow outside at the time (February)
Watch Nicola explain:
Ep9. Improvising Fugue (Part II)
34:54

Ep9. Improvising Fugue (Part II)

Lesson Applications, Inquiries, Comments for Nicola: nsc@juilliard.edu This time around I go back through some fugues I've improvised recently and analyze the subjects, present my thought process as I sit down to improvise, show you some tricks of the trade, and tell some cautionary tales. 00:00 Intro 01:43 Example I (Fughetta in B-flat) 03:22 Nature of the Subject, Simplifying 06:09 The Answer: Cadence Patterns and Continuo 13:31 Explanation of Middle Voice Entry 14:48 "Versetto/Simple Exposition Form" 22:03 Example II (Prelude and Fugue on the Theme from "Pirates of the Caribbean" 25:52 "Pirates" Fugue Debrief 34:41 Outro/Contact
Ep8. Sequences
45:15

Ep8. Sequences

Lessons Applications, Inquiries, Comments for Nicola: nsc@juilliard.edu; ncanzano@umich.edu 00:00 Introduction 01:34 Overview and Pyramid of Sequences 03:15 Circle of Fifths (↓5 ↑4 & ↓3 ↑2) 09:22 CoF 7-7 version 09:45 CoF 53-65 version 10:25 CoF 642-6(5) versions 11:09 CoF position switching 11:46 CoF chromatic alterations 12:37 CoF diminutions ex. 13:00 Romanesca (↓4 ↑2) 16:42 ↓3 ↑4 21:00 ↓4 ↑5 & ↓2 ↑3 27:02 ↓4 ↑3 30:51 ↓3 ↑5 34:56 ↓5 ↑3 38:02 ↓2 ↑4 40:24 ↓2 ↑5 & ↓5 ↑2 44:11 Outro First Book of Partimenti: https://s9.imslp.org/files/imglnks/usimg/2/2e/IMSLP636986-PMLP1021805-First_Book_of_Partimento_Preludes_and_Fugues.pdf
Ep7. Improvising Your First Fugue (Part Ia)
20:25

Ep7. Improvising Your First Fugue (Part Ia)

Lessons Applications, Inquiries, Comments for Nicola: nsc@juilliard.edu; ncanzano@umich.edu This is an addendum to Episode 6, where I clarify a few important points, and give an additional exercise for beginning fuguers (fuguists? fuguepersons?). Bonus points to whoever finds the PARALLEL FIFTHS I included in one my examples. Extra bonus points for identifying the two fixes for said fifths that do not change a single note! 00:00 Intro 01:48 Order of Entries (Take 2) 07:46 Real v. Tonal Answers (Take 2) 17:26 Two-voice exercise

Nicola offers lessons for both keyboardists and melodic instruments in historical improvisation.

See the Lessons tab for more information. 

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