Contrafacts
Encyclopedia
In jazz
, a contrafact is a musical composition
consisting of a new melody
overlaid on a familiar harmonic structure
. Contrafact can also be explained as the use of borrowed chord progressions.
As a compositional device, it was of particular importance in the 1940s development of bop
, since it allowed jazz
musicians to create new pieces for performance and recording on which they could immediately improvise
, without having to seek permission or pay publisher fees for copyright
ed materials (while melodies can be copyrighted, the underlying harmonic structure cannot be).
Contrafacts are not to be confused with musical quotation
s, which comprise borrowing rhythms or melodic figures from an existing composition.
In classical music, contrafacts have been used as early as the parody mass
and In Nomine
of the 16th century. More recently, "Cheap Imitation
" (1969) by John Cage
was produced by systematically changing notes from the melody line of "Socrate" by Erik Satie
using chance procedures.
In spite of its usefulness, the term contrafact has not won wide acceptance in classical theory.
/Miles Davis
bop tune "Donna Lee
," which uses the chord changes of the standard "Back Home Again in Indiana
" or Thelonious Monk
's jazz standard
"Evidence", which borrows the chord progression from Jesse Greer and Raymond Klages's song "Just You, Just Me
" (1929). The Gershwin tune "I Got Rhythm
" has proved especially amenable to contrafactual recomposition: the popularity of its "rhythm changes
" is second only to that of the 12-bar blues as a basic harmonic structure used by jazz composers.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, a contrafact is a musical composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
consisting of a new melody
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
overlaid on a familiar harmonic structure
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
. Contrafact can also be explained as the use of borrowed chord progressions.
As a compositional device, it was of particular importance in the 1940s development of bop
Bebop
Bebop differed drastically from the straightforward compositions of the swing era, and was instead characterized by fast tempos, asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections that expanded on their role as tempo-keepers...
, since it allowed jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musicians to create new pieces for performance and recording on which they could immediately improvise
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
, without having to seek permission or pay publisher fees for copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
ed materials (while melodies can be copyrighted, the underlying harmonic structure cannot be).
Contrafacts are not to be confused with musical quotation
Musical quotation
Musical quotation is the practice of directly quoting another work in a new composition. The quotation may be from the same composer's work , or from a different composer's work ....
s, which comprise borrowing rhythms or melodic figures from an existing composition.
In classical music, contrafacts have been used as early as the parody mass
Parody mass
A parody mass is a musical setting of the mass, typically from the 16th century, that uses multiple voices of another pre-existing piece of music, such as a fragment of a motet or a secular chanson, as part of its melodic material. It is distinguished from the two other most prominent types of...
and In Nomine
In Nomine
In Nomine is a title given to a large number of pieces of English polyphonic, predominantly instrumental music, first composed during the 16th century....
of the 16th century. More recently, "Cheap Imitation
Cheap Imitation
Cheap Imitation is a piece for solo piano by John Cage, composed in 1969. It is an indeterminate piece created using the I Ching and based, rhythmically, on Socrate by Erik Satie.-History of composition:...
" (1969) by John Cage
John Cage
John Milton Cage Jr. was an American composer, music theorist, writer, philosopher and artist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde...
was produced by systematically changing notes from the melody line of "Socrate" by Erik Satie
Erik Satie
Éric Alfred Leslie Satie was a French composer and pianist. Satie was a colourful figure in the early 20th century Parisian avant-garde...
using chance procedures.
In spite of its usefulness, the term contrafact has not won wide acceptance in classical theory.
Examples
Well-known examples of contrafacts include the Charlie ParkerCharlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
/Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
bop tune "Donna Lee
Donna Lee
"Donna Lee" is a bebop jazz standard composed by Miles Davis. It was written in A flat and is based on the chord changes of the traditional jazz standard " Indiana". One unusual feature of the tune is that it begins with a half-bar rest...
," which uses the chord changes of the standard "Back Home Again in Indiana
Back Home Again in Indiana
" Indiana" is a song composed by Ballard MacDonald and James F. Hanley, first published in January of 1917. While it is not the official state song of the U.S...
" or Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
's jazz standard
Jazz standard
Jazz standards are musical compositions which are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive list of jazz standards, and the list of songs deemed to be...
"Evidence", which borrows the chord progression from Jesse Greer and Raymond Klages's song "Just You, Just Me
Just You, Just Me
"Just You, Just Me" is a song from the 1929 musical film Marianne, composed by Jesse Greer with lyrics by Raymond Klages. It was introduced by Marion Davies and Cliff Edwards, with Dick Hyman on the piano...
" (1929). The Gershwin tune "I Got Rhythm
I Got Rhythm
"I Got Rhythm" is a song composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin and published in 1930, which became a jazz standard. Its chord progression, known as the "rhythm changes", is the foundation for many other popular jazz tunes such as Charlie Parker's and Dizzy Gillespie's Bebop...
" has proved especially amenable to contrafactual recomposition: the popularity of its "rhythm changes
Rhythm changes
In jazz and jazz harmony, "rhythm changes" refers to the chord progression occurring in George Gershwin's song "I Got Rhythm". This pattern, which forms the basis of countless jazz compositions, was popular with swing-era musicians: It is found in "Shoeshine Boy" and "Cotton Tail" written by...
" is second only to that of the 12-bar blues as a basic harmonic structure used by jazz composers.