Zur musikalischen Ästhetik Thelonious Sphere Monks und ihrem posthumen Weiterwirken
Starting point of the study is the current interest in Monk's music, which has resulted in an abundance of re-issues and newly issued recordings dedicated to Monk, as well as in the fact that the adjective "monkish" has become a fixed word in the vocabulary of musicians and critics.
An attempt is undertaken therefore, to define the components of "monkishness". The following basic determinants can be drawn from analyses of Monk compositions and improvisation:
- Systematic work with melodic-rhythmical cells, which are mounted over a traditionally formal and rhythmical foundation;
- Reduction as a central idea: reduction of intervals, reduction in musical "space", forgoing of upfront virtuosity, harmonic thinning.
- A certain brittleness in the sound picture caused, among other things, by an individual piano technique and special voicings; Monk's themes newly played, as well as compositions explicitly related to Monk are examined in a critical appraisal using the above established criteria as background. Recordings from Roswell Rudd, Steve Lacy, Chick Corea, Larry Porter, Paul Bley, Cecil Taylor, Bennie Wallace, the Kronos String Quartet, and the group "Sphere" are discussed. Closing remarks are aimed at Monk's schismatic role in the early 80's formation of the "No Wave" aesthetic.