Thinking Music
Notes on partimenti, musical creativity, improvisation, and learning to think in music.
These essays explore historical traditions of musical training, practical tools for improvisation and composition, and reflections on how musicians learn to create.
Once upon a time, in the Kingdom of Naples
Partimenti began in the conservatories of Naples as a playful, listening-based approach to learning harmony, improvisation, and composition. Rediscovered today, this tradition offers powerful insights into musical fluency, creativity, and how musicians have historically learned to speak the language of music.