Third Stream

Third Stream music is a term coined in 1957 by composer Gunther Schuller to describe a musical genre which is a synthesis of classical music and jazz. Improvisation -- a key element of jazz, but far less common in classical music -- is generally seen as a vital component of Third Stream.In 1961, Schuller defined Third Stream as "a new genre of music located about halfway between jazz and classical music." (Schuller, 114) Schuller insisted that "by definition there is no such thing as 'Third Stream Jazz.'" (Schuller, 120) Schuller noted that while purists on both sides of Third Stream objected to tainting their favorite music with the other, more strenuous objections were typically made by jazz musicians who felt such efforts were "an assault on their traditions." Schuller writes that "by designating the music as a 'separate, third stream', the other two mainstreams could go about their way unaffected by the attempts at fusion." (Schuller, 115) Because Third Stream draws on classical as much as jazz it is generally required that composers and performers be proficient in both genres.
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