The two interpretations of Round Midnight that will be compared and contrasted in this paper are a recording made in 1947 and a live performance dated 1966. Both the record and the live performance were played using the same set of instruments but had different sounding depending on the improvisation, change of form, and composition. The difference in the leading instrument makes the two interpretations unique and justifies the subjectivity of jazz as a musical style.
On the one hand, the instrumentation used in both interpretations includes the same set of instruments for a quartet. However, the difference is in the use of the instruments for the form-related elements. In particular, the 1947 record contains recurring unison pieces where the saxophone and piano coincide and reinforce the melody. The duality of the composition of the piece is preserved in both interpretations. On the other hand, the improvisation and tempo of the two interpretations differ, making them melodically different. In particular, the recorded version of 1947 is performed slower than the live version of 1966. The improvisation is also a distinctive element in the two interpretations. On the contrary to the 1947 version, the 1966 performance contains large parties of piano solos which are less apparent in the 1947 piece. However, both pieces are similar in terms of rhythm, which is a significant feature of jazz music.
In summation, the review of two interpretations of the jazz composition Round Midnight by Thelonious Monk has demonstrated several similarities and differences between them. The two versions of the musical piece are similar in terms of instrumentation, the duality of composition, and rhythm. However, they differ in the use of interpretation, tempo, and form, which makes each piece a unique version of the same musical composition.
