The Improvisational Paradigm: Reply to Critics

This collection of papers offers a series of comments and questions examining key aspects of Alessandro Bertinetto’s Aesthetics of Improvisation (Brill-Fink, 2022). Comprising five contributions, including an introductory essay, the collection reflects the varied academic backgrounds and affiliations of its authors, providing a broad spectrum of perspectives. The papers explore the book’s central themes, such as the epistemological, ontological, aesthetic, and political dimensions of improvisation, its interplay between artistic and non-artistic contexts, and its capacity to harmonize spontaneity with structural constraints. In his concluding response, Bertinetto not only engages with the critiques and reflections of the contributors but also expands and deepens his initial arguments, further enriching the ongoing dialogue.