Paganini Does Not Repeat. Improvisation And The Type/Token Ontology

This paper explores the ontology of musical improvisation (MI). MI, as process in which creative and performing activities are one and the same generative occur-rence, is contrasted with the most widespread conceptual resource used in inquiries about music ontology of the Western tradition: the type/token duality (TtD). TtD, which is used for explaining the relationship between musical works (MWs) and per-formances, does not fit for MI. Nonetheless MI can be ontologically related to MWs. A MW can ensue from MI and MI can be required for performing a MW faithfully. As performance on a MW, MI can offer versions of a MW, manifest a MW, and, es-pecially, use it as one of its ‘ingredients’. Recordings of MI present special challenges and an unexpected ontological revival.