Which musical form typically emphasizes improvisation?

The musical form that typically emphasizes improvisation is jazz. Jazz is an art form that thrives on spontaneity and individual expression, often featuring musicians who create melodies, harmonies, and rhythms on the spot. This improvisational aspect is integral to jazz, allowing performers to explore their creativity within a structured framework, often with a set chord progression or theme.

In contrast, the other musical forms mentioned rely more on pre-composed elements. A symphony is a large-scale work for orchestra that follows a specific structure and is fully composed before performance. An oratorio is a narrative musical work intended for concert performance, generally following a script that musicians interpret without improvisation. Chamber music, while adaptable and sometimes allowing for interpretative choices, does not emphasize improvisation to the extent that jazz does. Thus, jazz stands out as the musical form that fundamentally incorporates and celebrates improvisation.