How to write an interesting program note for piano recital?

[dora96]

Hello all,

I am trying to write program note for piano recital. I have never done this before. I just hope to get some advise for members here that have the experience performing as well as give piano recital program note.

The music I am performing,  Beethoven Pathetique,  Chopin Nocturne op9 no.1 and Mendelssohn song without word Op 53 No.3. Liszt Liebestraum. Schumann Romance op28 No.2.

I am kind of have some idea, but not completely sure. Please hep, what important to write?

[teresa_b]

I have written program notes several times.  You probably don't want anything very long, with a number of pieces.  I suggest you try to find one neat, interesting fact about each piece--something everyone may not already know--and say something about that.  Also include one statement for each piece about the general feel of that piece, or what it is.  For example, what is a "nocturne"? --a piece that should have the feel of nighttime, like the calm glow of a moonlit lake.  Something picturesque like that. 

Good luck!
Teresa

[dora96]

Thank you for Teresa prompt respond and suggestion. I have outlined the structure of my program note.

Beethoven Sonata Pathetique Op13 No.8

• A brief introduction of the composer.
  What is a sonata
  The style of the music
  few description of the dynamic and interpretation

I suppose it is like the same thing of other piece. It is hard for me, firstly English is not my first language. To write something meaningful and appropriate to each piece, it is tricky. However, my teacher is also foreigner. She suggested that I shouldn't write more than 400 words. Get to the point. This is the requirement. 300 to 400 words aren't lot to write about. It seems that a lot to cover.  I haven't given to my teacher to check my program note. I am trying to put together the best I can.  The above outline, do you think it is enough?

[/list]

[teresa_b]

Dora, those are great ideas  , but you will need to cut down on your description of each piece since you have only 400 words or so to do all 5 pieces.  So 80 words per piece--My suggestions would be:

Really short intro--for example, "Beethoven, in a mood of high tragedy, wrote the 'Sonata Pathetique' in the year 1798."   (something like that to give a piece of info and the idea that the sonata is tragic in mood)

You can combine style, "What is it" and dynamics in one statement.  "A sonata is a piece classically composed of three movements--often two fast /high-energy ones surrounding a slower, more tranquil interlude.  Beethoven followed the three-movement structure here, but ventured from the strict Classical style into the Romantic by starting with a slow, dramatic introduction; it is only after this proclamation of tragedy, that he launches into the traditional allegro. 

(That was about 60 words--You get the picture!)

Have fun!--and by the way, your English is great!
Teresa

[lostinidlewonder]

I don't think you should go so far as to describe sonata form to an audience. Just realize that most people listening will not understand musical terms very easily. So you have to pretend you are speaking to people who have no idea about music. Telling them about sonata form is not very entertaining in my opinion, so you can just leave it out.

What is more important is to highlight what the music means. Who was it written for, what happened in the composer life while they wrote it. Perhaps even highlight a little story which shows the characteristic of the composer. I remember I highighted a story about Beethoven, how he was walking down a path with a friend and a few nobel women where coming their way. Beethoven's friend stood aside for them to walk past them, but Beethoven just walked straight through the women. ^_^

Highlighting the characteristic of our composer is important. And the largest challenges they faced in their life, the drama in their life. Talking about Beethoven in terms of his deafness periods is very interesting I find. Showing music he wrote before his deafness, during and after. You can almost feel this personal struggle through his music. But didn't Beethoven say, "I shall seize fate by the throat!" So the humanity in Beethoven's music is very important to try and describe. Also the use of contrasts, Beethoven really made the piano sound like it should. His use of forte and piano right next to one another, the way he contrasts volume and note qualities, all stretched the way in which we should be playing the piano, it certainly was breaking away from the old harpsichord/clavichord keyboard method.