Department of Music
Program Notes and Translations
Soloist’s Name, voice type
Accompanist’s Name, piano
Day, Month 12, 20??, 8:00 p.m.
(Single composer and multiple poets within one set example:)
Composer for the first recital set (composer dates)
Program notes on the first set. Include basic information about the composer, an
indication of how these pieces are linked together (same language, same composer,
same, poet, thematic content, etc), a bit of information about each song within the set
possibly including information about the poet, include YOUR OWN THOUGHTS on why
these songs are great. If a piece comes from a larger work (opera, oratorio, cantata,
musical, song cycle, etc., then include information, including plot info, about the larger
work.
(EXAMPLE:
During Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s short life between 1756 and 1791, the Austrian
composer became known as a child prodigy, adult musical genius, and is still believed by
many to be the world’s greatest composer. Unlike most of his contemporaries and
colleagues to since grace the art of composition, Mozart excelled in all genres of
composition, including opera and lieder as well as instrumental forms. These songs are
part of his mature output, with Das Veilchen written in 1785 and Als Luise die Briefe,
Abendempfindung and An Chloe in 1787, each only about five years prior to his death.
He chose well-written texts by famous poets and set them exquisitely in his style that
would echo in concert halls for centuries to come.)
“Song Title #1,” text by John J. Poet (Poet dates)
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“Song Title #2,” text by Paul J. Poet (Poet dates)
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“Song Title #3,” text by Jack J. Poet (Poet dates)
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“Song Title #4,” text by Joe J. Poet (Poet dates)
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(Single composer and Single poet, but not all from one song cycle within set example:)
Composer for the second recital set (composer dates) & Poet
for the second recital set (poet dates)
Program notes on the second set. Include basic information about the composer and
poet, an indication of how these pieces are linked together, a bit of information about
each song within the set, include YOUR OWN THOUGHTS on why these songs are great.
(EXAMPLE:
Irish expatriate James Joyce is widely considered to be one of the most influential writers
of the 20th Century. “I Hear an Army” and “Sleep Now” are both from Joyce’s Chamber
Music, published in 1908. “Solitary Hotel” comes from Desperate and Still.
“Nuvoletta” is an excerpt from the popular and controversial Finnegan’s Wake.
American composer Samuel Barber set these Joyce texts at various times throughout his
own life, with “I Hear an Army,” “Sleep Now” and “Nuvoletta” all published in 1939
and “Solitary Hotel” coming later in 1968-1969. While Barber wrote orchestral music
(his most famous opus is “Adagio for Strings”), chamber music, and even opera, he truly
excelled in composing song literature. Barber’s refined talent for text setting is evident
in the both dynamic and subtle ways he accentuates Joyce’s words throughout these four
pieces.)
“Song Title #1”
Original English printed in the poem’s format including appropriate stanza breaks
“Song Title #2”
Original English printed in the poem’s format including appropriate stanza breaks
“Song Title #3”
Original English printed in the poem’s format including appropriate stanza breaks
“Song Title #4”
Original English printed in the poem’s format including appropriate stanza breaks
(All songs from within one song cycle example:)
Selections from Song Cycle Title
Composer for the third recital set (composer dates) & Poet for
the third recital set (poet dates)
Program notes on the third set. Include basic information about the song cycle as a
larger work, composer, poet, a bit of information about each song within the set, include
YOUR OWN THOUGHTS on why these songs are great.
(EXAMPLE:
The texts for this song cycle come from symbolist poet Paul Verlaine’s Romances sans
paroles (1872). Debussy set these in 1888 in the style of music known by both visual and
performing artists as impressionism. Impressionism in visual art is seen in the works of
Claude Monet, among others, and is known for visible brush strokes, open composition,
play of light, and the inclusion of movement, all intended to give the viewer an
impression of that moment in time rather than a literal image. These concepts translate
into music via whole-tone scales, dissonance, chromaticism, and often somewhat
nebulous-feeling melodic lines. Composed with exquisite attention to detail, the song
cycle Ariettes oubliées is perhaps the best representation of impressionism in the entire
vocal music repertory.)
“Song Title #1”
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“Song Title #2”
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“Song Title #3”
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“Song Title #4”
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(Multiple composers and multiple poets within one set example:)
Title of Set, for Example: “Arias from Sacred and Secular
Repertoire”
Program notes on the fourth set. Include basic information about why this set is grouped
together, the composers, the poets, a bit of information about each song within the set,
include YOUR OWN THOUGHTS on why these songs are great. If a piece comes from a
larger work (opera, oratorio, cantata, musical, song cycle, etc., then include information,
including plot info, about the larger work.
(EXAMPLE: For the final grouping of this program, I have decided to perform a
collection of arias from both sacred and secular repertoire. “Vidit suum,” from Stabat
Mater is a traditional sacred text, set in some of the most beautiful lyricism of Pergolesi’s
short life.
“Steal Me, Thief” is also known as “The Kitchen Scene” in Menotti’s The Old Maid and
the Thief. The “grotesque opera,” as Menotti called his creation for which he wrote both
the words and music, was originally intended as simply a radio production. However, its
charm both in storyline and music have brought it to the forefront of chamber 20thcentury operatic productions in America. The story centers around characters Laetitia,
Miss Todd and Bob. Laetitia is a maid in Miss Todd’s house, and Bob is a wandering
thief who has become a houseguest of these two women who find themselves longing for
male attention. In this aria, Laetitia describes her feelings for Bob, and asks that he use
his skills for stealing her heart rather than worldly goods.
Susannah is the most loved and successful operas written by American composer Carlisle
Floyd. It was first performed in 1955 at Florida State with Phyllis Curtain in the title
role. Based loosely on the biblical story of Susanna and the elders in the Book of Daniel,
the opera Susannah is set in the Appalachian mountains of America. Floyd, like Menotti,
wrote his own libretto and set it beautifully to a musical masterpiece of lush harmonies
and soaring melodic lines with deliberate and eloquent chromaticism. In this aria,
Susannah returns from a church dinner, and finds herself gazing into the night sky and
contemplating her future.)
“Song Title #1,” from title of opera/musical/oratorio/etc
By composer (composer dates), text by poet (poet dates)
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Next stanza Original foreign language
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Etc
“Song Title #2,” from title of opera/musical/oratorio/etc
By composer (composer dates), text by poet (poet dates)
Original English printed in the poem’s format including appropriate stanza breaks
“Song Title #3,” from title of opera/musical/oratorio/etc
By composer (composer dates), text by poet (poet dates)
Original English printed in the poem’s format including appropriate stanza breaks