Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Writing a proper program 101

So, I have some questions about writing a program. Is there a certain "proper" format that everyone uses, or can I just make one that looks nice? Also, is it necessary to include the composers' dates? Do I need to include the composers' full names, or just initials? Do I need to capitalize the "o" in Op. and the "n" in No.? Do I need to include opus numbers for named preludes, such as "Le Fille Aux Cheveux de Lin"? Is it protocol to include the name of the set that a piece is from, such as "from the Well Tempered Clavier, Book I"?

Wow, that's a lot of questions. If someone knows some answers, I would really appreciate it. I don't know how much of this is personal preference, but I don't want to leave anything out that's necessary.

I'd like to add two questions, if I may?

Is it necessary to play pieces from many periods and should they be presented in chronological order by time period?

Try to avoid banal information, particularly if its a very well known composer. (This piece was written in... blah blah blah). By all means include dates in brackets next to the composers name, but don't refer to them in the text unless you want it to sound like a high school essay. Try not to sound too academic whilst at the same time not too casual and chatty. In some situations its appropriate and even desirable to talk in first person, if you have had a particular experience with a piece (a particular famous pianist advised you to learn it or something like that) for example. But definitely don't write the entire programme in this way. Collect programmes from concerts that you go to and read them. See what works and what doesn't. And for goodness sake double and triple check spelling, grammar and punctuation. The number of high profile concerts I've been too where the programme notes are laden with mistakes is ridiculous, hehe.

Of course you may! For this particular recital I am playing pieces from different time periods and in chronological order, but those are good questions I would like to know also.



Thanks for the advice.
Yeah, haha, one time I went to a recital where Mozart's death was listed as 1991. (Wow, so THAT'S why Mozart is so famous. He's over 200 years old!)

Yes, include the birth/death dates of the composers in parenthesesnext to their name. Names can be shortened in the following format A. B. Cccc (for example, J. S. Bach). Yes, I would capitalize the O in Op. and the N in No. You may or may not include opus and number in named preludes, that is personal reference. Yes, I would include the source of the piece, fi.e. WTC Bk. I or Preludes Op. 28.

Hope that helps .

Awesome, thanks!

You should decide what information to provide based on how much space you have. The title is the minimum, followed by the name of the composer, followed by anyone else who might have been involved: lyricist or arranger, usually. Then you could go on to dates, which could be the date of the piece and/or the dates of the composer. A biography of the performer might be nice, and then perhaps something about the pieces. If you have some idea of the demographics of the audience, you could tailor what you write to that.

Of course, if there are sponsors, donors and volunteers to be acknowledged, that takes precedence. So does fundraising and legal disclaimers.

I have just finished doing programs for a local donor-sponsored band. With the required information, there was half an 8-1/2 by 11 page for the title, composer and arranger. I told the music director that did not know what I would do if he ever programmed "The New Ashmolean Marching Society and Students' Conservatory Band" so he should plan it as an encore instead.

On my sister's recital a few years ago, the Debussy piece had no title listed in the program, just opus and number. Before the piece was played, the audience was asked to come up with a title. After the piece, there was a discussion about different titles that people had come up with and the images that the piece conjured up, and then the "official" title was revealed.

This would only work with a "lay" audience, not with an audience of conservatory professors. But it is what Debussy would have wanted.

Funnily enough Debussy never, or almost never, used op.nrs. (or fingerings, or pedalmarks)

I'd be curious to know which Debussy piece was listed by opus number and what that number might be! I can't find a single one in his output (as listed in Groves) that has an opus number.

Regards,

Yikes - that's what happens when ya' have a bad memory, I suppose.

The only thing I'm curious about is whether anyone came close to matching what Debussy's titles and music were trying to convey. Interesting exercise, though!

haha, so that's why I had so much trouble trying to find out what they were.

FYI:

Here are the program guidelines for the MTNA Competitions. (This was sent out to MTNA member teachers about a month ago.) Apologies for the formatting - I just cut 'n' pasted from the email:

MTNA COMPETITIONS CONNECTIONS
Repertoire Listing Dos and Don'ts

Applications will be approved very quickly if all information is included in the online application. Delays will result if the national coordinators find it necessary to contact students for clarification or more information.

Type or write out all repertoire before starting the application so it can just be copied into the application.

For consistency and uniformity in listing repertoire, the competitions committee has adopted several policies:

· We use the following spellings even though some editions use different spelling for certain composers: Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev

· For Bach works, we use BWV, even though many string editions list the S. number. Since the numbers are the same, we have opted to use BWV.

· Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn piano sonatas are identified only by key and Op./K/Hob. numbers (not Sonata "No. 1", etc.).

· For Schubert selections, use either the D. or Op. number, but not both.

· Keys are spelled out, using capital letters for both Major and Minor: A Minor, C-sharp Major, D-flat Minor, etc.

In the following examples, items in Italics are incorrect.

1. Incorrect:
Piano Sonata in c, opus 27, #2, "Moonlight"

Correct:
Sonata in C Minor, Op. 27, No. 2

a. Redundancies are omitted: do no use Piano Sonata, Violin Concerto, and so on. * The exception is if a work is played on an instrument different than that for which it was written. For example, a viola student might be playing a cello sonata. In this case, it would be listed as Cello Sonata.

b.Abbreviations used: Op. (for Opus), No. (for number, not #).

c. Do not use nicknames: "Waldstein", "Pathetique", "Moonlight", "Devil's Trill", "Hamburger", etc.

2. Incorrect:
Prelude and Fugue in c

Correct:
Prelude and Fugue in C Minor, WTC II, BWV 871

Bach wrote two volumes of Preludes and Fugues in identical keys, so the correct volume and BWV number should be identified.


3. Incorrect: (example of a saxophone program fulfilling the two-style period requirement as a Baroque selection)
Sonata No. 6...........Handel

Correct:
Sonata No. 6, HWV 373..............George Frideric Handel arr. Marcel Mule
a. List the entire name of the composer.
b. List the identifying number, if possible
c. List the transcriber or arranger, if available.

4. Incorrect:
Sonata in C, mvts. 1 & 2

Correct:
Sonata in C Major, Op. 1, No. 2
I. Allegro
II. Andante

Correct: If the program is over the time limit, list the individual timings for multi-movement works:
Sonata in C Major, Op. 1, No. 2
I. Allegro (4:50)
II. Andante (2:35)

5. Incorrect:
Sonata in C Major, Op. 1, No. 2
I. Allegro

Sonata in C Major, Op. 1, No. 2
II. Andante

Correct:
Sonata in C Major, Op. 1, No. 2
I. Allegro
II. Andante

Movements of the same work should be listed in the same field, using returns.

6. Incorrect (for vocal program)
Non piu andrai from The Marriage of Figaro........Mozart

Correct:
Non piu andrai (Le Nozze di Figaro)........Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

a. List the source of a work in parentheses.

b.The source is listed in the program in Italics. It is not possible to use Italics on the application, but you can use parentheses.

c. List full name of composer.

7. Tempo markings are needed only when appropriate, usually for movements of a multi-
movement work that do not have other titles:

Incorrect:
Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012
I. Prelude (Moderato)

Correct:
Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012
I. Prelude

8. Capitalization:
Incorrect:
Allegro Con Spirito

Correct:
Allegro con spirito

Usually, only the first word should be capitalized in tempo markings.There are some exceptions. For example: Adagio cantabile – Allegro vivace; Lento, quasi Andante.

9. Incomplete repertoire:
String student:
Incorrect:
Sarabanda from Partita No. 2

Correct:
Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004
II. Sarabanda

We need complete identification of the work being programmed.

Piano student:
Incorrect:
Prelude Suite III......Bach

Is this an English Suite, French Suite? What is the BWV number? We have to contact students to get the correct information, which takes extra time.

Please share this with your members and print in your newsletters as space allows.

Wow, thanks.

Very useful, Kreisler. Thank you!

Well! Their "Correct" is not correct, is it? Sheesh!

Regards,

HAHAHAHAHA!!! I totally didn't catch that, Bruce! You sure have a keen eye.

Yeah, they sent a follow-up email with a few corrections on their corrections.