![]() K 467, is by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and the pieces are all numbered chronologically, so this would be Mozart’s 467th composition. But if your curiosity extends a little further, here is some de-coding of systems that might appear on our programs:Ī number with a “K” in front of it, e.g. All you really need to know when reading the program page is that these letters and numbers are a way of keeping track of all of the compositions of a particular composer. 13 in E-flat major).ĭuring their lifetimes, however, composers weren’t always consistent about assigning Opus numbers, so subsequent musicologists have assigned other numbering systems to some composers’ works. 14 in C-sharp minor), which is Opus 27, No. ![]() An example of this is Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” (Piano Sonata No. 95 is the composer’s 95th composition.Īnother number may be added to the Opus number if there have been companion pieces created together. “Op.” is short for “Opus”, meaning “work”, and it numbers the composer’s works in chronological order. What is this strange short-hand? Let’s start with Op. Music written in major keys is more bright and positive sounding, whereas music written in minor keys sounds more sad or melancholic. There may also be the words “Major” or “Minor” next to the alphabet letter. If there is a “flat” () or a “sharp” (#) next to the letter, that denotes a half step below or above the main note, correlated to the black keys on a piano keyboard. The letters A – G refer to the 8 primary keys in classical music, correlated to the white keys on a piano keyboard. The key in which the work is written, such as A Major or G Minor. Compositions may also include a number of other terms in their titles, such as: Examples here include the “Choral” Symphony, Symphony #9 (Ludwig van Beethoven) and the “Surprise” Symphony (Franz Josef Hayden). Another way the compositions may be shown is by their popular nicknames. Adagio is a slow tempo and allegro is a fast or moderately fast tempo. Thirdly, a composer may name a piece, or especially a segment of a piece, based on its tempo.Įxamples here include Adagio for Strings (Samuel Barber) or Allegro from The Four Seasons, “Spring” (Antonio Vivaldi). With these names, you won’t know specifically which piece is being played without knowing the composer’s name as well, as many composers may have created works with these names. Another type of naming for compositions is based on the type of piece it is, such as Symphony No. You might have the name of a piece given to it by the composer, such as The Peer Gynt Suite (Edvard Grieg) or Bolero (Maurice Ravel). There are some different types of names of compositions that might appear on the program page. Not only that, but the English may not always look familiar if it comes from earlier times before standardization of spelling was put into place. Since classical music comes from all over the world, you may often see words in other languages as part of the program. This page will list all of the compositions, the composers, and perhaps a bit of additional information about the piece. One of the most important parts of the program booklet is the program page. Of course, nowadays, you may also receive your program booklet electronically! When we say, “the program”, we will be referring to the repertoire for the concert. For clarity, here we will call the printed document you receive at the door the “program booklet”. The booklet is often called simply “the program” for short, but the “program” can also mean the repertoire, or list of works being performed at a specific concert.
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