Brief Glossary For A Classical Music Concert
Whether you’re an avid seeker of musical experiences from the classical world and want to attend every concert in town, or you find yourself listening to your favorite works on your way to work because they give you “main character vibes” as our younger readers would say, you’ve certainly encountered a few musical terms during your career as a budding music lover that have made you feel “main character vibes”.
Some of them you may be familiar with, others you’re learning now. Either way, the next time you attend a live classical music event, you’ll walk the road to your seat with a different kind of confidence and assurance.
Symphony
Think of a symphony as a multi-part musical story ‘spoken’ by an orchestra. It usually consists of four movements, each with its own character and tempo: the first movement can be lively and fast (allegro), the second slower and more lyrical (adagio), the third can be more dance-like (often a minuet or scherzo), and the final movement usually concludes the story with vigor and energy. When you hear the word ‘symphony’, you expect a full and dynamic musical journey.
Concert/concerto
A concerto is a conversation between a soloist and an orchestra, where the soloist is literally and figuratively center stage. It is structured in three movements: fast, slow and fast again. The soloist can be a violinist, pianist or other instrumentalist who enters into a dialog with the orchestra to emphasize both their technical skills and expressive depth.
Overture
Overture serves as the opening moment for an opera, ballet performance or concert. It’s an orchestral piece that sets the mood, introducing themes that you can hear along the way, preparing the audience for what’s to come. Char and out of their original context, overtures are often performed as stand-alone pieces because of their captivating and accessible character.
Moving
As you’ve seen, larger works such as symphonies or concertos are divided into sections called movements. Each movement has its own tempo, character and sets its own mood, making the whole work seem like a collection of related but distinct musical ideas. When the performance pauses between movements, it is a moment of reflection before moving on to the next part of the story.
Rubato
Rubato allows musicians to alter the tempo for expressive purposes, giving the performance a more personal, emotional touch. Instead of keeping a strict tempo, it encourages the musician to play with the rhythm to bring out the depth of a passage, to add their own interpretive stamp, bringing the composition to life.
Cadence
In a concert, a cadenza is a moment when the soloist takes center stage for an extended, often improvised solo. The orchestra usually pauses to give the soloist the full attention of the audience in an attempt to show off their talent and creativity. A cadenza is considered a highlight of a concert because it gives the audience the opportunity to experience the artist’s connection to the music on a personal level.
Encore/BIS
After a well-received performance, performers can show their gratitude with an encore, which is an additional work performed after the official program has concluded.
How many of these terms did you encounter at your last concert? Now, whether the next one is your first or your fiftieth, you’ll have a foundation of knowledge that will help you better connect to the musical world around you.
Photo: Dana Moica, Romanian Chamber Orchestra 2024 Tour, Concertgebouw.
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Akordaj is a platform created in the framework of the Spotlight on Music project, through the Erasmus+ program, funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed, however, are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the European Union or the ANPCDEFP. Neither the European Union nor the ANPCDEFP can be held responsible for them.
