Storytelling Without Words

Like language, music conveys meaning to the listener.  Unlike language, music’s meaning is more subjective not specific, however, musical stories may still convey characters, landscape, direction, and even syntax. In music, bits of repeated melody can be used to create recognition of characters.  We call these leitmotivs. Important to telling a story in music is repetition. Repeating a melody, a rhythm can make you remember something you felt or thought previously in the music. Repetition can also bring to mind physical realities like wind, rain, running, standing still, quiet meditation etc… Dancing rhythms that make us want to move like a waltz or polka or even just a skipping rhythm is an especially important element to telling a story. When used in juxtaposition to a more steady beat, the contrast will move the story along. Poems prior to music can set expectations of mood and imagery. All these things and more combine to tell a story without words that is different for each listener. A story told through music can have as many meanings as the number of people listening!  In this concert, we invite you to create your own stories as you hear our stories without words.

Music of H. T. Burleigh, William Grant Still, Ned Rorem, Anton Dvorak and Carl Maria von Weber presented by Eric Maul, flute; Jeffrey Thurston, cello; Luke Krafka, cello; and Craig W. Combs, piano