Subject Guides: Music: Programme Notes

Programme Notes

A normal part of a concert programme for contemporary or classical music performances, they give

historical and background details on each piece and, if necessary, the composer
a sense of what to expect and possibly what to listen for.

They may include information about, and quotations or commentary from, the composer, conductor or performers and contextual details of the musical era of the piece. For contemporary pieces, it is common to include notes provided by the composer.

Similar notes in commercial recordings are called disc notes, sleeve notes or liner notes.

Writing Guides for Programme Notes

Ebooks on writing about music

Bellman, J. D. (2006). A short guide to writing about music (2nd ed.)
Call Number: ML 3797 .B433 2007
Holoman, D. K. (2008). Writing about music: A style sheet (2nd ed.)
Call Number: ML 3797 .W75 2008
Pages 81–84 cover programme notes

Scaife, N. (2001). Writing programme notes: A guide for diploma candidates. The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.

Wingell, R. (2009). Writing about music: An introductory guide (4th ed.)
Call Number: ML 3797 .W54 2009
Pages 105–111 cover programme notes

UC Library Music Resources

Grove Music Online This link opens in a new window
Start here for useful background information on musical styles, time periods and composers.

Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
Other reference works may also help with music terms, composers; some focus on a specific music genre.

Naxos Music Library This link opens in a new window
Many recordings include full-text disc notes, the booklet included with a CD, which provide information on composers, musicians, genres, musical styles, etc.

Liner notes in CDs

Search for CDs in UC Library

Electronic books

Find ebooks about composers, music periods or the repertoire for your instrument. For example, enter in the search box a search such as
Prokofiev AND guide

Print books

See the Books and ebooks page to locate books on the library shelves.

Electronic journal articles

Search for scholarly online full-text journal articles about composers and compositions, etc. For example, enter in the search box a search such as
Lilburn AND percussion

Web Resources – New Zealand

NZ Composer (Radio New Zealand)
Although not actual programme notes, these are good examples of how composers summarise a work in a few sentences and are well written.
SOUNZ Library catalogue
Search or browse by composer or work. Composer entries have biographical details. Many of the individual works have notes written by the composer.

Web Resources – Other Countries

Berliner Philharmoniker Digital Concert Hall
Many of the performance videos have freely available programme notes. Use browse or “search videos” to locate specific pieces.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra – Program Books
“Program Notes engagingly describe the works being performed and the histories and personalities behind the music. Program Books include the notes as well as articles about the music and about Riccardo Muti, the CSO’s pre-eminent music director, the CSO’s world-renowned musicians and esteemed guest artists and ensembles.”
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
An excellent website with a large outreach section. The Performance Magazine includes programme notes.
London Symphony Orchestra – Programme Notes
New York Philharmonic – Program Notes
San Francisco Symphony – Program Notes

See the article below for tips on finding more programme notes on the web

Jackson, P. T. (2014). E-resource round up: Research and retrieval of information residing within program and liner notes. Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship, 26(4), 282–289. https://doi.org/10.1080/1941126X.2014.971677

APA 7th Referencing of Programme Notes

If the notes are within a webpage on a website, reference as that type of reference. If it is important to do so, indicate in your assignment text that the details come from the programme notes. For example

Gardner, J. (2008). Blessed unrest: For piano trio. SOUNZ. https://www.sounz.org.nz/works/15101

If the programme notes are on a separate webpage or booklet, include a [Description] after the title if ‘programme note’ or similar wording does not occur in the title. For example

Huscher, P. (2020). Pietro Mascagni, Cavalleria rusticana, Melodrama in one act [Programme notes]. In Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Riccardo Muti, Symphony Center presents, February–April 2020 (pp. 30–36). Chicago Symphony Orchestra. https://issuu.com/chicagosymphony/docs/programbook_muti_cavalleria_rusticana

Keller, J. M. (n.d.). Notes on the program: Concerto for orchestra no. 1, Naughty limericks, Rodion Shchedrin. New York Philharmonic. https://nyphil.org/~/media/pdfs/program-notes/1920/Rodion-Shchedrin-Concerto-No-1-Naughty-Limericks.pdf

Library Subject Guides

Music: Programme Notes