Music Video Lesson: How Do You Compose A Cadenza?

Welcome to LivingPianos.com, I'm your host Robert Estrin with a question from a viewer. Evan asks, "How do you compose a Cadenza?" Cadenzas in Concertos, solo pieces with orchestra typically often times have a section where the orchestra kind of dramatically stops, and suddenly the soloist plays her Cadenza. Now in many Concertos, the Cadenzas are written out. Now Cadenzas are not just in Concertos, they're also in solo pieces sometimes, for example, in Liszt's 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody, there's a part near the end that says Ad libitum Cadenza.

And indeed, many pianists play Cadenzas. In Concertos the composers often write Cadenzas, but just as often there aren't any Cadenzas written by the composers. And sometimes there are Cadenzas that people typically play, for example Beethoven wrote some Cadenzas, to Mozart Concertos, and Hummel wrote Cadenzas as well. So there're choices of Cadenzas that are written, but suppose you want to compose your own, How do you compose your own? How do you go about that? Well it depends upon the nature of the Cadenza.

For example, Evan did ask specifically did ask about the Liszt 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody, you know the famous one. And I haven't played that piece in years so I played a Cadenza. I would actually make up Cadenzas believe it or not. I didn't write one, I would improvise them. I don't necessarily recommend that, but I like to improvise, so I would like to challenge myself and do that. Here's the key with a piece like that, what you really want to do is find techniques that you can do that are impressive sounding. Not necessarily something that is hard, but something that sounds hard because a Cadenza is supposed to be showing off your unique skills. However, I will say this, I've heard Cadenzas in Concertos that were so far away from the composer of the Concerto that it seemed ridiculous. Like for example, you listen to a Mozart Concerto and suddenly you have a Cadenza that's in the style, a 20th century style, it's like where the heck am I now?

So I think having some stylistic integrity is important with Cadenzas, at the same time though, showcase what you can do. You don't have to do the hardest thing in the world. You can do something that sounds hard, that lays into your hands. How would you compose such a thing? Start improvising, just make something up that is based upon the themes and play around a lot. Over time you'll find certain riffs that you like. Start building upon those, before you know it, you'll have a framework and you can flesh out a Cadenza for something like that Liszt. For a full fledged Concerto Cadenza, it's a bit more of a task, because if you're writing a Cadenza to a Haydn or a Mozart Concerto, you probably want to do something that sounds like the composer. No easy task, even Beethoven couldn't do it.

So try to have some stylistic integrity so it doesn't take you two centuries later, at the same time, do something that falls in your hands and stylistically that you like. And that is always a good key for not just composing of Cadenzas, but for all composing. Use what comes naturally to you and I think you'll be richly rewarded. I hope this is helpful for you Evan, and anybody else you have questions, keep them coming in. I've got over a thousand videos out there at LivingPianos.com. You can search them with keywords because otherwise, how would you ever find it? We've got everything covered for you here at LivingPianos, Your Online Piano Store. Love to have you subscribe and join everybody else having a good time here with piano. See you next time.

Find the original source of this video at this link: https://livingpianos.com/how-do-you-compose-a-cadenza/

Automatic video-to-text transcription by DaDaScribe.com

Thank you for your comment, question or request!

Comment/Question deleted successfully.

Post a comment, question or special request:

Comments or questions must be between 3 and 10,000 characters long.

You may: Login  or  

Otherwise, fill out the form below to post your comment:

Add your name below:


Add your email below: (to receive replies, will not be displayed or shared)


For verification purposes, please enter the word MUSIC in the field below

---