17. Verbs used with concert/recital

Go is the most common in the sense of attend, and is the best translation not only of ходить (на концерт) but often also of быть (на концерте) and слушать (концерт).

e.g. I often go to concerts. (Note the use of the plural here.)

I went to a very good concert last night.

Listen is not used here. Nor should it be used in translating such sentences as:

a. Сегодня мы будем/пойдем слушать Рихтера/Брамса. – Today we’re going to hear Richter (play) / a Brahms concert.

b. Что Вы слушали? – What sort of concert was it? or:

What did he/she/they play/sing?

What was/were … playing/singing?

(if the speaker knows who was playing/singing)

c. Кого Вы слушали? – Who was playing/singing?

(This, however, has the disadvantage that the speaker must know whether it was vocal or instrumental music.)

Listen may be used with reference to broadcast concerts.

e.g. I listened to a concert on the radio.

Attend (a concert) is sometimes used in formal situations. Visit (a concert) is not used. Give is the verb generally used with reference to the performer(s).

e.g. The London Philharmonic gave four concerts in St.Petersburg.

Arrange and put on are used with reference to the organization, for example of the management (дирекция) of a concert hall.

e.g. They’re arranging/putting on a series of concerts in memory of

Shostakovich this season.

Concert Programmes and repertoires

18. Work, item, number, piece

A concert programme consists of works or items. An item may be a complete work or an excerpt. In practice, however, item is used of short works such as songs, short instrumental pieces or excerpts.

e.g. (Announcement at a concert) The first item on the programme is “The Road to the Isles”, sung by … , accompanied on the piano by … .

At concerts of classical music where a small number of complete works are performed, work is preferable.

e.g. The programme consists of works by Bach, Vivaldi and Handel.

The first work (on/in the programme) is Handel’s “Water Music”.

Number is used of an item in a variety show, a jazz or pop concert. It suggests something light.

Piece may be used to denote a short and usually not very serious musical work, or sometimes an excerpt.

e.g. (Announcement at an amateur concert) … will (now) play two pieces by … : “In the Forest” and “Spanish Dance”.

A piece of music is also used.

19. Repertoire, repertory

These words are used of music in a similar way to that in which they are used with reference to the theatre, meaning the works, pieces, numbers which a musician or orchestra can perform. Repertoire is the usual form.

e.g. (Speaking of a singer, pianist, etc.) He has a large and varied repertoire. Or:

His repertoire is limited.

(Of an orchestra) They need to build up a repertoire.

This work has established itself firmly in the concert repertoire.

The orchestra has added Mahler’s 7^th symphony to its repertoire.