Can someone explain to me what a 'Cadenza' is please?

Question

I've always been wondering. I was watching a performance and someone said, "Well he could have played the cadenza better" I don't know what she's talking about, can someone explain please?

Answer 1

A cadenza usually appears in the first and third movements of concertos, designed to show off the soloist's abilities. Very often, certainly in the classical and early romantic periods, they were not provided by the composer but were left to be improvised by the soloist. Also, other composers wote and left cadenzas for their forebears' works.As a matter of interest a pianist, Michael Rische, has recently recorded* Mozart's D minor piano concerto (No 20, K 466) with no less than 10 cadenzas (as Mozart did no supply any) by composers including Beethoven, Brahms, Busoni, Hummel, FX Mozart, himself and Clara Schumann. He is apparently to record Beethoven's 3rd piano concerto with 6 different cadenzas.



Incidentally, a musical friend of mine used to call those in Mozart piano concertos 'excresences'



(*CD Hannsler Profil PH09006)

Answer 2

A Cadence is movement of one chord to another, and a cadenza is an elongated cadence. During a cadenza a soloist plays an often elaborate passage without the accompaniment of the orchestra. It is played freely and expressively.

Answer 3

a cadenza is usually in a solo piece and it is a part where everyone stops and the soloist may ad lib to express their feelings at that time. there is usually also a part written out in the music as a guide

Answer 4

In music, a cadenza (from Italian: cadenza, meaning cadence) is, generically, an improvised or written-out ornamental passage played or sung by a soloist or soloists, usually in a "free" rhythmic style, and often allowing for virtuosic display.

hope i helped! :)

Answer 5

The thing you play where you break your fingers and get paid big bucks... The money shot...



Yep... Usually in a concerto, the orchestra stops playing and the solo has a big grand solo that's usually a big showpiece...



They are sometimes improvised or composed by the performer or soloist, but other times they are composed by the composer...



--Schumiszt