The Role of Inspiration in the Performance of Prgramme Music: The Case of

Abstract

“Viagens na minha Terra” (Travels in my Homeland) is a piano cycle in nineteen movements by Portuguese composer Fernando Lopes-Graça (1906-1994). The work relates to Portuguese culture in many ways: the title of the work is from a novel by Almeida Garrett and each movement is based on a traditional folk song. The music also refers to traditional dances, musical instruments and religious festivities, all of which are associated with small villages or regional traditions. By tracing the composer’s original sources of inspiration, this paper examines how these extra-musical ideas can influence the way the piece is performed. It gives examples of how these ideas are incorporated into the piece and transcribed into the score. It also shows how analysing sound recordings of the traditional folk songs used in “Viagens na minha Terra” can determine the performer’s approach to the work in terms of tempo, rhythm, dynamics and sound.