I’ve recently put finishing touches on a series of extremely short liner notes for a CD project. The word limit was downright appalling: 150 words per piece. That’s one basic-length paragraph, maybe a half-dozen sentences or so.
How does one compress a symphony, ballet, or symphonic poem into such a tiny space? Obviously there is no point in trying to explain anything in detail. About the only thing for it is to pick one aspect of the composition and focus there. Given the basic program-note style of liner notes, that one aspect is almost certainly going to be historical rather than musical, but exceptions can occur.
But the biggest hurdle is avoiding a pallid sound-byte. To that end, one must cough up a damn fine 150 words—interesting, compelling, entertaining.
Fascinating assignment, to say the least. And one hell of a composition exercise, like a double-thirds etude for writers.
More on the finished product once it’s closer to release.