Love in Music: A Story Sketch
When it came time to make our second musical storytelling film, I already had a piece in mind: Cesar Franck’s Violin Sonata in A Major. I played it as the finale at my senior recital. Though originally written for violin, many other instruments, including flute, perform it, as most musicians are enamored with its gorgeous long lines and moving melody.
To me, the music sounds like absolute, pure love! I felt this way even before I knew that Franck had written the sonata as a wedding gift to his violinist friend. I dreamed of performing it on stage at my recital with two dancers acting out the love story. Though I never made this daydream happen, the idea always stayed at the back of my mind. The film that we made based on this small idea was more beautiful than anything I could have imagined, all thanks to the incredible team we collaborated with.
Here’s how we came up with the story for Sketches of Love:
A soft, sweet, and simple piano melody opens the movement. The violin joins in, also a bit shy, almost as if it isn’t sure it is coming in at the right time. For us, this shyness represented itself in a young woman named Julia, sitting at a bench outside. She’s an artist and is sketching the park scene around her.
A still of Julia taken from Sketches of Love
A still of Izzy taken from Sketches of Love
All of a sudden the violin’s tone changes to a deeper, richer sound. Did something take Julia by surprise? Did her heart just squeeze in her chest? Maybe it is someone who walks by, taking a seat on the bench in front of her. Her name is Izzy, and this is what she sounds like:
A still from Sketches of Love
The change of the violin to its upper register creates a bright, glowing sound that seems to show how Izzy radiates in the sunlight. As the violin continues, its shyness is still evident, but the repetition of emphasized leading tones seems to imply a subtle shift in Julia’s mind. A daydream perhaps?
The piano begins to take over with a busier left-hand pattern, giving the piece some movement. We interpreted this as a jump in time – it’s a new day and Julia and Izzy have run into each again. But this time, something is different. A melodic, ascending figure begins to grow, creating tension and anticipation.
Musicians recording the Franck Sonata
The violin joins the piano once more, now with a tone of urgency and bravery. Julia is finally gathering the courage to tell Izzy how she feels. Though its volume increases throughout this melodic sequence, the violin quickly backs off after an ominous piano chord interrupts it, expressing Julia’s fading confidence. Does Izzy not return her feelings? What makes Julia question herself? By the end of this section, the violin pulls the tempo back and finishes the phrase with some hesitation.
The music returns to the opening theme, but it seems to communicate something new. Keep listening to decide what you think happens in the end. Does Julia gather the courage to talk to her, or will they only dance in her daydreams? Then, go watch the film to see what we heard.
A still from Sketches of Love
Quick Links:
Watch Sketches of Love for free through our YouTube Channel.
Interested in expressing your musical story? Check out some art medium ideas.
Listen for more musical stories with our curated Spotify playlist.
Read how we came up with the stories for our films Unbreakable, Find Me in the Clouds, and Mouse Trap.
Curious for more tips on how you can practice musical storytelling? Check out our blog post about it.
Are you an educator interested in bringing musical storytelling to your students? Reach out to us! We would love to work with you and create a custom program that best fits your students’ needs.
