Customer Reviews

The Singer's Musical Theatre Anthology - Duets Book Only (Singer's Musical Theatre Anthology (Songbooks))

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I don't if anyone else has noticed this, but there is only one review on this entire page that refers to the Duets book shown. Even the "look inside" images are for the Soprano, Vol 1 book of The Singers Musical Theatre Anthology. The reviews are even for different volumes of the Soprano book. People interested in "Duets" or any volume of this excellent series should be aware that each book contains completely different songs from another. The "Duets" volumes do not contain duet versions of the songs in the Soprano books, nor do the different voice categories (like tenor, bass, etc.) contain the same songs in a different key. What can even add to the confusion is that this series in available in different formats. You can buy the paperback sheet music books alone, the book with piano accompaniment cds as a set, and the accompaniment cds by themselves. The accompaniment cds are for piano accompaniment only and are not karaoke tracks that have on-screen graphics. Many song accompaniments do not even contain the melody line, so you must be very familiar with what is actually on the written musical arrangement. In order to post this message, I had to give the book a rating. Disregard it since I don't actually have this book.

I felt the need to clarify this confusion since one of the biggest complaints I see regarding these books is that people order the wrong item than they intended. These books are published by Hal Leonard which also has a website that will list the songs in each volume. Amazon will give you the best price and great service, but you do need to read very, very carefully to make sure you order the correct item or items.

I don't own any of the "Duet" books, so I did not give them a specific rating. I do own five volumes of the Soprano series, as well as five volumes of the Mezzo-Soprano/Belter editions. I also own the cds. I use the series all the time for my own enjoyment, and I find them extremely useful for auditions and occasional open mic performances. I take voice lessons on and off, and find these theatre songs fun and useful additions to the usual classical repertoire I also study and sing.

This is Volume 5 from the Musical Theatre Anthology collection of Broadway duets. It only contains 21 songs, which isn't a lot for a book of this kind. (This is one of the reasons I gave it 3 stars.) Some of the songs are somewhat overdone, but good songs nontheless. Songs are: Bess, You Is My Woman (Porgy and Bess) I Have Dreamed (The King and I) I Loves You Porgy (Porgy and Bess) It Never Was You (Knickerbocker Holiday) Make Believe (Show Boat) A Man and a Woman (110 in the Shade) My Heart Is So Full of You (The Most Happy Fella) People Will Say We're in Love (Oklahoma!) Salzburg (Bells Are Ringing) Strange Music (Kismet) The Touch of Your Hand (The Cat and the Fiddle) Too Many Mornings (Follies) We Kiss in a Shadow (The King and I) We'll Go Away Together (Street Scene) What You Want Wid Bess (Porgy and Bess) When the Children Are Asleep (Carousel) Will You Remember Me (Knickerbocker Holiday) With So Little to Be Sure Of (Anyone Can Whistle) Wunderbar (Kiss Me, Kate) You Are Love (Show Boat) and You're Nearer (Babes in Arms). All of the songs are male/ female.