Twenty Six Italian Songs and Arias : Medium High (Book & CD) [Paperback]

John Glenn Paton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1991

This authoritative, new edition of the world's most loved songs and arias draws on original manuscripts, historical first editions and recent research by prominent musicologists to meet a high standard of accuracy and authenticity. Includes fascinating background information about the arias and their composers as well as a singable rhymed translation, a readable prose translation and a literal translation of each single Italian word.

Product Details

• Paperback: 153 pages
• Publisher: Alfred Pub Co (March 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0739000136
• ISBN-13: 978-0739000137
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #31,545 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #18 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Theory, Composition & Performance > Sheet Music & Scores > Forms & Genres > Lieder & Art Songs

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for students at all levels, January 14, 1999

By 

Ray Squitieri ([e-mail]) (Washington DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 26 Italian Songs and Arias: An Authoritive Edition Based on Authentic Sources [Medium / High] (Italian Edition) (Paperback)

This book updates the 100-year old Schirmer edition of 17th and 18th century Italian Songs and Arias, used for 4 generations by most serious students of singing in all English-speaking countries. Paton's edition is into in the Schirmer edition, adds optional (and appropriate) vocal ornaments, and simplifies the accompanying harmonies. Paton's edition is also more useful to singers, as it contains three different translations of each song (word-for-word, singable, and the underlying emotional idea), and it transcribes all text into the international phonetic alphabet. The page layout is attractive. I use my copy every day.

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 5 Starts But With a Qualification, March 11, 2001

By 

Robert D. Glover Jr. "robert-g-near-nyc" (Linden, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 26 Italian Songs and Arias: An Authoritive Edition Based on Authentic Sources [Medium / High] (Italian Edition) (Paperback)

I own both this 26 song book/Cd as well as the 24 song book/CD from John Keene and Schirmer. I use the John Paton 26 song version in order to read the excellent one page introductions it provides for each song.. However my singing teacher feels that the piano accompaniments in the Paton book are pretentious, and he prefers the piano accompaniments in the Keene/Schirmer book. So, I use the CD and music from the Schirmer book but I do my research via the Paton book. The Keen/Schirmer book has a lot less melody ornamentation than the John Paton book. In my opinion, which is the opinion of a beginner, the ornamentation added to the melody in the John Paton book is excessive and is also confusing in that he never explains how to reconcile all the little notes he added, to the larger font melody notes that often seem to be at odds with the tinier notes. What is deeply, desperately need, I strongly feel, is a recording of tenors, sopranos, and baritones actually singing all 24 (or 26) of these songs! Please, if anyone knows of the existance of such as recording, post it in a user review. It would be a tremendous help. Also, note that in both the Keene/Schirmer version and the John Paton version, the piano accompaniment often does not include the melody. So, it can be "dicey" when trying to learn one of the songs to figure out the melody if the only resource available is the accompanying CD. Personally, I record the melodies into a sequencer program on my PC via a midi attached digital keyboard, but the average singer is not likely to have the technical expertise to do that. It would have been very helpful if the accompanying CD's had recorded each song twice, the second time with the melody superimposed on top of the accompaniment. My singer teacher tells me that these 24 (or 26) songs are the "bible" among singing students. Thus, a singing student really has no choice but to buy at least one of these two editions.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, June 7, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: 26 Italian Songs and Arias: An Authoritive Edition Based on Authentic Sources [Medium / High] (Italian Edition) (Paperback)

The accompanyment CD is TOO FAST! However Cecilia Bartoli's CD- If you Love Me- contains 6 or 7 of the best arias if you are intersted in hearing vocals.