Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

Get this book if you are taking voice lessons or aspiring to be an opera singer/star. This is the book. The arrangements in the Yellow book--"24 Italian Songs and Arias" are really bad. Don't waste your time. Just get this one. However if you need the sheet music to "Pieta, Signore" get the yellow one as well.
~Adele

This was supposed to be the music book AND the cd so we could hear the songs and learn to sing them properly in Italian. We also needed the cd for an audition. How frustrating to buy something you NEED and not receive it only to then have to scramble around and figure out a plan B...vendor needs to get his descriptions checked and corrected...as for the arias themselves - they of course are beautiful:-)

Exactly what I wanted. The packaging was great, they make sure my book came to me in perfect condition.

Great choice for college students studying voice. BUT, make sure your book comes with the CD, mine did not and I paid more than I should have being it didn't come with the CD.

This book is filled with great Italian vocal literature. It is great for beginner to advanced. Also each piece is discussed, translated, and IPA'd, although some of the IPA I disagree with but thats just a pedagogical difference. I recommend this book to high school and college singers as well as professionals looking for some nice pieces.

This book of arias is a must have for all aspiring classical music divas. The songs are technically challenging but not unattainable. I really enjoy the English synopsis. This is a good book for competitions and auditions.

This book is well made and has been used for 2 years now. The outside is thick and has done a good job preserving the pages inside.