(Vocal Collection). This series was designed to supplement traditional vocal instruction and works perfectly as preparatory literature for The First Book of Solos and The First Book of Solos Part II . Each piece is in English and has a limited vocal range as well as a piano accompaniment that is playable by a student pianist. The pieces include art songs, folksongs, humorous songs, and suitable vintage popular songs and are all appropriate for contest solos. The audio includes professionally-recorded accompaniments. Soprano Contents: Alice Blue Gown * April Showers * Butterflies (Schulz) * Cradle Song (Brahms) * Evening Prayer from Hansel and Gretel (Humperdinck) * The False Prophet (Scott) * Florian's Song (Godard) * Golden Slumbers (English folksong) * It Was a Lover and His Lass (Austin) * Ladybird (Schumann) * The Lilac Tree (Gartlin) * The Little Sandman (arr. Brahms) * My Little Heart (Weckerlin) * The Nightingale (Alabieff) * Oh! Dear, What Can the Matter Be? (16th Century) * Oh, Pretty Birds (Rigel) * The Rosebush (Himmel) * The Sweetest Flower that Blows (Hawley) * Two Marionettes (Cooke) * The Willow Song (16th Century) * The Willow Tree (arr. Reimann) * The Winter It Is Past (arr. Hopekirk).

本作は単なる楽譜集の枠を超え、未完成の歌声が「芸術」へと昇華される瑞々しい過程を綴った、声楽という名のビルドゥングスロマンです。厳選された英国歌曲やフォークソングの数々は、初心者の限られた音域を逆手に取り、装飾を削ぎ落としたからこそ到達できる純粋な叙情性を鮮烈に描き出しています。 「柳の歌」や「夕べの祈り」といった名曲に秘められた深遠な詩情は、伴奏者との密やかな対話を通じて、音楽的な魂の交歓を教えてくれます。それは言葉が旋律を纏い、内なる祈りが空間に響き渡る瞬間の記録です。技術の研鑽を超えた先にある、表現者としての産声を聴くような、原初的な喜びと感動がこの一冊には凝縮されています。