Unlocking Meaning in Art Song - (National Association of Teachers of Singing Books) by Beverly Stein (Paperback)

About the Book

This book teaches singers how to analyze the musical and textual content in songs in order to discover hidden meanings and create more compelling performances. The book provides a guided analysis of twenty Schubert songs, ranging from simple to more complex, with each song highlighting a new analytical technique.

Book Synopsis

Unlocking Meaning in Art Song teaches singers how to analyze songs in order to discover deeper meanings and create more compelling interpretations and performances.
The first part of the book introduces important practical skills for analyzing the text as well as key musical elements including melody, rhythm, structure, linear motion, and harmony. The remainder of the book presents an in-depth guided analysis of twenty Schubert songs. The questions and prompts in these chapters allow students, singers, and other readers to discover for themselves the amazing ways in which music and expressive meaning are structured. Songs range from simpler analytical difficulty (such as An die Musik) to medium difficulty (such as Gretchen am Spinnrade), and finally to more complex (such as Erlkönig).
The techniques presented in this book can be applied to all types of songs, allowing singers to build critical skills and artful consciousness. This is an ideal resource for song literature courses, voice teachers, students, collaborative pianists, and theory faculty.

Review Quotes

"Unlocking Meaning in Art Song is an invaluable guide that will lead singers, collaborative pianists, and teachers to a deeper understanding of the genius and beauty that is art song. Teachers will find that Stein's text is easily adapted to young singers' first foray into the discovery of art song, and it will also challenge university students in crafting research projects of their own. From basic elements of poetry to complex harmonic analysis, Stein takes us by the hand to experience ever-deeper levels of craftsmanship and artistry in art song." --Robin Fisher, professor of music, California State University, Sacramento; co-author of American Art Song & American Poetry

"I'm thrilled to discover Beverly Stein's book. I'.ve had teachers discuss things like this my entire career, and I've talked them over with my students for decades. But, for the first time, there is a 'how to' book with step-by-step instructions for thinking about harmony, alliteration, texture, and a hundred other things in crafting a compelling performance. The author uses familiar components of familiar songs to make her points with great success" --Brian Horne, associate professor of music and chair of the voice department, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music

About the Author

Beverly Stein is a professor of music history and analysis at California State University, Los Angeles. Stein has presented at the NATS Cal-Western Regional meetings and taught California State University Summer Arts program's "The Romantic Lied in Germany." She has been recognized for her engaging teaching style with an award by the General Education Honors Program.