This outstanding series is an encouragement to beginning singers in preparing a vocal solo. Songs have been carefully chosen for each voice type after consulting many official state contest repertoire lists. All the songs, for instance, are on the Texas list. The series will be useful to any novice singer, not just limited to those preparing an actual contest solo. Each volume contains 10 songs: 5 art songs in English, an African-American spiritual, 2 songs in Italian, a song in German and a song in Spanish. There are new editions and engravings of all songs. Biographical information is included on each composer. Interpretive suggestions are given for each song, and the preface on “Learning a Song” is especially instructive. Each companion CD includes beautiful performances of all the songs by a professional singer, and excellent accompaniments by pianist Laura Ward. Also on the CD are pronunciation guides in Italian, German and Spanish.

Soprano Book Contents:

Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel • Do Not Go, My Love • El tra la la y el punteado • I Attempt from Love's Sickness to Fly • It Was a Lover and His Lass • Lachen und Weinen • Nel cor più non mi sento • Se tu m'ami • Solveig's Song • 'Tis the Last Rose of Summer.

MEZZO-SOPRANO Book contents:

* An Die Musik (Schubert) * He Shall Feed His Flock * My Lord, What a Morning (Johnson) * Now Is The Month Of Maying * Nymphs and Shepherds (Purcell) * Ombra Mai Fu * Porque Toco El Pandero * Silent Noon (Vaughan Williams) * The Blue-Bell (MacDowell) * Vergin, Tutto Amor

TENOR book contents:

* Adela * An Die Geliebte (To the Beloved) (Beethoven) * Caro mio ben * Come Again, Sweet Love (Dowland) * Down By The Sally Gardens * Have You Seen But A White Lily Grow? * Sebben, Crudele * Steal Away (Steal Away To Jesus) * Weep You No More (Quilter) * Where E'er You Walk (Handel)

BARITONE/BASS book contents:

* Adela * All Through The Night * Alma Del Core * Beautiful Dreamer * Du Bist Wie Eine Blume (Thou'rt like unto a Flower) (Rubinstein) * Give A Man A Horse He Can Ride (O'Hara) * O Cessate Di Piagarmi * Swing Low, Sweet Chariot * The Sea * The Slighted Swain (Wilson)