Beginners: Other books for both men and women

This relatively short post will examine other books that are at a similar difficulty level as the folksong books reviewed in the previous post. The books from Heritage Music Press discussed here, would also be very appropriate for this level.

Solo Songs for Young Voices has been around for quite awhile.  Originally published by Warner Bros., it is now available through Alfred.  Because this book is only available in one key, I tend to only assign it to the medium voices and look elsewhere for songs for higher voice types.  "Song of the Sea" might be a song that you recognize.  It is also available as a choral octavo and I remember singing it in school.  (It's been around for a really long time.)  It's a great song for medium voices, and both women and men seem to like it.  The book also contains great arrangements of "Farewell, My Own True Love" and "Wild Mountain Thyme".  Students also seem to respond well to John Leavitt's setting of an Alfred Lord Tennyson poem, titled here, "Sweet and Low".

Ye Shall Have a Song (another book compiled by Jay Althouse) brings us more beautiful and relative easy to sing settings of famous texts.  Students anxious to start foreign languages can begin with these settings of "Pie Jesu" and "Kyrie".  One of my favorite poets, Christina Rossetti is also featured in "Who Has Seen the Wind" and "Winter Carol". This is another book that I would classify as "user friendly".  In fact, for my girls that don't really like classical music, it is often the second book assigned after My Heart Sings.

Sing Me a Song, compiled by Sally K. Albrecht, also features the work of famous poets. This settings are slightly more difficult however, and usually speak more to the students that are really into the arts and classical music.  "Remember Me" is an exception in that almost all the students I've tried this song with seem to like it.  If I don't find other songs in the book that fit them, I have them work from the octavo version.  All the songs are in English, but Andy Beck's "No Ruby" is inspired by Heinrich Heine, so it's a great introduction to a German poet.  There are three settings of William Blake's poetry by Sherri Porterfield, my favorite being "The Tiger".

Both Ye Shall Have a Song and Sing Me a Song are available in Medium High and Medium Low Keys.


Level 3 of the Resonance series is another great option for students at this level.  Read more about the series here.

Although the contents of the books in the Resonance series has changed a little with each edition, three of my favorite songs are in all the editions.  Those songs are "Gloria Deo", a simple yet moving Christmas Song, "Suo-Gân" a Welsh lullaby, and "Spring is Singing in the Garden".  This latest editions contains a few folk songs and works easy enough for a student new to lessons but with some background in music, and it would probably provide plenty of songs for the second year of study as well.   I especially like this book for talented singers whose ranges are not extremely high or low, and students who want a challenge with languages.