As we move into this category, we also see more books for specific voice types. I will be covering a set of books at a time, adding a few notes for each book. We'll begin with the G. Schirmer/Hal Leonard publications by Joan Frey Boytim. Boytim's first books came out when I was a very young teacher, so in a way, I've kind of grown up as a teacher with these books. And my library has grown too, including most, but not all of the volumes edited by Boytim. Much of the repertoire is wonderful, but there are a few songs that could have stayed buried in the depths of the files in the "out of print" storage area. But, I do realize that different people like different music, so some of the songs I'll point out here that I love, may be the ones that you don't like.
If I had to choose one and only one book for a student, it would probably be the book from The First Book Complete series that matches their voice type. There are some of the individual volumes I like more than others. In the complete edition, I get the volume that has the most songs that I like and I also get those few wonderful gems from the volumes that haven't worked as well for me in the past. The complete volume includes numerous folksongs and spiritual arrangements, a few Christmas songs, plus art song, operetta, and oratorio repertoire in English, German, French, Spanish, and Italian. There is also at least one song in Russian. The price listed by Hal Leonard is $34.99 per book, but I've found them on Amazon.com for around $26. Plus, they usually qualify for free shipping. If students can afford this, I can't see any reason not to invest in this book. I've already sent a had a few students purchase it, and I think I will be assigning it to many more in the fall.
Each volume of The First Book Complete includes much of the standard vocal repertoire, but also a few things that are lesser known, but wonderful teaching pieces. In Part I of the soprano volume, we find "I Love All Graceful Things" which works on legato line in a high tessitura (which in my studio means sitting above a C for a measure or more.) My actresses love "A Little China Figure" and "The Green Dog".
In Part II, we find a lovely setting of "Ave Maria" by Franz Abt and Schubert's "La Pastorella" which I had never heard before this book.
Domenico Bruni's "Se Meritar Potessi" in Part III has worked well for many of my women that wanted an Italian song that not everyone else was singing (meaning not the 24, 26, 28). The setting of "Star vicino" is also a little different from what we sing the 26 Italian. I also love "Love Among the Daffodils". Part III includes more songs that I wasn't already familiar with than either of the other volumes.
The Boytim book that I've used the most in the past is The First Book of Mezzo-Soprano Solos Part I. The songs included in this book are wonderful, plus there is the added advantage of the fact that I have most of the songs in other keys in other books, so if we decide we like a higher key later, I can just play from my other book. "Loveliest of Trees", "Silent Noon", "The Sky Above the Roof", "Wind of the Western Sea", and "American Lullaby" are among the most frequently used songs in this book. "The Cherry Tree", "Evensong", and "The Statue at Czarskoe-Selo" are lesser known songs that my students have enjoyed.
The First Book of Mezzo-Soprano/Alto Solos Part II is the book that I have been assigning to those students who want to call themselves altos, but really are sopranos. The songs are generally in a comfortable range, but there are more opportunities to challenge them with Es and Fs. "Carmena" even gives them an optional G in addition to being a fun, up-tempo piece. "Wind of the Wheat", "Separazione", and "The Sleep that Flits on Baby's Eyes" are great songs for the student that wants something that is different from what their peers are singing.
"Dolce scherza" in Part III is a wonderful choice for a first Italian song. The melody is simple and there aren't a lot of words to learn. "If There Were Dreams to Sell"and "Spiagge amate" are other favorites from this book.
High school tenors can be the hardest students to find music for, and for that reason I'm very excited about the complete book for these voices. In each individual book, there are a few songs that work for tenors who haven't found the top yet, but as a complete volume, I have many more to choose from.
Part I of the tenor books includes "The Daisies" and "I Attempt from Love's Sickness to Fly" which sit in a good range for many young tenors. Those who have found more fullness and comfort in their high notes, and a little sensitivity, enjoy songs like "Go, Lovely Rose" and one of my favorites, "By Mendip Side."
"O del mio amato ben", "Linden Lea", and "Where'er You Walk" are students' favorites in Part II. I love "My Lovely Celia" and "Sonntag", but with Ds on the bottom and high Gs on top, the range is too extreme for many of my young men.
The First Book of Tenor Solos Part III is my favorite volume of the 3 tenor books. "Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal", "Der Leiermann" and "Auf Flügeln des Gesanges" are three of my favorite songs for working on creating a beautiful legato line. "When I Think Upon the Maidens" is a wonderful song for helping men to become more expressive and energized.
The First Book of Baritone Solos Part I has many songs that I like to teach. Quilter's "O Mistress Mine" is a great song for Solo and Ensemble Contest or All-State auditions. "Hör'ich das Liedchen Klingen", and "Jaglied" make excellent choices for a first song in German. Dougherty's "Shenandoah" with all the changing meters is another of my favorites.
The First Book of Baritone Solos Part II includes the ever-popular "Give a Man a Horse He Can Ride" and "Rolling Down to Rio". "Bright is the Ring of Words" and "The Roadside Fire" from Songs of Travel are also in this book.
Once again, it was the Part III book that introduced me to many songs that I had not seen before. I have a true bass that is loving "When Big Profundo Sang Low C" because he actually gets to sing the low notes that he loves and that are quite comfortable for him. I've never had a student do this song and actually take the low Cs before. "Invictus", "Five Eyes", and "River-Boats" are other student favorites.
Lovers, Lasses & Spring (for sopranos), Roses, Laughter & Lullabies (for mezzo-sopranos), and Young Ladies, Shipmates & Journeys (baritone and tenor books are the same songs, just in different keys) are a set of books compiled by Boytim as supplemental material for students already using the First Book Series. All of the songs in these collections are in English.
In her preface to Lovers, Lasses & Spring, Boytim says that this book is "a selection of beginning coloratura songs, to be used to teach vocal agility." I do see the need for every voice type to become as flexible as possible, but there are some voices that are just naturally more suited for this kind of music. While some songs may work for all sopranos, most of the songs in this book do lean towards higher and lighter voices, and those are the singers that I have purchase this book. "When Love is Kind" and "The Kerry Dance" are songs that I can assign to most sopranos. I like "Cherry Ripe for students that are comfortable sitting in a higher tessitura. Although the low note is an Eb, this mostly sits in the Bb to Eb range with jumps up to F and G. "It Was a Lover and His Lass" sits in a similar place. Neither would have worked for me as a young singer, but I've had several students that found them quite comfortable.
Roses, Laughter & Lullabies has more my kind of repertoire, although the keys are wrong for me. There are melismatic pieces in this book so mezzos can work flexibility too, but most do not seem as difficult for the non-coloraturas among us as what you see in the soprano book. I'm happy that "I Have Twelve Oxen" by John Ireland is in this book, since previously I have only been able to teach it from more expensive collections or in other keys. Schubert's Cradle Song is included here, but only with English words.
Of the 21 songs in Young Ladies, Shipmates & Journeys, I only like 8 of the songs, so I haven't had students buy this. Since I'm always looking for new repertoire, especially for men, I was a little disappointed in this. In the fall, it will become part of the Lending Library and maybe it will see more use there.
The Second Book series (Part I and Part II for each voice type) is often too difficult for high school students. Certain songs work well, but I rarely ask students to buy these. If I do ask a student to purchase a book from this series, it is always after they have performed extensively from other collections. Of the Second Book series, the volumes I use most often are The Second Book of Soprano Solos (for "Oh! Had I Jubal's Lyre", "Un moto di gioja", and "Vergebliches Ständchen") and The Second Book of Baritone/Bass Solos (for "The Vagabond" and "Si, tra i ceppi").
Joan Frey Boytim has also compiled these other books that I did not cover in this series. I own some of them.
The Private Voice Studio Handbook
- Not a book for students to purchase, but a very helpful resource for teachers. I use her solfege exercises included at the end of the book as part of my sight-reading program.
First Book of Broadway Solos will be covered in the musical theatre post.
Christmas Solos for All Ages will be covered in the Christmas post in the fall.
Also, you should know about these resources at Hal Leonard. It's a great way to find which book a particular song is in or to quickly compare books.
The next post will cover a few of the other book choices for this difficulty level.
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