More Octavos

I went to the music store today to pick up my new music.  Unfortunately, someone had pulled the old editions of 3 books I wanted rather than ordering the newest edition.  Yes, it does matter, especially since I already own the old ones and I wanted the new ones because they have changed the contents somewhat.  Anyway, I didn't get the music that I was excited to review this weekend.  But, I did get copies of 9 octavos that I have not used in this format before.  So that's what today's post will be about.

In July, I wrote this post about using octavos and other options that are cheaper than buying complete books.  I especially like these options for students new to my studio.  By assigning the first two songs from my library of octavos, it gives me a chance to get to know a student's voice better before having them make a big financial commitment in the form of a book.

Most of the songs I'll be writing about today are also found in the books that I recommended for beginners.  Many of the songs in books by BriLee Music are actually solo settings of choral songs.  Heritage Music Press and Alfred also have considerable crossover between their solo and choral works.  I generally only purchase the octavos designated unison.  I do have some that are 2 part and I just walk the student through how to follow the melody.

All of the linked song titles will take you to more information about the songs and choral recordings.

When I purchased Tales of the Land and Sea, I fell in love with the very first song I played through, "Never Far From Home", and I knew that it would be one that would appeal to many students.  But it was in a book with "Solo Songs for the Male Changing Voice" plastered across the cover.  I couldn't really send my girls to buy this book.  Now I don't have to.  The octavo is in D and in the book, the songs is in A flat, so I now also have key options.  Most of my students are fine with looking at one key   but singing in another if I make a recording for them to practice with.

These are the other octavos I purchased and the books that the songs also come in.

• "O Captain" by Mark Patterson.  TB.  Also in Tales of the Land and Sea in the same key.  
• "I'm Bound Away" by Mark Patterson.  TB.  The octavo is in F, and in Heroes and Vagabonds you find the solo version in Eb.  
• "My Lord, What a Morning" by Ruth Elaine Schram.  Unison.  In Traveling On in the same key.  
• "How Can I Keep from Singing" by Laura Farnell.  Unison/Two-Part.  In Let Nature Sing in the same key.  
• "Night Winds" by Laura Farnell.  SA. This song is in the key of G in the octavo, and the key of F in Let Nature Sing.
• "The Arrow and the Song" by Mary Lynn Lightfoot.  Unison.  Both the octavo and the Medium Low book of And This Shall be for Music have this in the key of Eb.  The Medium High book is in the key of G.  

I haven't had anyone sing "Velvet Shoes" by Randall Thompson in a long time because I only had it in one ancient book that I got at a used book store.  I just bought the SA octavos from ECS Publishing (No. 2526). The music says that it is also available as a solo, but the SA version only really breaks into parts for the last phrase, so it is easy for a solo singer to work from, and I still have the option of using the music for ensembles.  (The recording of this is the SSATTBB.  I haven't heard it before, but I think I love it.)

My only totally new to me purchase was "O Rushing Wind" by Mark Patterson.  I'll let you know if students like it.

Part of me wants a few more weeks of summer, but all these new music options are getting me excited for school to start so I can try them out.