WE SANG BETTER consists of two volumes of very clear advice about singing from great singers of the past. Volume 2 (ISBN 978-84-940477-9-4) is entitled Why it was better and contains further evidence and reasoning from singers 1800 to 1960. This volume is 260 pages long, and contains 20 illustrations. One very important thing right from the start, said Puccini s star soprano Maria Jeritza, - not to scream and not to force. As Volume 1 made clear, the best singers of this period approached their art and their training gently. They built slowly upon the individual voice granted by nature. Volume 2 gives further proof that many of these singers knew exactly what they were doing and why. They were highly aware that singing can go wrong. But they said if you wanted superlative singing you had to keep approaching it their way. You would never master supreme singing: if you put your trust in scientific discoveries or fixes; if you rushed your training or forced; or if you tried to copy some academic style . The original Italian model for singers was uncomplicated: the aim was to be natural, spontaneous and simple. And, as Puccini added, We Italians love beauty of sound. This volume takes evidence from the singers on dozens of topics such as: pressure, exercises, forward, dans le masque, covering, from the chest, voix sombr e, portamento, attack, vowel modifications, support, golden ages, keeping up with instrumentalists, listening to others, performances of early music, etc - and also on the question of whether singing is a science, an art, or even something more - something spiritual. James Anderson is a musician who has worked for the Arts Council of Great Britain and has run major European Festivals. Regretting the scarcity of supreme singing today, he has spent the last 30 years researching and collating this advice. He now helps young singers through the Singers Legacy website. For your information, the first volume (ISBN 978-84-940477-8-7) is entitled How we sang and contains 250 tips on how to sing from singers 1800 to 1960; the first volume is 490 pages long, and contains 130 illustrations.

Exercises for the left hand and bow. Trills, Scales, Arpeggios, Double stopping etc. * 1st Part: Exercises in the neck positions * 2nd Part: Exercises in the whole compass of the cello * 3rd Part: Exercises in the thumb positions * 4th Part: Double stopping * 5th Part: Bowing Exercises * Examples from each of the five parts should be studied daily. The exercises should be practised slowly at first gradually increasing the speed. Care should be taken that they are played very evenly.

Using an approach to music informed by T. W. Adorno, this book examines the real-world, political significance of seemingly abstracted things like musical and literary forms. Re-assessing music in James Joyce, Ezra Pound and Sylvia Townsend Warner, this book re-shapes temporal, aesthetic and political understandings of modernism, by arguing that music plays a crucial role in ongoing attempts to investigate language, rational thought and ideology using aesthetic forms.

for SATB and organ or brass quartet and timpani Eleanor Daley sets this Wesley text in an antiphonal style between the SATB choir and organ (or brass quartet, parts available separately). The sound is majestic and declamatory, just as one would expect from an Easter fanfare, with a hint of modal harmony, resulting in a strong and accessible Eastertide anthem.

for SSAATTBarB unaccompanied Descendi in hortum meum is an original setting of the Song of Solomon, unique in that it is arranged for seven voices while still capturing the lush and beautiful essence of a garden in bloom and longing for the return of the beloved Shulamite. This general text of love and yearning is suitable throughout the church year, but also serves well as a concert piece for a community choir.

for SATB and organ or orchestra A stirring hymn, important to the Mormon religion but suitable for all denominations, conveys a spirit of faith and praise despite difficult times. This text is originally written by William Clayton, but has alternate lyrics in spots for maximal ecumenism. The piece is accessible to most church choirs and includes Wilberg's signature sound and a climactic ending. Orchestral material is available on hire.

for SATB and piano four-hands or orchestra A wonderful processional, Wilberg's Bring a torch, Jeannette, Isabella! is a joyful carol. A catchy, brightly articulated countermelody distinguishes this from other settings. The women sing alone, then the men, and all join together for a triumphant finish. Orchestral material is available on rental.

for SATB and organ or chamber orchestra This delightful setting of the French carol is perfectly suited to open a service or concert with its spirited choral parts, energetic articulations, and quick glissandi in the organ. A new English translation is written by David Warner. Orchestral material is available on rental.

First published in 1998, this broad survey includes a large number of musical illustrations and provides an indispensable guide for both students and teachers. Hexachords and solmization syllables formed the foundations of musical language during the sixteenth century. Yet, owing to changes over time in music education and style, there no longer exists widespread general knowledge of hexachords. Without this awareness it is impossible to appreciate fully the music of the most important composers of the Renaissance such as Palestrina, Lasso and Monteverdi. This book is the first attempt to fill such a gap in our understanding of hexachords and how they were employed in late-Renaissance music. Lionel Pike's research covers the period from Willaert to Dowland (c. 1530-1600) and examines the ways in which the uses of hexachords developed in the hands of different composers. The book concludes with an investigation of English examples of hexachords in vocal and instrumental music.

In a music business amply buffered against surprise, Danny Gatton swam stubbornly, from country, to gospel, rockabilly, soul, and standards. "Redneck Jazz" became Gatton's calling card for playing whatever and whenever he wanted. Hailed as the best unknown guitar player by both Rolling Stone and Guitar player magazines, he was a players' player who never received the popular acclaim he deserved. The struggle to reach a wider audience while staying true to his own muse proved to much for him to bear, and in 1994 he took his own life. Gatton's legend has only grown since his untimely death, along with appreciation for his blinding speed, effortless genre-hopping, flawless technique, and never-ending appetitie for tinkering and problem-solving. Unfinished Business places Gatton's musical contributions into context, as well as his influence on those peers who admired him most, including Albert Lee, Vince Gill, Arlen Roth, and Lou Reed.

Few genres of the last 250 years have proved so crucial to the course of music history, or so vital to public musical experience, as the symphony. This Companion offers an accessible guide to the historical, analytical and interpretative issues surrounding this major genre of Western music, discussing an extensive variety of works from the eighteenth century to the present day. The book complements a detailed review of the symphony's history with focused analytical essays from leading scholars on the symphonic music of both mainstream composers, including Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven and lesser-known figures, including Carter, Berio and Maxwell Davies. With chapters on a comprehensive range of topics, from the symphony's origins to the politics of its reception in the twentieth century, this is an invaluable resource for anyone with an interest in the history, analysis and performance of the symphonic repertoire.

Renowned composer Jennifer Higdon is best known for her symphonic pieces "Blue Cathedral," "Concerto for Orchestra," "City Scape," "Concerto 4-3" and "Violin Concerto" (2010 Pulitzer Prize). These compositions illustrate her breadth of style and avant-garde technique, inspired by bluegrass and folk melodies. The author examines these works-with commentary by Higdon-as well as the music of her first opera, with a focus on compositional history, musical characteristics, formal analysis and critical reception.

First published in 1996, this volume counters the attitude of paying more attention to the performer than to the piece. Too often, Anthony Hopkins argues, music is simply regarded as a pleasant background noise to accompany our other activities, whereas Beethoven offers much more than that. Hopkins aim to promote hearing, rather than listening. He examines Beethoven's piano concertos numbers 1 through 5, along with the violin concerto in D Major, Op. 61, and the Triple Concerto, Op. 56.