Exploring Art Song Lyrics—Translation and Pronunciation of the Italian, German & French Repertoire

Drawing generously from four centuries of Italian, German and French art song, Exploring Art Song Lyrics embraces the finest of the literature and presents the repertoire with unprecedented clarity and detail. Each of the over 750 selections comprises the original poem, a concise English translation, and an IPA transcription which is uniquely designed to match the musical setting. Enunciation and transcription charts are included for each language on a single, easy to read page. A thorough discussion of the method of transcription is provided in the appendix. With its wide-ranging scope of repertoire, and invaluable tools for interpretation and performance, Exploring Art Song Lyrics is an essential resource for the professional singer, voice teacher, and student.

Jonathan Retzlaff, lyric baritone, is Associate Professor of Voice and Chair of the Voice Department at the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University. He holds the Bachelor of Music degree from Millikin University, the Master of Music degree from Wichita State University and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Arizona State University. He returns each summer to teach on the voice faculty at the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria. Devoted to both performance and pedagogy, Retzlaff's background includes a rich knowledge of the art song repertoire which serves as foundation for the wealth of literature in Exploring Art Song Lyrics.

Cheri Montgomery, lyric soprano, is a member of the voice faculty at the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University, where she teaches private voice, English, Italian, German, and French diction. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree and Master of Music degree in vocal performance from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Extensive language studies led her to the authorship and publication of the Lyric Diction Workbook Series. Mrs. Montgomery's texts have been adopted by major universities across the U.S. and in Canada. Her article, The Dynamic Diction Classroom, is published in the September/October 2011 issue of the Journal of Singing.