Unlocking Meaning in Art Song: A Singer's Guide to Practical Analysis Using Schubert Songs

by Beverly Stein

Overview

Unlocking Meaning in Art Song teaches singers how to analyze songs in order to discover deeper meanings and create more compelling interpretations and performances.

The first part of the book introduces important practical skills for analyzing the text as well as key musical elements including melody, rhythm, structure, linear motion, and harmony. The remainder of the book presents an in-depth guided analysis of twenty Schubert songs. The questions and prompts in these chapters allow students, singers, and other readers to discover for themselves the amazing ways in which music and expressive meaning are structured. Songs range from simpler analytical difficulty (such as An die Musik) to medium difficulty (such as Gretchen am Spinnrade), and finally to more complex (such as Erlkönig).

The techniques presented in this book can be applied to all types of songs, allowing singers to build critical skills and artful consciousness. This is an ideal resource for song literature courses, voice teachers, students, collaborative pianists, and theory faculty.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538187883
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	08/20/2024
Series:	National Association of Teachers of Singing Books
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	340
File size:	6 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Beverly Stein is a professor of music history and analysis at California State University, Los Angeles. Stein has presented at the NATS Cal-Western Regional meetings and taught California State University Summer Arts program’s “The Romantic Lied in Germany.” She has been recognized for her engaging teaching style with an award by the General Education Honors Program.

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART ONE: INTRODUCTION AND BASIC SKILLS

Introduction: How to use this book

1) How to Analyze the Text of Your Song

What is the Poem About?

Performing a Song with a Refrain

Poetic Structure

Poetic Meter

Rhyme Scheme

Word Sounds

Themes of German Romanticism

Chapter Summary

2) What to Look for in the Musical Setting: Structure, Melody, and Rhythm

Mood

The Piano Part

Form

Phrasing

Melody

Motive

Mid-Chapter Summary

Tempo

Meter and Rhythm

Meter

Upbeat versus Downbeat Phrase Beginnings

Rhythm

Accents

Texture

Dynamics

Chapter Summary

3) What to Look for in the Musical Setting: Tonal Structure, Linear Motion, and Harmony

Tonal Structure (Cadence Levels)

Cadence Mapping

Tonal Withholding

Choice of Key

Linear Motion and Motivic Parallelism

Pedal Points

Harmony

Roman Numeral Analysis

Tonicization and Modulation

Augmented and Neapolitan Sixth Chords

Enharmonic Shift

Sudden Shift to a New Key

Third Relationships and Chromatic Mediants

Oscillation and Circling

Chapter Summary

PART TWO: SIMPLER SONGS TO ANALYZE

4) Heidenröslein

5) An die Musik

6) Die Forelle

7) Gute Nacht

PART THREE: SONGS OF MEDIUM DIFFICULTY TO ANALYZE

8) Der Neugierige

9) Der Tod und das Mädchen

10) An die Nachtigall

11) Ave Maria

12) Du liebst mich nicht

13) Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt

14) Du bist die Ruh

15) Frühlingstraum

16) Gretchen am Spinnrade

PART FOUR: MORE COMPLEX SONGS TO ANALYZE

17) Erster Verlust

18) Meeres Stille

19) Die junge Nonne

20) Die Liebe hat gelogen

21) Ganymed

22) Dass sie hier gewesen

23) Erlkönig

APPENDIX

•Template for song analysis (long and short versions)

•Bibliography

•Glossary

Editorial Reviews

I’m thrilled to discover Beverly Stein’s book. I’.ve had teachers discuss things like this my entire career, and I’ve talked them over with my students for decades. But, for the first time, there is a ‘how to’ book with step-by-step instructions for thinking about harmony, alliteration, texture, and a hundred other things in crafting a compelling performance. The author uses familiar components of familiar songs to make her points with great success

Brian Horne

Unlocking Meaning in Art Song is an invaluable guide that will lead singers, collaborative pianists, and teachers to a deeper understanding of the genius and beauty that is art song. Teachers will find that Stein’s text is easily adapted to young singers’ first foray into the discovery of art song, and it will also challenge university students in crafting research projects of their own. From basic elements of poetry to complex harmonic analysis, Stein takes us by the hand to experience ever-deeper levels of craftsmanship and artistry in art song.

Robin Fisher