Overview

Singing has long been an integral component of Wales’s culture, identity, and international reputation; alongside the deep traditions of Welsh folksong, the country’s composers have produced a rich body of art music. Welsh Vocal Music introduces readers to the vast vocal repertoire of Wales and provides them with the tools to accurately and confidently sing in the Welsh language. The first section of the book offers an introduction to Welsh lyric diction, including sounds, spellings, pronunciation rules, and dialects, while the second section provides a guide to notable vocal composers of Wales and their works. A biographical and stylistic overview is provided for each composer, along with a catalogue of and commentary on their important works, including art songs, folk song arrangements, choral music, and opera. IPA transliterations and translations, along with online recordings, provide additional guidance on accurate diction. Offering a comprehensive description of Welsh lyric diction and uniting author biographies and style guides, Welsh Vocal Music is an ideal resource for professional singers, vocal coaches, conductors, and advanced students looking to perform Welsh music. Providing key contextual information about Wales’s history, language, and traditions, the book invites musicians to explore and celebrate the beauty, variety, and power of the country’s repertoire.

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9781032388960

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Reviews

“This is a fascinating and in-depth analysis of how to perform and interpret Welsh choral music written in an extremely use-friendly way for the choral conductor, performer or general music enthusiast. With fascinating insights on the major Welsh choral composers and the new wave of leading Welsh composers, Rachel Schutz has created a book that not only fills an important and much need gap in the choral world, but also encourages all to engage with this powerful and evocative music. It’s essential reading for any choir enthusiast.” —Paul Mealor LVO, composer and Professor, University of Aberdeen, UK ""Love, curiosity, devotion and expertise have served author Rachel Schutz beautifully in the writing of her comprehensive treasure trove Welsh Vocal Music: A Guide to Lyric Diction and Repertoire. This book speaks to the performing musician, the educator, the historian, and to all lovers of music and language. If, as a foreigner, Welsh language text once seemed too distant to be approached, Dr. Schutz’s expert guidance here is a revelation, opening doors to deeper awareness and appreciation of this profound world of musical expression."" —Dawn Upshaw, Musician and Educator ""This book is an invaluable guide to the formerly inaccessible musical heritage of Wales - a huge step forward for all scholars of song. Detailed discussions of an impressive number of vocal works by traditional, Victorian and contemporary Welsh composers are accompanied by excellent IPA presentations which will encourage and enable non-Welsh singers to perform this fascinating repertoire.: —Graham Johnson OBE, British classical pianist and Lieder accompanist

Author Information

Rachel Schutz is an assistant professor of voice at Ithaca College. Originally from Cardiff, Wales, she holds a DMA in Vocal Performance from Stony Brook University and an MA in Linguistics from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. In addition to being a scholar of Welsh diction and vocal repertoire, she is an internationally recognized soprano and has performed around the world including at Carnegie Hall, Symphony Hall Boston, and with the Santa Fe Opera.

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