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Gateway to French Mélodies: Low Voice Comb Bound Book

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Gateway to French Mélodies Cover Image

Gateway to French Mélodies: Low Voice Comb Bound Book

An Anthology of French Song and Interpretation

Ed. John Glenn Paton

Item: 00-36534

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Description
Gateway to French Mélodies leads us into a fragrant garden of poetry and music that is both passionate and refined. Each song brings to life one of the great themes of French art---love, nature, the purpose of life---with sensuous beauty, beguiling grace, and often with humor.

Understanding what you sing is the basic concept of the Gateway series. Each lyric is translated, both word-by-word and in readable English. The singer can learn the song with confidence, as obscure points of phonetics, grammar and interpretation are made clear. The cultural context of each song is illuminated, along with its place in the life and works of the composer. The comb binding creates a lay-flat book that is perfect for study and performance.

Many of the marvelous songs found here been out of print for more than a century and a few are published here for the very first time. The songs include:
"Plaisir d'amour," the quintessential song of bittersweet love, edited from the composer's original 1784 edition
Seven works by women composers, including two sisters who were divas of Romantic opera, Maria Malibran and Pauline Viardot
Works of French operatic masters such as Gounod, Saint-Saëns, Bizet, and Massenet
Six songs by Gabriel Fauré and four by Claude Debussy
Two duets from contrasting historical periods

Piano accompaniments are heard on the companion CD, beautifully played by Joan Thompson and expertly engineered by Grammy Award winner Matthew Snyder.

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Additional Details
Series: Gateway Series
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 240
ISBN10: 0-7390-7415-6
ISBN13: 978-0-7390-7415-2
UPC: 038081403540
SKU: 00-36534

More about this title

Why we love this

This collection resurrects repertoire that has languished out of print for over a century, including several works published here for the first time. The comb binding, dual-language translations, and cultural context transform a singer from someone who merely performs the notes into someone who genuinely inhabits the poetry and history behind each song.

What to expect

These songs evoke intimacy, longing, and wit in equal measure. You move through gardens of romantic yearning (bittersweet love), observations of nature rendered with elegance, and philosophical questions about life's purpose, all delivered with the sensuous refinement that defines French vocal art.

Who it's for

Low voice singers preparing concert recitals, art song study, or audition repertoire who want to understand not just the mechanics of French mélodies but their emotional and historical significance. This book serves students and professionals alike who recognize that interpretation deepens when you comprehend what you're singing.

How to get the most out of it

  • Study the word-by-word translations and cultural notes before learning the melody; this foundation makes the French text land with conviction rather than sounding merely phonetic.
  • Use the companion CD not as a crutch but as a reference for phrasing and tempo choices, then develop your own interpretive choices informed by the song's literary context.
  • Balance the sensuous beauty these melodies demand with the precision required by French diction; neither should dominate the other.

How to use it

Feature a French mélodies recital or devote a section of a mixed-language art song program to these works, using the duets to add variety and collaborative texture. The historical breadth (from the 1784 'Plaisir d'amour' through Fauré and Debussy) allows you to trace the evolution of the genre within a single evening.

Skills your students will build

  • French diction and lyrical phrasing in authentic context
  • Literary interpretation and how text meaning shapes musical choices
  • Recognition of compositional styles across two centuries of French vocal writing
  • Sustained legit singing through Romantic-era melodic lines
  • Ensemble balance and storytelling in duet contexts

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