The Wizard of Oz: 70th Anniversary Deluxe Songbook (Vocal Selections): Piano/Vocal/Chords Book

This deluxe edition transforms a beloved score into a genuine educational resource by restoring material that vanished from public memory for decades. The inclusion of Herbert Stothart's character themes and the complete Munchkinland sequence alongside rare production stills and contextual essays makes this far more than a compilation of hits; it invites singers and pianists to understand how these songs functioned within the film's larger narrative architecture. For vocal students, the original keys preserve Arlen's harmonic intent and the authentic vocal range relationships he conceived for each character.

These songs shimmer with the optimism and wonder of 1939, yet they harbor surprising emotional depth beneath their surface charm. The melodies feel inevitable once you know them, as though Arlen discovered rather than invented them; the harmonies expand and surprise, grounding sentimentality in real harmonic sophistication.

Vocalists preparing recital material, music theater students building their song repertoire, and pianists seeking substantial chamber arrangements of twentieth-century standards. Community theater singers, collegiate voice teachers, and anyone serious about American musical theater song will find this edition an essential reference.

• Study the original film while learning these songs to internalize the character voice, emotional arc, and dramatic pacing that shaped each melody.
• Respect the harmonic richness beneath the sing-ability; Arlen's jazz-inflected chords reward careful listening and thoughtful voicing at the piano.
• Use the character themes as bridges between songs or as standalone pieces to deepen your understanding of each character's musical identity.
• Balance the accessibility of these melodies with the sophistication they deserve; these songs are singable without being simple.

Build a recital around the dramatic arc of Dorothy's journey, selecting songs that trace her emotional evolution from homesickness through wonder to triumph. Alternatively, curate a program exploring different musical styles within the score: the charm song, the rhythm number, the ballad, the comedy duet. These songs also pair beautifully with other American standards from the same era, creating a retrospective on the golden age of American musical theater.

• Interpreting character-specific vocal lines and understanding how music reveals personality
• Reading and voicing jazz-influenced chord changes and secondary dominants
• Balancing singability with harmonic sophistication in phrasing and expression
• Accompanying yourself or others with stylistically informed piano voicings
• Contextualizing songs within dramatic narrative and film history