具体描述
The world's most trusted source for great theatre literature for singing actors. The CDs include piano accompaniments. The book features authentic editions of each song in the original keys. The songs have been carefully chosen for each voice type and are culled from a wide selection of classic and contemporary shows.
The Broadway Songbook: A Collection of Definitive Musical Theatre Selections Volume 1: From Golden Age Classics to Contemporary Hits Overview: This comprehensive anthology presents a meticulously curated selection of 40 essential songs spanning the rich history of American musical theatre. Designed for the serious student, dedicated performer, and discerning enthusiast, The Broadway Songbook Volume 1 offers meticulously prepared vocal scores that capture the spirit and demands of these iconic pieces. Moving beyond simple repertoire snapshots, this volume focuses on providing musicians with the necessary tools—accurate vocal lines, detailed performance notes, and contextually rich arrangements—to authentically interpret the material. This book deliberately steers clear of the specific repertoire found in The Singer's Musical Theatre Anthology, Volume 3, instead concentrating on building a foundation rooted in the canonical works that shaped the genre from the 1940s through the early 1990s, while also introducing groundbreaking material from the last few decades that has since achieved classic status. The selection criteria prioritized dramatic necessity, vocal versatility, and enduring popularity on the professional stage. Scope and Content Focus: This volume is structured chronologically and thematically, ensuring a broad exposure to different eras and compositional styles: Part I: The Golden Age Foundation (1940s – Mid-1960s) This section explores the era defined by the collaboration between lyricists and composers who perfected the integration of song into narrative structure. The focus here is on clarity, melodic beauty, and character development through song. Rodgers and Hammerstein Repertoire: Selections emphasize nuanced storytelling. Expect richly detailed transcriptions from Oklahoma!, Carousel, and South Pacific, highlighting the transition from operetta to modern musical. The included excerpts demand exceptional breath control and emotional sincerity, focusing particularly on ballads and driving narrative numbers where the character’s internal conflict is revealed vocally. Lerner and Loewe Masterpieces: Selections from My Fair Lady and Camelot are presented with an emphasis on the demanding patter and sophisticated melodic contours characteristic of these scores. Notes within the vocal line often address the specific requirements for maintaining dialect or an elevated, almost theatrical diction without sacrificing vocal agility. The Sondheim Precursors: Early works by Stephen Sondheim, or those heavily influenced by his emerging style (such as those from Gypsy), are included. These pieces begin to introduce complex rhythmic patterns and psychological depth, requiring singers to manage increasing harmonic ambiguity within a traditional structure. Part II: The Concept Musical and the Rock Influence (Late 1960s – 1970s) This pivotal era saw the musical theatre score broaden its sonic palette significantly, embracing rock, folk, and more dissonant compositional techniques. The Rock/Pop Infusion: Tracks from landmark scores like Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar are transcribed here, demanding a significant shift in vocal technique, often requiring a stronger, more belt-oriented delivery than the preceding era. The focus is on capturing the raw energy while maintaining vocal stamina necessary for sustained performance. Conceptual Storytelling: Songs from concept-driven musicals of the mid-70s are featured, where the music serves the overarching theme rather than strictly advancing a linear plot. These selections often feature complex internal rhyme schemes and extended dramatic monologues set to music. Kander and Ebb’s Signature Style: Definitive songs from Cabaret and Chicago are included. These require a mastery of stylized performance—a blend of cynicism, world-weariness, and sharp theatricality. The arrangements highlight the underlying Fosse-esque rhythmic drive inherent in the scores. Part III: The Blockbuster Era and Modern Voices (1980s – Early 1990s) This final section covers the rise of mega-musicals and the emergence of composers who fused European operatic scale with American theatrical tradition. The Mega-Musical Selections: Representative pieces from major international hits of the 1980s are transcribed. These pieces are noted for their expansive melodic ranges and the sheer stamina required to execute them, often bridging legit tenor/soprano ranges with more contemporary vocal power. The Neo-Classical School: Selections from composers who redefined the American musical vernacular during this time are included. These songs often feature dense orchestration captured in the piano reduction, requiring the vocalist to navigate complex harmonic changes without losing the emotional thread. The focus is on legato delivery across difficult intervals. Emerging Contemporary Voices: A small selection of material from early 1990s scores that hint at the stylistic shifts of the 21st century are incorporated, showcasing early examples of vocal demands that prioritize character realism over sheer vocal display, setting the stage for future anthologies. Performance Enhancements and Editorial Rigor: Every selection in The Broadway Songbook Volume 1 has undergone rigorous editorial review to ensure maximum usability for the performer: 1. Accurate Key and Range Management: While transcriptions adhere closely to the original show key, critical notes are included when key changes significantly affect standard vocal ranges, offering practical alternatives where appropriate for audition settings, always prioritizing the dramatic intent. 2. Detailed Text Setting: The notation clearly delineates lyric placement relative to the rhythm, crucial for complex patter songs or numbers with syncopated melodies. Emphasis is placed on preserving the original rhythmic integrity of the dialogue transcribed into song. 3. Contextual Markings: Where appropriate and without overburdening the score, brief editorial indications—such as tenuto, marcato, or reminders for specific articulation (e.g., non-legato phrasing in 70s rock-infused numbers)—are included based on established performance practices documented in archival recordings and libretti. These are clearly demarcated as editorial suggestions, separate from the original composer/lyricist markings. 4. Focus on Dramatic Arc: Unlike simpler collections, this volume ensures that the selected excerpts (often full songs or substantial portions thereof) allow the singer to execute a complete emotional arc necessary for a compelling audition or performance piece, rather than providing only isolated verses or bridges. This volume serves as an indispensable cornerstone for any musician dedicated to mastering the core repertoire of American musical theatre from its foundational mid-century achievements through its dramatic expansion into the contemporary era. It provides the crucial bridge between the operetta tradition and the nuanced vocal demands of modern musical storytelling.
