Sergius Kagen's encyclopedic guide to music for the voice has been a standard reference work for singers and teachers for nearly 30 years. For each of several thousand works, the singer can find the compass and tessitura, the vocal type to which the song is suited, as well as remarks on the character or challenges of the piece, with occasional advice to the accompanist. Headnotes give general information on some major composers and important song cycles. This single volume helps the performer find works by hundreds of composers from Europe and America, from the Renaissance through the mid-20th century, and genres ranging from folk airs to bel canto. Entries are arranged by composer within larger categories: Songs and Airs before the 19th Century, Songs of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Folk Songs, and Operatic Extracts. An index of composers makes access to listings even easier.
