Long ago and without fail, three characters brought delight to audiences: the pantalooned Pierrot; Columbine, ever saucy and adroit; and Harlequin her lover, full of good natured drolleries and amusing tricks. From the legacy left by French pantomime and the Italian commedia dell'arte, this original story in pictures has been fashioned, with a special kind of ending to transcend time. The words, as in all mime, are in the eyes of the listener.

Inside Pierrot lunaire: Performing the Sprechstimme in Schoenberg's Masterpiece is a handbook on the performance and interpretation of the recitation in Arnold Schoenberg's Pierrot lunaire, op. 21. Presenting a guide for the listener and an aid to the interpreter of the 21 melodramas, the book provides an original English translation of each poem, annotated with references to other poems in the cycle, including some of the texts Schoenberg omitted. The volume also offers an analysis of the Sprechstimme in each melodrama in the context of the surrounding texture and directed by the principles of analysis Schoenberg established in his essays and lectures. Inside Pierrot lunaire makes a case for the importance of the notated pitches in a correct performance of the Sprechstimme. Acclaimed singer Phyllis Bryn-Julson and music theorist Paul Mathews provide a method for performing the Sprechstimme that considers Schoenberg's performing directions, his sometimes-contradictory statements, the recording Schoenberg conducted in 1939, and the burgeoning scholarship on speech-melody. Bryn-Julson and Mathews also examine the role played by Albertine Zehme, the singing actress who commissioned Pierrot, whose part in its creation has been minimized in previous studies. The discussion of Sprechstimme is informed by a genuine oral tradition running from Eduard Steuermann, the pianist who coached Zehme's premiere of the piece, to Ms. Bryn-Julson's own interpretation. The volume also provides a bibliography of sources and an index.

Develop music appreciation among your students with folk songs, rhythmic poems, stories with musical themes, and picture books with strong musical links. Designed for teaching flexibility, these lessons can be adapted according to a teacher's level of musical proficiency and time limitations. Sections cover rhythm, melody, form, instruments, music history, and dance forms, with lively activities that involve singing, playing instruments, chanting, and movement. These are perfect for the nonmusician who is teaching music as well as the seasoned music specialist.

Memoir of Bethany Beardslee, the iconic American soprano known as the composer's singer.

The travelling players of Litonya have destroyed many lives by manipulating the mystical realm of Tarya, and Mina has discovered her brother is one of their victims. Although she is determined to stop them, her hopes for help from the Council of Muses have been dashed. The only possibility for healing lies in a journey to the heart of Litonya, and into a past long lost to history. When ancient stories give up their forgotten secrets, a path forward begins to appear. But love and talent are pushed to their limits as Mina and her companions come face to face with an enemy who has finally stepped out of the shadows.