Table of Contents and Chapter summariesHistorical Overview of the RepertoireCommon definitions of Early Music include music from the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods. I''d like to touch briefly on chant, organum and early polyphony as the foundation from which later "early" repertoire developed, but that will not be the main focus of this book. (I''d like to have my colleague Carolann Buff, a specialist in Medieval and Renaissance vocal repertoire contribute an appendix chapter with some more specific recommendations for singers who want to know more about singing music from these earlier periods.) Our history overview will start with late 16th century solo song as it developed in England, Italy and France and move through early seventeenth century seconda pratica, stile recitativo, and the development of opera. We''ll talk about Dowland lute songs, Caccini''s "Le nuove musiche" and introduce Monteverdi''s operas and books of madrigals. We''ll talk about French opera by Lully and Rameau and German sacred music by Schütz, Buxtehude and Telemann. Of course we''ll talk about Purcell, Handel and Bach, but also introduce lesser known composers including Cavalli, Barbara Strozzi, Montéclair, and Clérambault. The history narrative is a way to introduce key composers and their works, both well known, and hopefully less well known names.

It is also a way to introduce the different genres of vocal music, including both sacred and secular, for the stage, or court or for private use by both upper and lower classes.Grandfathers of Vocal Pedagogy - Vocal Technique from the Earliest SourcesFollowing the chapters by Scott McCoy and Wendy LeBorgne, this chapter will introduce some of the primary source treatises on singing from the 16th-18th centuries, including Caccini, Le nuove musiche, Bacilly, Remarques curiuese sur l''art de bien chanter, Tosi, Observations on the Florid Song, Bérard, L''art du chant and others. These early writers on singing offer wonderful advice on health and hygiene that is still valuable today. They also give advice on breath management, vibrato, intonation and registration, including issues of voice type and range. We will discuss some of these issues of vocal technique for early music in this chapter and then return to these sources and others for advice on rhythm, phrasing, articulation and ornamentation in the next chapter.3) Elements of Early Music Style In this chapter we will look at issues of style including rhythm, articulation, phrasing and ornamentation. We''ll talk about all the elements that are not included in the score that must be added by the performer, including tempo markings, dynamics, instrumentation and accompaniment, and especially ornamentation. We will look at specific differences in national styles from England, Italy, Germany and France, particularly approaches to rhythm, ornamentation and improvisation.

We''ll talk about how language impacts choices about rhythm, articulation and phrasing, and about the Baroque sensibility of conveying the affect of a piece and moving the passions of the listeners.It''s All Chamber MusicIn this chapter we''ll talk about how to sing this repertoire as chamber music. We''ll talk about figured bass and the basso continuo complement. Singers don''t necessarily need to know how to realize a figured bass part themselves, but they do need to know what it is and how to work with their accompaniment colleagues who will be playing continuo for them. We''ll talk about what kinds of instruments are possible for the continuo, from lutes and theorbos, to harpsichords and organs. We''ll also get into the complex issue of pitch in these early centuries, and then talk about working with "original" or "period" instruments. Singers need to make decisions themselves, or be aware of what kinds of issues surround singing at modern pitch verses earlier pitch choices. They also need to know how to adjust their technical and stylistic choices to fit with modern or early instruments.

We''ll also talk about generally helpful guidelines for being a positive and supportive musical colleague.Musical Materials and SourcesIn this chapter we''ll explore how to choose appropriate sources and scores for this repertoire. We''ll talk more about how to read period notation and investigate how to find scholarly modern editions. We''ll also talk about using open full scores or reductions. Singers need to recognize what editorial additions have been made to an early music score and make choices about what they want to add themselves. Do they want to use an edition that has a piano reduction of the instrumental parts or see all the individual lines? Do they want to use someone else''s ornaments or write their own? Do they want to use the first score that comes up in an online search or choose one that includes elements they prefer. This chapter will supply options for finding scores, either in libraries or online, and help singers make informed choices about the materials they use.How to use all the tools.

Now that we have given you many tools, how are you going to decide when and where to use them? There are so many different kinds of opportunities to sing early music, here is a bit of a map of where you might go.One of the most common situations singers may find themselves in is as a chorus member or soloist in a production of The Messiah or a Bach Passion. Is it a full modern orchestra or smaller period band, large or small chorus? Does the conductor want a historically informed style, or a more operatic approach? More and more opera programs are including works by Handel, Monteverdi or Purcell, or other English or French Baroque composers. Will you be singing with modern or period instruments and at what pitch? Will your coach or conductor be giving you ornaments or will you have to come up with your own? Will the production have a historically informed approach or a modern sensibility? Many small chamber ensembles program early vocal chamber music. You may sing a solo cantata, or vocal duets and trios. You may be part of a small consort of 4 or 5 voices. Any of these works may be with or without continuo or added solo instruments. Each situation demands slightly different skills and stylistic choices.

This chapter will also explore opportunities to participate in workshops or festivals, as well as Journals and other sources of performance information.Appendix by Carolann BuffDemystifying Music from the Medievil and Renaissance Periods In this chapter Carolann will introduce the different kinds of vocal music from earlier centuries, focusing primarily on music from the Renaissance. She will discuss how to find and read scores and what kinds of stylistic approaches are appropriate. She will touch on both solo and ensemble repertoire, and offer resources to find more in depth information.