The Interpretation of French Song

What a wonderful and insightful book this is! The tempi recommended are what blows me away-every one suddenly makes the song fit like a glove. The comments and background info for the composers and individual pieces are very thorough-I only wish there was every French melodie in there, I feel so much more secure with the songs that are included!

In the Foreword Bernac modestly says that the book "does not claim to be anything more than a guide for English-speaking singers who wish to study a repertoire which may not be very familiar to them". It is in fact far more than that, and French-speaking singers will find his suggestions for interpretation, tempo, expression and dynamics to be invaluable. He has an unerring instinct for when a song merits a few general comments for its interpretation and when it calls for a detailed phrase-by-phrase analysis. His choice of repertoire for inclusion in this relatively compact book is surprisingly comprehensive. Particularly useful are his suggestions for when to use the liaison (final consonants being sounded before a word that begins with a vowel, which happens more frequently in poetic language than in normal speech) and when not to. Liaisons are not always intuitive or obvious, even to those who were born and brought up in French.

This book is an essential resource for singers or teachers of singing by someone who knows.

Pierre Bernac's book is an invaluable resource for all classical singers, voice teachers and vocal coaches. His writing is eloquent and graceful and the facts he offers on French diction and song interpretation are easy to comprehend. The poems of major French poets, set to music by many foremost French composers, are analyzed with guidance on elision and liaison, breath points and interpretation.He also includes a poetic English translation of each poem. Having been fortunate enough to have worked with Pierre Bernac earlier in my singing career, I have complete confidence in his artistic thoughts on all aspects of diction and performance of the French mélodie. My book is falling apart after all these years and I will most certainly buy another! You voice students out there who are interested in performance-GET THIS BOOK!Eileen Davis, Author of: Sing French, Diction for Singers

A most necessary companion for singers of all levels preparing French song literature. Pierre Bernac is full of insightful interpretations of much of the standard French literature and some not-so-standard, as well. Excellent translations and detailed interpretations make the book an invaluable resource.