Hi,
I thought I'd share with you the names of books and internet sites etc that I have found most helpful in studying music history and in preparing for the Viva Voce. I would be grateful to hear of your choices also....perhaps we could begin a topic for each instrument which could benefit us all. Mine is on singing.

www.archive.org......I love this website, you can view many research books from past centuries (many out of print and hard to find) and free of charge, as well as audio archive, movies etc.

www.googlebooks.com.....can be frustrating when there is not a full view option but still worth a look.

ON YOUTUBE:

BBC Documentaries:
The genuis of Mozart
The genius of Tchaikovsky
The genius of Beethoven

Masterclasses on youtube:
Placido Domingo masterclass
Master Class Series with Mezzo-Soprano Denyce Graves
Masterclasses of Teresa Berganza (I think shes a brilliant teacher)


Maria Callas: Life and art
Glenn Gould: A portrait
Channel 4OD..the voice (Channel 4 website)

"Singing in style" by Martha Elliott.....One of the best and most informative books I've ever purchased.

"Great singers on great singing" by Jerome Hines.....interesting insights into the perspectives of great singers.

"Hints on singing" by Manuel Garcia....most singers are familiar with this books importance in the history and study of Bel Canto. A classic

"Great singers on the art of singing" by Cooke

"The letters of Robert Schumann"

"German lieder in the 19th century" by Hallmark

"French song from Berlioz to Duparc" by Benton

"Callas at Juilliard" by Ardoin

"How to sing" by Lilli Lehmann

"The cambridge companion to singing" by Potter

"The singer as interpretor:Claire Croiza's masterclasses"

"The interpretation on french song" Gollancz

I still would say regardless of instrument, unless your programme is largely 20th Century or later start with:

A History of Western Music - Burkholder/Donald J Grout/Palisca (whatever the latest edition is)

An excellent general history of music that will put your programme into historical context and give you general background on who wrote what, when and what else was happening at the same time.

It is as old as the hills, but still useful. There are some comments that Burkholder was not as good an author as Grout and did not blend his revisions as seemlessly as Palisca, but this is still a seminal text for all A level and Degree level Historical Musicologists, so is very useful.

As a singer if your programme contains any Opera.

The New Kobbe's Opera Book - again background reading about plot and context. Will set you aria into the context of the Opera, and the Opera in context of a composer's output.

As a singer: Lieder Line By Line: Lois Philips

Interpretation of French Song: Pierre Bernac

Books I found helpful both times I took DipABRSM piano were the Cambridge companions- for the main composers, that is. Definitely useful for anyone doing works by those composers for other instruments- they're not just piano books!

..another reference on French Song is the French Song Companion by Graham Johnson and Richard Stokes, compliments Pierre Bernac.
British Solo Song - Michael Pilkington

others I've used have already been mentioned. If and when I can remember the other sources I will add! :-)

Thanks for that one Lucy. I've had my copy of Bernac since I was an undergrad. Knowing that Johnson and Stokes will compliment it is always worth knowing.

I like the Cambridge Companion series too.

It is always worth starting with a wikipaedia article, but realising that there could be mistakes in them. I do correct the errors I know about when I encounter them. Best howler was the description of Dame Joan Sutherland as a Mezzo from New Zealand!

The more 'Anorak' like the subject the greater chance wikipaedia will be accurate.

I will also admit I use You Tube to access classic recordings of Songs and Arias I would otherwise not be able to access. How else do you think I listened to Lily Pons singing the Bell Song from Lakme? It can be a very useful method to compare other interpretations.