More Than Singing (The Interpretation of Songs)

As the title suggests, More Than Singing concerns not only music and proper vocal techniques but also life and the transcendent power of art. Lotte Lehmann was among the most eminent lyric-dramatic sopranos of the early twentieth century, especially noted for her passionate and sensitive renderings of lieder. In this guide she distills a lifetime of work, research, and experience into concise, revealing lessons in the interpretation of songs by Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Haydn, Beethoven, Strauss, Mahler, Debussy, and other masters.
"Only that is convincing which is truly felt," declares the author, and her insightful and inspiring manual illuminates the subtleties of tempo, phrasing, enunciation—even the proper pose, facial expressions, and gestures—that enable singers to plumb the true depths of a song and convey its deepest meanings. Lovers of lieder will particularly appreciate her inspired interpretations of complete song cycles, including Schubert's Die Winterreise and Schumann's Dichterlieber.