Anne's review
The Song of the Lark
by Willa Cather
That's interesting - I'm a vocal performance major as well and did have a similar experience with Song of the Lark (wishing there was more description of her actually singing) - but what little there was about her voice really enchanted me. Too often as singers we can get distracted by all of the little technicalities of the voice (it's hard work, after all!) instead of taking time to realize what a beautiful and elemental experience it is to sing. This book made me come to see the development of the voice as parallel (if not identical) to the development of one's soul. I think it should be required reading for young singers...
Anne's review
The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather
Anne's review
rating:
recommended for: singers, especially
I made the mistake of starting this book just as I was entering a week of intense rehearsal and music-learning. So maybe I didn't focus on it as much as I might have if I had had nothing else to do.
I enjoyed this book, but I had hoped there would be more about actual singing (I'm a vocal performance major and aspiring opera singer myself). Cather does have some amazing insights into the production of the voice, but the book is less about singing than about one particular singer, Thea Kronborg, and how she transcends her very humble beginnings in Moonstone, Colorado to become a great Wagnerian soprano. There were a lot of landscape descriptions, which are pretty standard for Willa Cather, but I got impatient with them because I wanted to read about Thea's singing. I think I just had the wrong expectations of The Song of the Lark--in terms of Cather's novels, I much preferred My Antoniá and O Pioneers.
I enjoyed this book, but I had hoped there would be more about actual singing (I'm a vocal performance major and aspiring opera singer myself). Cather does have some amazing insights into the production of the voice, but the book is less about singing than about one particular singer, Thea Kronborg, and how she transcends her very humble beginnings in Moonstone, Colorado to become a great Wagnerian soprano. There were a lot of landscape descriptions, which are pretty standard for Willa Cather, but I got impatient with them because I wanted to read about Thea's singing. I think I just had the wrong expectations of The Song of the Lark--in terms of Cather's novels, I much preferred My Antoniá and O Pioneers.
That's interesting - I'm a vocal performance major as well and did have a similar experience with Song of the Lark (wishing there was more description of her actually singing) - but what little there was about her voice really enchanted me. Too often as singers we can get distracted by all of the little technicalities of the voice (it's hard work, after all!) instead of taking time to realize what a beautiful and elemental experience it is to sing. This book made me come to see the development of the voice as parallel (if not identical) to the development of one's soul. I think it should be required reading for young singers...
