Books by Richard Mercier

This significant volume is the first to present in detail the entire prolific vocal repertoire of the late-Romantic German composer Max Reger. The Songs of Max Reger: A Guide and Study begins with a brief introduction discussing the development of German Lied, then journeys through this creative composer's works for voice and piano. With many musical examples, Richard Mercier and Donald Nold present a survey and discussion of Reger's lifetime of song output.The book proceeds through the songs chronologically by opus number, discussing each individually. All entries include details pertinent to the song's particular poem, its musical setting, the date of musical composition, the vocal range required, and discussion of specific vocal and pianistic features. The text also provides the original German poem, word-for-word English translation of the German text, IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) pronunciation symbols for the German, and a prose version of the poetic text in English for better appreciation of the piece. An index and two appendixes complete this important reference, arranging the songs by title and poet and supplying information on vocal range, level of difficulty, and gender. Designed for the classical vocal music enthusiast and invaluable to the singer and vocal coach, this book, commemorating the 135th anniversary of the composer's birth, will also appeal to accompanists, Reger scholars, and lovers of German Lieder and German art and culture.

Mercier examines the 107 songs Hans Pfitzner wrote for voice and piano. Although not as famous as his contemporaries Hugo Wolf, Gustav Mahler, and Richard Strauss, Pfitzner created a number of fine songs and here receives the critical attention he deserves.