Books by Suzanne Rhodes Draayer

Although the music of Spain is diverse, profound, colorful and deserving of recognition, a collection of nineteenth century Spanish songs has never been available to singers in the United States. Until now, Spain has been neglected in the study of music history. Collections of zarzuela arias have been published, but art song composed prior to Turina, Granados, Obradors, de Falla, and Rodrigo have remained in the archives of Spanish libraries. This fascinating anthology, a collection of 23 songs composed by a variety of Spanish composers born in the nineteenth century, provides an exciting opportunity to explore the gems of Spanish vocal repertoire. Songs have been selected by virtue of the quality of the poetry, the artistry of the song setting, the beauty of the melody, the variety of the accompaniment, and those with an indigenous flavor. This repertoire is fresh, exciting, and unique, utilizing lovely Spanish rhythms, harmonies and poetry. Available both in high and low voice editions. Contains: Word-for-word translations and Idiomatic translations, Brief biographies of the composers, International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcriptions of the texts, A concise guide to the pronunciation of Castilian Spanish.

Art Song Composers of Spain: An Encyclopedia describes the wealth of vocal repertoire composed by 19th- and 20th-century Spanish song composers. More than 90 composers are discussed in detail with complete biographies, descriptions, and examples of the song literature, as well as comprehensive listings of stage works, books, recordings, compositions in non-vocal genres, and vocal repertoire. Opening with a thorough history of Spain and its political scene, author Suzanne Rhodes Draayer examines its relation to song composition and the impact on composers such as Fernando Sor, Sebasti_n de Iradier, Federico Garc'a Lorca, Manuel de Falla, and many others. Draayer discusses Spanish art song and its various types, its folksong influences, and the major and minor composers of each period. Beginning with Manuel Garc'a (b. 1775) and ending with Carmen Santiago de Meras (b. 1917), Draayer provides biographies of the composers, a discussion and analysis of songs available in print in the US, and a complete list of solo songs for each. Musical examples are given for 175 songs, demonstrating a variety of compositional techniques and lyrical text settings, and illustrating characteristics of orientalism (Moorish) and cante jondo (gypsy) elements, as well as influences such as the German lied and French mZlodie. The final chapter lists contemporary composers and considers the difficulties in researching music by women composers. Complete with a foreword by Nico Castel, a bibliography, and additional indexes, Art Song Composers of Spain proves the importance of the Spanish song as an essential part of vocal training and concert repertoire.