This morning my attention was turned to a new post on BuzzFeed on Schirmer’s Twenty-Four Italian Arias. The bright yellow A4 song book which plagues most singers at some point during their lessons. I dubbed it ‘the yellow peril’ a few years ago. A staple in an school and college learner’s lessons. I’ve even seen professional concert singers use it. A favourite with the various exam boards and music festivals. A good decent book which any singer can buy find they will sing most of the pieces (if they wish). Yet it doesn’t always sit well with academics who want an historically accurate authentic reproduction. It has value in it’s own rite as a snapshot of a particular editor’s view- but the best singer will research the historical context and create their own ornaments. I think I have amassed four different copies in my music cupboard so far, although the one I treasure the most is the edition I used in my early singing lessons and exams. It is well-loved, and in need of structural repair, but contains the first solo Italian aria I was taught (Caro Mio Ben).
Little Yellow Peril
BuzzFeed writer Nina Mohan has created “The Definitive Ranking of ‘Twenty-Four Italian Songs and Arias'” which gives the reader a short comic context of each aria or song, plus a recording or an illustration. As if this wasn’t enough, she also ranks them. You can see where Caro Mio Ben placed by visiting the article here.
I know many other singers, and singing teachers, who have used this book. Judging by the view count of the article, many singers have identified with a post on the yellow book (which now comes with a backing track CD). I’d love to know which songs you have sung from the collection, and which song you sung first. Any particular favourite?
