The Latin American Art Song: A Critical Anthology and Interpretative Guide for Singers

By: Dr. Patricia Caicedo

Edicions Trito 397, Published September  2005

“Colombian soprano and musicologist Patricia Caicedo has done both her own region and the rest of the world a great favor in researching, compiling, writing commentary for, and editing forty-eight songs by twenty-one composers representing ten countries.”

Judit Carman - Journal of Singing. Nov/Dec 2006

Complete review can be read by clicking here

“Your work is filling a whole that existed in the vocal music of Latin America, congratulations!”

Nico Castel, Metropolitan Opera Diction Coach, 2006 

This book contains 48 art songs from ten Latin American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Chile, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and Venezuela).

The book begins with an introductory study that discusses the art song genre and the genre's birth and development in Latin America. The book also contains notes about the songs in the anthology and a biography of their composers.    "This anthology contains representative songs from prenationalistic composers.  In addition to the songs themselves, there are concise biographies of the composers and commentary on the songs.  The Presentation is a thorough discussion of many facets of the Latin American art song." says Judith Carman of the Journal of Singing.

The song texts are in Spanish and Portuguese.  But, the singer will find each song in its original language, in English translation, and in Portuguese / Spanish translation. All of the original poetic texts are transcribed into International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA).

The book also contains diction rules for Latin American Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese.  The diction rules for Brazilian Portuguese were written by Dr.Stela Brandão in accordance with the results of the Fourth National Song Conference which took place in São Paulo, Brazil, in February, 2005.  

Interpretative guides for the songs are also included.

This book, the first critical anthology and the first to offer a musicological effort that contextualizes the genre in Latin America, belongs in the library of everyone who studies, performs, or loves the art song genre. Also belongs in the library of Universities and Conservatories. "Given the increasing number of Hispanic students in our schools, there is a great need for song literature in Spanish" states Carman in her review at the Journal of Singing.

To see the table of contents and the song index please click in the links.  The book has 284 pg and weights 3 pounds.

The price of the book is 40€ plus shipping and handling.  If you would like your book signed by the Author, you will have the option of asking for it during the process of buying it: 

If you are buying from USA, Europe, Asia or Latin America please send an e-mail to patricia.caicedo@gmail.com and we will send you the price or your shipment and a invoice to pay online.