This is one of a series of posts about books used as source material for Art Song Central.
Book Title: La Mejor Musica del Mundo, volume 7
Additional Title: Edicion Filarmonica Revisada Y Ampliada
Publisher: The University Society Inc, New York
Copyright: 1918, The University Society Inc.
Contents:
- Bach Mein Gläubiges Herze
- Beethoven In Questa Tomba
- Beethoven Die Ehre Gottes
- Bemberg Chant Hindou
- Bizet Agnus Dei
- Brahms Wiegenlied
- Brahms Sapphische Ode
- Chaminade Madrigal
- Chaminade Ritournelle
- Chaminade Rosemonde
- Chopin The Maiden’s Wish
- Cornelius Ein Ton
- Debussy Les Cloches
- Debussy Romance
- Delibes O Mer, Ouvre Toi
- Duparc La Manoir de Rosemonde
- Dvorak Gute Nacht
- Dvorak Als die alte mutter
- Fauré Clair de Lune
- Förster Im Wunderbuch
- Franck Le Mariage des Roses
- Franz Im Herbst
- Franz Widmung
- Franz Aus meinen grossen Schmerzen
- Georges La pluie
- Giordani Caro mio ben
- Godard Florian’s song
- Gounod Au printemps
- Gounod Parce Domine
- Gounod Serenade
- Grieg Die Prinzessin
- Grieg Mit Einer Primula Veris
- Grieg Ein Schwan
- Grieg Solvejg’s Lied
- Grieg Ich Liebe Dich
- Hahn L’heure Exquise
- Hahn Rêverie
- Henschel Morgen hymne
- Hildach Im volkston
- Holmès Noël D’Irlande
- Holmès En Chemin
- Lalo L’Esclave
- Lassen Allerseelen
- Liszt Du bist wie eine blume
- Massenet Élégie
- Massenet Bonne nuit
- Meyer-HelmundThee I think of, Margarita
- Rachmaninow The Corn Field
- Rachmaninow Ich harre dein
- Raff Sei still
- Reichardt Wenn die Rosen blühen
- Rousseau Le rosier
- Saint-Saëns Hear our prayer
- Saint-Saëns La cloche
- Schubert [sic]* Voici l’instant supreme
- Schubert Der Wanderer
- Schubert Erlkönig
- Schubert Du bist die Ruh
- Schubert Hark hark the lark
- Schumann Mondnacht
- Schumann Der Nussbaum
- Schumann Die Lotusblume
- Schumann Die Beiden Grenadiere
- Scaramuzza I love a flower
- Strauss Die Nacht
- Thomas Une nuit de mai
- Tchaikovsky Nur wer die sehnsucht kennt
- Wolf Verborgenheit
- Alvarez La Partida
- Bourgeois La Veritable Manola
- di Capua O sole mio
- Ferrari J’ai tant de choses
- Fontenailles Obstination
- Gastaldon Musica Proibita
- Lemaire Vous Dansez, Marquise
- Rothschild Si vous n’avez
- Tosti Thinking or Pienso (English and Spanish only)
- Tosti Ideale
- Tosti Quisiera Morir (English and Spanish only)
Notes:
This appears to be a spanish language edition of “The Worlds Best Music” which was previously published by The University Society. The selections strongly reflect both the prevailing taste at the time and the proclivities of the panel of editors, which included Louis C. Elson and Victor Herbert.
Many of the songs in this collection are essentially unknown to modern audiences, having dropped from the standard repertoire, and often with good reason. Yet, there are also some wonderful songs to be discovered.
The volume does not appear to have been aimed at a scholarly audience, and has some significant drawbacks. Nearly every song has English as the “main” language, even though the prevailing aesthetic (in the USA, at least) is now to sing songs in their original language. In a few cases, the original language of the song is not even included.
Occasionally, other editorial choices were out of line with modern practice.
There are also errors in both text and music, though they don’t appear terribly often.
Nevertheless, the printing is generally clear and readable, and there is a nice selection of well known songs and forgotten gems. Songs from this volume will be uploaded as song posts are created for them. If you would like me to give priority to a song that is not yet posted, please let me know via the contact page.
*The song “Voici l’instant supreme,” here attributed to Schubert, is, according to the Neue Schubert Ausgabe, actually by August Heinrich von Weyrauch.
