This series was designed to supplement traditional vocal instruction and works perfectly as preparatory literature for The First Book of Solos and The First Book of Solos Part II.Each piece is in Englishand has a limited vocal range as well as a piano accompaniment that is playable by a student pianist. The pieces include art songs folksongs humorous songs and suitable vintage popular songs and are all appropriate for contestsolos. The accompanying CD includes professionally-recorded accompaniments. Soprano Contents: Alice Blue Gown · April Showers · Butterflies (Schulz) · Cradle Song (Brahms) · Evening Prayer from Hansel and Gretel(Humperdinck) · The False Prophet (Scott) · Florian's Song (Godard) · Golden Slumbers (English folksong) · It Was a Lover and His Lass (Austin) · Ladybird (Schumann) · The Lilac Tree (Gartlin) · The Little Sandman (arr. Brahms) ·My Little Heart (Weckerlin) · The Nightingale (Alabieff) · Oh! Dear What Can the Matter Be? (16th Century) · Oh Pretty Birds (Rigel) · The Rosebush (Himmel) · The Sweetest Flower that Blows (Hawley) · Two Marionettes (Cooke) ·The Willow Song (16th Century) · The Willow Tree (arr. Reimann) · The Winter It Is Past (arr. Hopekirk).

This work When Christ Was Born of Mary Free sets the words of a traditional carol dating from the 15th century sensitively in D minor for the verse moving to a more joyous F for the Chorus. Darke’s papers list this piece as having been scored for Soprano solo Chorus SATB and Piano. Harold E Darke was an English composer and Organist of international renown. Darke composed extensively for choir and Organ. In 1916 he established the Monday lunchtime Organ recitals at St Michael’s Cornhill which continue to this day the longest-running such series in the world. His setting of Christina Rosetti’s poem In the Bleak Midwinter created a melody and lilting Organ accompanimentthat has never fallen from favour. It is regarded as one of the greatest of Christmas carols.