Product Description

A solid resource of Russian diction with clear and concise text, precise word-by-word translations and phonetic readings of Russian literature.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1167207 in Books
• Published on: 1991-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 206 pages

Language Notes
Text: English, Russian (translation)
Original Language: Russian

About the Author
Jean Piatak is the coauthor of Russian Songs & Arias. Piatak grew up in a Russian-speaking family. Later she made Russian part of her regular studies in her musical education.

She received her master of music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she coached Russian repertoire with Vitya Vronksy Babin.

At the University of Colorado, she completed her Doctor of Musical Arts and taught Russian diction.

Currently Dr. Piatak coaches singers and choirs in Russian diction, appears as a soloist and in recital, teaches voice, and is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Inc. (NATS).

Customer Reviews

An essential reference for singers and coaches
This book is a treasure.
The phonetic readings of well over one hundred Russian songs and arias offer access to a repertoire that is increasingly chic and in demand, but that would probably otherwise be unapproachable for non-speakers of Russian.
Jean Piatak worked on these readings with Mme. Vitya Vronsky Babin, whose musicality and artistry are legendary. Vitya Vronsky Babin was a pianist, but she personally told me that her favorite repertoire was song repertoire. I am sure that she carefully and affectionately considered the choices concerning the diction represented in this book. Knowing that she instructed Ms. Piatak gives extra validity to these readings.

A Simple Start to Singing in Russian
This is certainly a great guide to learning to sing in Russian. Especially helpful are the large Russian letters that enable one to clearly see each character of the Russian alphabet. The vowel sounds are not as thoroughly covered as the consonant sounds however, and this can prove troublesome for beginners. I would only recommend this book to someone who needs to review his/her Russian pronunciation.