Johann Adam Hiller Books

This manual offers a significant exploration of vocal technique and performance practices from the eighteenth century, providing insights into the artistry of singing during that era. It serves as a crucial resource for understanding historical methods and approaches to vocal training, making it valuable for both performers and scholars interested in the evolution of vocal arts. The English translation enhances accessibility, allowing a broader audience to appreciate its teachings and historical context.

Hiller's Treatise on Vocal Performance and Ornamentation was published in Germany in 1780 and is an important manual on vocal technique and performance in the eighteenth century. This present edition, translated with an introduction and extensive commentary by musicologist Suzanne J. Beicken, makes the treatise available for the first time in English. With its emphasis on practical aspects of ornamentation, declamation and style it will be valuable to instrumentalists as well as singers and is a significant contribution to the understanding of performance practice in the eighteenth century.