Singing and Imagination: A Human Approach to a Great Musical Tradition

This book is written on the belief that the essential basic principles underlying good singing are in themselves rather few, and very simple, but that their application is amazingly varied in light of the individual's needs. It is not intended as a manual of voice production, and does not concern itself with medical matters, nor directly with anatomy, physiology, and acoustics.

While not belittling the value of appropriate scientific investigation, Thomas Hemsley believes that modern methods of training have gone too far in the direction of the materialistic approach; that singing in all its aspects and at all times should be guided by the imagination, the feelings, and the intuition; that we have become so pre-occupied by voice per se and the vocal function since the advent of vocal science, that we too easily forget that singing is not voice, but modification of voice - "not only a language through which we understand the emotions of others, but also a means of exciting our sympathy with such emotions," (H. Spencer). This book can be seen as an attempt to redress the balance.

As a concert singer, Thomas Hemsley has performed a very extensive repertoire and has appeared as a soloist with symphony orchestras throughout Europe. He has sung under some of the greatest conductors of our time, and for such composers as Vaughan Williams, Hindemith, Stravinsky, Britten, Walton, Tippett, and Henze. He was Professor at Guildhall School of Music and Drama (1987-96) and Trinity College of Music (1988-92), and guest Professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Music.