ABSTRACT
Adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections are introduced in this chapter to round off discussion of the parts of speech, the basic building blocks of grammar. Again using examples from the repertoire (including “Il pleure dans mon cœur,” “Un’aura amorosa,” and “Erwartung”), the chapter begins to explore grammar holistically as a complex structure that can be changed, refocused, or redirected by poets and composers in sung texts. Performers can use their grammatical insights to lead to dramatic interpretations of their music, as they choose which words and phrases to emphasize and lend different colors to their performances.
