Random House

For anyone brought up on the songs from Pinafore, The Pirates, Patience, The Mikado, Iolanthe, Yeomen of the Guard and The Gondoliers there will be heartache in some of the omissions, elisions and simplifications of both words and music here included. Surely no primer for budding Savoyards. But for those who have only passing familiarity with these well-loved melodies and often misquoted songs, this will pass muster. Each operetta is introduced with a brief libretto -- again leaving much to be desired. The musical arrangements by Irene Shannon can be picked out by young piano students -- and the melodies are easily followed by anyone having Just elementary musical understanding.