Piano The Books

This book is for the fairly serious scholar of music interested in an in-depth examination of Beethoven's Violin Sonatas. It is not for beginners in the study of music history. A high degree of familiarity with music theory and with the works in question, as well as with Beethoven's piano sonatas and many other works, is assumed. In that context, however, the book is a treasure, with a great deal of truly original and captivating insights into these unique and emblematic works. This originality of a necessity creates rather sharp stylistic and theoretical differences among the perspectives of the various authors. Seek the uniform taxonomical approach elsewhere. Musical citations are abundant and beautifully laid out on the page, although occasionally their sheer size demands that they not be placed immediately opposite the relevant text. The notes and bibliographical references are very useful to students seeking further study of the composer and his world.

You'll be able to play Fur Elise like a concert pianist instead of like a fumbling, banging-it-out student. This is like having a master class of superior instruction in memorizing music and learning what tools you need to be effective at it. The excerpts from The Piano Lessons Book are extremely worthwhile - you'll want to buy it once you finish this introduction to it. Plus, the story of Fur Elise is both interesting and insightful.

The main virtue of Beethoven' s music resides in its transcendent individuality; as Michelangelo, sculpting the marble, Beethoven assaults the form, and through his indomitable character, he enriches mankind's spiritual treasures That explains why he was such colossal innovator; his aesthetical and style were always beyond the fashion mainstreams. He never worried about the bygone times; he was always a step behind the rest of his contemporaries.

Opus 2 constitute his first piano works. Written in 1795 and published in 1796 were dedicated to Haydn, but with just a glance you may realize how profound, innovative and out of his time these compositions were.

The first one possess a marked dramatic feature. From the first bars of the first movement we entry to a new sphere. Maybe you find the basic structure and certain musical patterns obey to Haydn' models. But the opening theme is a far echo from the Finale of Mozart' s 40th Symphony, and that `s very detail to take into account, because it `s a visible straightforward step to new musical paths. The second movement, despite the elegant ornaments possesses that visible stoicism so featured in future opus. The third movement is an inquisitive question, it reveals an outstanding level of sublime maturity about the whole meaning of the mythic meanings. This movement would seem to suggest the other side of Dionysus. The fourth movement is so affirmative that reminds in its troubled bars far echoes of the "Appassionata", where the music acquires organic expression and sublime temperament. As Mozart used to do, Beethoven comes back to the delicate cantilena to equilibrate the inner tensions but we know how those bellow thundering bars tremble masked of those fortissimos.

The Second Sonata is much more relaxed piece, more conventional according to the new school canons, in the sense of major serenity. Many contemporary people must have considered it as a sign of considerable progress. The Largo is one of the most evident evidences that this young composer is not writing music for the gallery. The brusqueness is scented by optimistic harmonies, but again Beethoven shows us the other side of Prometheus - and the figure of the scherzo looks so suitable in this sense - he plays with the audience; he is in search of new musical lexicon, and somehow needs to employ certain formal conventions, but the kind gestures are not provided with the anima of just only to please.

For the first time the sweeping spirit of enraptured Dionysian energy, shows a clear orchestral treatment because somehow the Sonata form was not accustomed to bear such burst of impetuous torrent, filled of fierceness and sublime affirmation, this Sonata may be considered as a visible evidence of those "future leaps" , so typical of the genius on progress. The Adagio begins with a brief opening theme of visible operatic texture, to bring us immediately an extraordinary theme plenty of reflective mood, and overwhelming expressive nature, clearly anticipatory of his future genius. If you carefully listen may find distant echoes of the second movement of the Hammerklavier. The Scherzo is a vivid piece as well as the thundering and epic finale, that confirm this is the most pyramidal work of this fabulous set, and personally one of my most lovable Sonatas of Beethoven.

Paul Badura Skoda made a superb performance of every one of these works , where he displays all his mastered technique conjugating that admirable musicality and notable erudition expressed in the most minimum details.

A must-have.

What a great book. I picked it up as a teenager and taught myself to read music and play the piano. Later, with just a half dozen formal lessons, I took a grade 7 Royal Conservatory of Toronto standard music performance exam, and passed comfortably. Later I passed the sight reading audition to study piano and voice in college.

The book is a pleasure to learn from, as it's packed with interesting, but not too involved, discussions of music and theory at a very simple level. The best thing about it is the philosophy, applied in every aspect, that one should start by playing actual music. In contrast, I've heard a piano teacher say one should start by studying nothing but scales and technique for the first 6 months. Sure: learn to play like a machine, without feeling, if you have the stomach and discipline for that. No, this book introduces beautiful classic melodies, simply but effectively arranged, to evoke the complex emotions that come from genuine music. An example I remember would be a minuet from the Anna Magdalena Bach book -- perfect for a JS Bach nut like me.

An excellent book for the intermediate, not beginning, pianist. This eclectic collection of original compositions for the piano in arranged in chronological order from Lully to Kabalevsky. My students love it. I recommend it highly.....dew

I have use the Belwin Piano Method for 8 years of teaching from ages 4 - 35. It is concise and complete so you can learn as quickly or slowly as you like. You won't find a better teaching guide on the market.

I've been waiting for a benny green book to come out and I finally purchased this about a year or two ago. It has very accurate transcriptions of some of his pieces and is great to have. Once you work the pieces up you can actually play along to his albums (he plays pretty fast though) - most are written in the original key.

I'd recommend this book to any benny green fan -- of course. Also, for any jazz pianists - it's great to go through his book and really see how green puts the pieces together and try to incorporate your style with the pieces.

And for those classically trained pianist (like me), you will appreciate the structure and genius of his compositions and will be amazed at the sound you will be making.

I'd rate this as advanced or advanced intermediate.

I think that this book has some of the most romantic songs ever written. I think that the book deserves a six out of five! The songs are perfect choices to go in the book. The songs are written well and arranged well also. I give this book a five star rating for its loveable touch!

Songs in this book are fairly easy for pianists. Vocalists will enjoy the selection that truly does offer some of Andrew Lloyd Webber's best!

I just got this book and I haven't learned the songs in it but I can tell you that it has good transcriptions of many blues songs - a few of them being Tipitina, Honkey Tonk Train Blues, Big Chief and Blueberry Hill. The Blueberry Hill transcription is in B flat and contains the chorus (which is hard to find other places). Hope this helps.