Those of you who read this blog regularly will know that I have recently written a new two-book piano course, Play it again: PIANO (Schott). Book 1, released in April 2017, was featured on my blog a few months ago (you can read about it here), but I haven’t really focused on Book 2 as yet (it was published at the end of July). Following on from Book 1, Book 2 is also a progressive, graded course, takeing students from intermediate level up to advanced (approximately Grade 4/5 up to Grade 8 +).
Who is this course for?
Play it again: PIANO is designed for those ‘returning’ to the piano after a break (whether a teenager or adult), it would also be useful for students who want a course running in tandem with the British examination boards (great for repertoire between exams, plus helpful information on piano technique, scales, arpeggios and sight-reading). Teachers who fancy an anthology of pieces to work through with their pupils, may like to explore these books too.
What you can expect to find in the books
The course consists of 49 piano pieces (28 in Book 1, and 21 in Book 2), the majority of which are drawn from standard repertoire (with emphasis on pedagogical works), starting at elementary level (Grade 1) through to advanced (Grade 8). Each book has an extensive ‘technique’ section at the beginning, with plenty of technical reminders and practice recommendations, and a ‘theory’ section at the end. Each piece contains at least two pages of practice ideas and tips, as well as many musical examples, diagrams and photographs. As this is a progressive course, it’s possible to ‘return’ to a level to suit your current standard; some may want to start at the beginning (which is what I suggest, as this can be valuable, even if your playing is at a much higher level), whilst others may prefer to ‘drop in’ at Book 2 or a later stage.
Each book is divided into four parts, and Book 2 looks like this: Late Intermediate, Early Advanced, Advanced, and Late Advanced. Although this course is not exam based, it’s helpful to know the approximate grades for each level; Late Intermediate is roughly Grades 5 – 6 level (ABRSM exam standard), Early Advanced, Grades 6 – 7, Advanced, Grade 7 – 8 and Advanced, Grade 8 and above.
Every level contains a group of pieces; 6 in the Late Intermediate and Early Advanced levels, 5 in the Advanced section, and 4 pieces in the Late Advanced. My brief was to include a wide variety of styles and genres, so there’s plenty for those who enjoy lighter Contemporary styles (rock, ragtime and blues). There are also plenty of well-known original classical pieces and some lesser known gems too.
Book 2 Repertoire
C.P.E. Bach: Solfegietto C minor H 220
L.v. Beethoven: Für Elise WoO 69
F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Song Without Words, op. 30/3
H. Berens: Study F Major, op. 88/18
E. Cobb: Lavender Haze
M. Spanswick: Seahorse Dream
G.F. Händel: Allegro from Suite G Major HWV 441
W.A. Mozart: Allegro from Sonata C Major KV 545
L.v. Beethoven: Adagio Sostenuto from “Moonlight” Sonata, op. 27/2
J.B. Cramer: Study C Major, op. 50/1
J. Brahms: Waltz A-flat Major, op. 39/15
S. Hormuth: Sweat Feet Stomp
F. Schubert: Impromptu A-flat Major D 935/2
S. Heller: Warrior’s Song, op. 45/15
C. Debussy: The Girl with the Flaxen Hair L 117/8
Trad/B.Carson Turner: Londonderry Air
J. Turina: Fiesta, op. 52/7
J.S. Bach: Prelude and Fugue C minor BWV 847
F. Chopin: Raindrop Prelude, op. 28/15
S. Joplin: The Entertainer
S. Rachmaninoff: Prelude in C-sharp minor, op. 3/2
Layout
I’ve included the scale and arpeggio of each key (where appropriate), and warm-up exercises, tailored to certain pieces. There are a myriad of practice ideas, and different methods of breaking pieces down, re-assembling them with ease and with greater understanding. Each piece contains fingering, dynamic suggestions and (where necessary) some pedalling. Although you may choose to ignore this and add your own. All the information provided for every piece is transferable to an infinite number of piano works, therefore building solid practical methods for tackling different styles and genres.
The pages are well laid out and are designed with ‘Tips’ and ‘technique’ box-outs, and I hope it’s an easy to use course, inspiring pianists to rekindle their love for the piano.
‘Melanie Spanswick’s Play it again: Piano in my view exactly hits the spot for these players, and deserves to be a huge success both for her and Schott Music.
It is abundantly clear that a huge amount of thought, work and expertise has gone into each and every element of these superb books, and it’s all paid off handsomely: Play it again: Piano is simply one of the most brilliantly conceived and stunningly produced sheet music publications of recent years.
I write lots of reviews for the benefit of readers, but this inspiring series has passed the ultimate test: I will certainly be recommending and using these books with lots of my own students in the coming months and years, and I’m really looking forward to it!
Genuinely Brilliant!’
Andrew Eales, Pianodao.com Blog
Free copies!
This weekend, Schott are kindly offering 10 free copies to my readers. For your chance to win a copy of Play it again: PIANO Book 2, please tell us about your piano journey in 100 words or less. Send your entry to marketing@schott-music.com with the subject: Play It Again Blog Competition. Good luck!
You can purchase the books on Amazon in the UK, Book 1 and Book 2, from the Schott website, or from many other internet outlets. If you are in the US, you can purchase here: Book 1 and Book 2. Canada: Book 1 and Book 2. Japan: Book 1 and Book 2, as well as many other online sites worldwide.
My publications:
For much more information about how to practice piano repertoire, take a look at my two-book piano course, Play it again: PIANO (Schott). Covering a huge array of styles and genres, 49 progressive pieces from approximately Grade 1 – 8 level are featured, with at least two pages of practice tips for every piece. A convenient and beneficial course for students of any age, with or without a teacher, and it can also be used alongside piano examination syllabuses too.
You can find out more about my other piano publications and compositions here.
from Melanie Spanswick http://ift.tt/2zYXtNW
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