Hi everyone

ooops !!! The heading should have read Music score - not store!

My lovely daughter is taking me to the music shop on Thursday so that I can pick out some music score for my birthday and mothers day present. Also some of my friends gave me some money for my birthday and I thought I would buy what I love most - music score.

I am taking my Grade 4 today so looking for Grade 4/5 level.

It would be lovely to play something different, I already have Schumann, Mozart, Clementi and Scarlatti - is there anything else that jumps out.

Also is there a compilation that you think would be good. I already have Short Romantic book III.

Thanks in advance for the ideas.

ET

You're doing pretty well so far. How about Bach Two- and Three-part Inventions? You can probably get both in the same volume. Remember that, playing keyboard to yourself, you can choose any speed you like, so start however slowly you need to to play all the notes.

Of the composers who wrote great music specifically for the piano (Bach wrote for clavichord or harpsichord) Debussy seems to me to have produced some of the least difficult. As I don't play much solo piano at all, I don't know which are his easiest pieces, nor at what approximate grade one would try them, but others may be able to help.

I think you could look at the two 'easier' Beethoven Sonatas Op 49 Nos 1 and 2. You will find these a natural follow on from the Clementi Sonatinas Op36, as would be the Mozart Sonata K545. There are some Haydn ones also that would be manageable at Grade 5 eg Nos 39 and 40 , both in G Major
You might find Kenm's suggestion the Bach Two part Inventions a little difficult at first but they're good for technique, and worth persisiting with (eg try the A minor and the B flat) The three part ones will be beyond you for a while.
For something different, try Shostakovich 'Dances of the Dolls' . The Gavotte is fun and was set for Grade 5 not too long ago.
Two of the easier Chopin Waltzes in A Minor and B Minor might be possible for you, and get you going with this composer whom you will probably play more and more of as you improve.
Kenm also suggests Debussy but he starts at least Grade 6, eg The Girl with the Flaxen Hair.

I'd echo Kenm's suggestion of the Bach two-part Inventions.

Classics to Moderns books 4 and 5 might be worth looking at.

One of the Martha Mier Jazz Rags and Blues collections? probably book 3, but look at 3 and 4 if you can.

Thank you all for your lovely ideas, anyone else with anything else specific would be great. I intend to buy a few pieces as everyone gave me money for my birthday.

ET

It sounds like you're going to have a lovely time, ET

Two other suggestions -

... what about a new flute book for your son with piano accompaniment that you can play together?

... I don't know Ackermans shop but I've bought several things from their online shop, NetMusicalInstruments, so I imagine they're quite a decent sized shop with a good choice. So I would also check out their general books for interesting books on music history, composers, genres... anything you might be interested in.


Envious, moi? Have fun, ET!

From Hal Leonard's Composer Showcase series I particularly like the 2 Christos Tsitsaros collections Songs Without Words and Poetic Moments. They should be suitable for your level and enjoyable to play well beyond that too.

Thanks for all your recommendations. I am going to the musci shop this morning with a long list. I particularly like the sound of "Shostakovich" Dance of the Dolls". The Classics to Moderns books were a great idea too, I had forgotten about these, we used the Red one in my early days of the piano, and I always found the pieces lovely.

My teacher said that I should start to play some Bach, she has recommended Anna Magdalena Bach Pieces, and also thinks it is a great idea to start playiang some Beethoven.

I have to study Bach, Beethoven and Mozart in my OU course so it will be really good to get some of their music to play.

The Jazz Rags and Blues sound fun for a change too. I actually also bought the ABRSM Grade 2 and 3 Jazz books a while back, so I said to my teacher that maybe we could have a go at these, just for fun though, not aiming at the exam.

I also want to see if I can get Erik Satie Gnoissiene No. 5 as I heard that on classic fm the other day and fell in love with it. I have been working on Gnoissiene No. 1 at the moment.

Well I am very excited and hope that the shop has most of what I want. When I have been in there before I have seen that there are shelves and shelves of piano scores, but they are filed by composer and not ability levels, with all these ideas I will know where to start.

I will let you know how I get on.

ET



Hi Skylark

That is a really good idea. It is my son's birthday in a couple of weeks, so I will see if I can get a new book for him that has the piano accompaniment. That way we could both start together. At the moment when I try to accompany him, I can't keep up with him! and he ends up getting cross with me! lol.

Will let you know.

ET

Much Baroque music (J S Bach, Handel, Telemann, J J Quantz etc.) sounds well if you leave out the right hand altogether and just play the solo line and the bass.