I've just been sorting through my boxes of piano duets and have discovered that I haven't really got any books suitable for pianists who haven't yet reached Grade 1 level. Has anyone any suggestions?

David

Piano Magic Duets book 1 (Jane Sebba, published by A and C Black)
(there's also a book 2 but haven't got a copy so can't check the level).

Chester's Piano Duets in two books (Carol Barratt) - I have book 2 in front of me and I'd say most of them are grade 1 plus - but bk 1 might be worth looking at.

Similarly Oxford Piano Time has two duet books called Mixed Doubles: I have book 2 and it's above the level you indicate, but book 1 might be of interest.

(ed - it looks as though the first book of Oxford duets is called Duets with a Difference, and Mixed Doubles refers only to the second book).

http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/music/s...bookTitleAscend

Very Easy Book 1 'Classical Piano Duets' edited by Marjorie Smale.
Primo - 5 finger hand position
Secondo - Grade One
(lots more like this on the Spartan Press website: www.SpartanPress.co.uk

8 Duets for Beginners by Jessie Blake
Primo - middle C position
Secondo - approx Grade One

Two at the Piano by Waterman/Harewood
Primo part only suitable for beginners

Four-Handed Keyboard Crocodile
more difficult but great fun pieces

I also like some of Walter Carroll's duets from 'Scenes at the Farm'

I've got quite a few of those mentioned above if you want to pop round and have a look through, I also found the one I was looking for the other day when we were playing duets, (more suitable for g 3/4 though)

For Christmas - Christmas Carol Time, by Fanny Waterman (Pink book - there's also a slightly more advanced yellow one which is a mixture of solos and duets)

First Favourite Christmas Duets, published by Alfred (Grey book)

Duets for Christmas Lovers, by Margaret Goldston, also published by Alfred. The one I have is Book 2, so that must mean there's an easier one, but this is still pre-Grade 1, I think - although the individual parts in duets are often easier than the 'grade' of the whole, as part of the difficulty is playing well together, I suppose.

First Duet Album, by Barbara Kirkby-Mason. These have been popular with my "almost-starters". There is a Second Duet Album too.

Does anyone know any easy (approx grade 1) nursery rhymes and/or traditional song duets?

My daughter's teacher has just introduced her to duets (Walter Caroll's "Scenes at the Farm"). She loves them and wants to play more but the only other ones we have got at home are Christmas ones and she decided it's still a bit early for them.

Argh! I remember those from the Paleolithic Era!

Actually my daughter really likes them

I've got some Walter Carroll solo piano books from my early days!

On the duet front, I also wanted more material than the two books I have been using with lots of pupils (all mentioned higher up). I've just bought Laura Shur's 'Keys for Two' (Spartan Press) - there are two books. I've been trying out the first book with a couple of my pre-Grade 1 pupils. They are generally in 5 finger position but the pupil isn't stuck in one position and they also don't have the thumb sharing the same key. They do include some sharps/flats. Book 1 is described as 'aimed at pupils approaching Grade1' - all the duets are one page long.

I've also bought Martha Mier 'Treasures for Two' and 'Jazz, Rags and Blues' - these are a bit more difficult and generally longer - 2, sometimes 3 pages long - the typsetting is quite large and spread out so they are easy to read. These are published by Alfred Publishing.


Louise