Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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When Elena Cobb invited me to be an occasional consultant for her EVC Music publishing venture, the project she foremost had in mind was a collection of Spirituals arranged by David Önaç. Already aware of Önaç‘s brilliant work, and excited by this new concept, it was a pleasure to advise in the early stages of the project’s development.
Spirituals has now arrived, and as my early enthusiasm anticipated, I believe it to be a publication of some significance. I anticipate that piano teachers will warmly appreciate this material, and that it will prove popular with learners across the elementary and intermediate range, from Initial to Grade 5.
Rooted in universally beloved melodies, nourished by the distinctive harmonies of the Gospel tradition, and expertly crafted to suit elementary to intermediate piano players of all ages, David Önaç has delivered a gem of a collection that is sure to be treasured by pianists throughout the early years of their playing.
Here is why I think this book deserves a place on the shelves of elementary to intermediate piano players everywhere…
Twenty Graded Arrangements
David Önaç was born in Jamaica and raised in the Bahamas, and he has been fascinated by the rich harmonies played by gospel keyboardists from an early age. An accomplished composer, pianist and teacher, Önaç has enjoyed a career as the Musical Director for various gospel choirs for nearly twenty years.
Readers may already recognise Önaç’s name from his beautiful composition, A Distant Star in the Stillness, which appeared in the 2023-24 ABRSM Grade 5 book. He has also contributed to the board’s Pop Performer series.
With roots in the gospel tradition, piano pedagogy, and ABRSM background, Önaç is singularly suited to the task of arranging Spirituals for piano, and the twenty pieces he has selected include three or four arrangements suitable for each of the grade levels covered. Here’s the list:
- By And By
- Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen
- Mary Had A Baby
- Oh, Freedom!
- Guide My Feet, Lord
- Steal away
- All God’s Children Got Wings
- Were You There?
- Deep river
- Go down, Moses
- Roll, Jordan, Roll
- Here’s One (Talk About Soul)
- Amen
- Dem Bones
- Down by the Riverside
- Standin’ In The Need Of Prayer
- Wade in the Water
- Every Time I Feel the Spirit
- Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel
- Swing low, Sweet Chariot
You can taste the flavour of these pieces in this clip of excerpts:
The quality of these arrangements is top notch, and ultimately that’s the big draw. With music this engaging, and with so many educational gains built in, the book is an easy winner. Önaç once again proves his mettle as an arranger par excellence, consistently presenting these ageless melodies on their own terms, while building in neat creative touches of his own.
Benchmarking is of course an inexact science: grade levels are always useful but never exact. In this case, I would say that players at earlier levels will find plenty to challenge and consolidate learning, while at Grade 5 level the pieces tend more to the easier end of the spectrum.
That the book covers such a span in the player’s development is a particular boon. It seems highly likely that several pieces will be drawn from this collection for exam selections, but happily it is not a book that will be bought just for one “alternative” or “own choice” piece, rather one which will travel with the player through their early years of learning, bringing continuing joy.
To that end, I can also happily report that EVC Music has done a superb job with the publication itself, with outstanding music presentation and useful fingering options appropriate to each level. In common with all new EVC publications and reprints, the book appears on luxury cream paper.
Closing Thoughts
Spirituals is an impressive and valuable addition to the piano literature for elementary to intermediate players. It was a thrill to be involved in an advisory capacity at its inception, because the book so nicely matches my vision for offering students and piano enthusiasts a wider range of brilliant piano music old and new, by men and women from all around the world: music that is wonderful to play, and rooted in our shared human experience.
The Spirituals tradition has left us one of the richest seams of memorable melodic invention, deeply embedded in American classical music, jazz, gospel and blues: to have such an outstanding set of arrangements for players across these levels is more than an enjoyable treat, it is a lasting legacy and an enduring gift. I really don’t think you will want to miss this!
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