Selected and reviewed by Andrew Eales
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Over the last two years, OUP Music have done a stellar job of refreshing and updating their enduringly popular Piano Time method series (reviewed here) and Tunes for Ten Fingers (reviewed here) children’s primer books, with a fresh new look, audio files, updated pedagogy, and brand new music.
They haven’t forgotten their evergreen Piano Time Carols book, the long-standing studio essential also now benefiting from a contemporary redesign and downloadable audio, which I will consider below.
Best of all, they have published a brand new Christmas for Ten Fingers, which proves to be a superbly engaging easy collection for younger players, with duet parts, and rich with creative teaching potential.
In the review which follows, I will initially focus on the latter (which is written by Michael Higgins) and then check out the new-look Piano Time Carols.
Christmas for Ten Fingers
OUP Music’s colourful landscape-format book for younger players is described by the publishers as a festive companion to the other books in the Ten Fingers series:
“The collection comprises easy arrangements of well-known Christmas carols and songs in the five-finger position, with handy keyboard diagrams and fingerings to help early learners”.
An example of the “handy keyboard diagrams and fingerings” can be seen in this authorised sample page:
Devotees of the Ten Fingers series will immediately spot that this uses hand positions not introduced by the end of More Tunes for Ten fingers, as well as introducing a key signature.
It is worth noting that for the less advanced player, a version in the key of C major centred on Middle C is included on the facing page, so that teachers and players can select either the easiest version or a more challenging one. A similar construct is used for several other tunes, and in addition to allowing the beginner to play Middle C versions having only recently started lessons, there are two other obvious benefits.
Firstly, players can reuse the book for a second year, with added challenge and fresh learning potential. Secondly the versions given in G and F major are closer to the ideal vocal range when singing along, which immensely adds to the value of the book.
And further sweetening the deal, each of the two versions has a completely different teacher accompaniment and fresh vibe. Teachers could use this material to not only introduce singing, but concepts of mood, key signature, and even transposition.
Here’s the full list of songs in the book, including the duplicates that appear in different keys:
- We Three Kings of Orient Are
- Good King Wenceslas (F major)
- Good King Wenceslas (C major)
- O come, all ye faithful (G major)
- O come, all ye faithful (C major)
- Hark! The Herald-Angels Sing
- Once in royal David’s city (G major)
- Once in royal David’s city (C major)
- Jingle, Bells
- We wish you a merry Christmas (G major)
- We wish you a merry Christmas (C major)
- Away in a manger (F major)
- Away in a manger (C major)
- Joy To The World!
- Silent night
- The First Nowell
- O Christmas tree
- Frosty the Snowman
In addition to the C major versions of some carols, We Three Kings and Hark! The herald angels sing would suit players on the first Tunes for Ten Fingers book, while the rest are more advanced, using note ranges that only first appear towards the end of More Tunes for Ten Fingers.
Some songs (including Hark! The herald angels sing) feature dotted rhythms that don’t appear elsewhere in this series at all, and towards the end of the book the music has very gently developed past the learning content of the series. Of course, teachers may easily phase in dotted rhythms by rote, and there’s no doubt that young players will devour this material as a whole with enthusiasm and excitement!
On that note, it is great that OUP have included full audio recordings, free to access via their website and major streaming services. Unlike some of the other titles in their range, these include not only performance tracks demonstrating the pupil and teacher duet, but also backing tracks of the duet part that learners can use at home.
Last, and certainly not least, I must commend OUP for the stunning presentation of this collection. Rosie Brooks has once again contributed full colour illustrations and they are truly superb, without crowding the presentation; the overall page layouts remain spacious, with plenty of space for the teacher to include comments where needed.
The Ten Fingers series has its detractors and no method is without its faults, but in my experience this fun, colourful series can positively and genuinely engage young players. Christmas for Ten Fingers is very much the icing on the cake, and a wonderful addition to this much-loved series.
Piano Time Carols
Those familiar with Pauline Hall’s excellent Piano Time Carols will be well aware that learners enjoy and appreciate the easy arrangements of seasonal songs included, and the duet versions that light up lessons each December.
Following in the wake of the superb refresh off the Piano Time method books that I have reviewed here, the second edition of this seasonal collection appropriately brings it bang up to date.
Rosie Brooks’ new illustrations are as superb as always, and the colourful presentation throughout is as immediately festive as it is generous. Happily, audio is now included here too, and again the free tracks that can be streamed or downloaded include backing tracks for the duet versions.
The nineteen pieces of the first edition have been expanded by an enjoyable version of It Came Upon a Midnight Clear to comprise:
- Away in a manger
- I saw three ships
- Kings of Orient
- In dulci jubilo
- Good King Wenceslas
- O come, all ye faithful
- While shepherds watched their flocks
- Deck the hall
- The first Nowell
- Silent night
- Once in royal David’s city
- God rest you merry, gentlemen
- In the bleak mid-winter
- The holly and the ivy
- A merry Christmas
- Jingle, bells
- Hark! the herald-angels sing
- Ding dong! merrily on high
- It came upon the midnight clear
- O little town of Bethlehem
This subtle but sophisticated update will undoubtedly ensure that Piano Time Carols remains a top choice for many more years to come!
The book will be available from Musicroom soon, but in the meantime readers may want to make the most of this introductory offer from Presto Music:
Pianodao Music Club members receive 15% discount from Sheet Music Plus.
Musicroom has now joined Sheet Music Plus.
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