Pianodao Music Library
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Janet and Alan Bullard’s Pianoworks series of older beginner books have long been a staple within my teaching studio. The two method books provide a solid introduction to musical understanding, piano technique and creative musicianship, while the supplementary repertoire collections are among the most popular I have ever used, whether alongside the method or independently.
It’s been a while since the series expanded, but the Bullards are back with a new collection, sporting a fresh new look which I am told will be adopted by the whole series as each title goes to reprint. According to the publishers,
“Pianoworks Meditations is a brilliant collection of gentle and reflective pieces for the older beginner. Written with a focus on playing for enjoyment, these 24 original pieces guide the player through a range of styles, while aiding in relaxation and mindfulness.”
Having played through the collection I am happy to confirm that they are as beautifully crafted as the original music which the Bullards previously sprinkled throughout the Pianoworks series, but let’s take a closer look…
24 Meditations
Introducing the book, the Bullards explain that the collection offers,
“…original piano pieces composed by us as a response to the natural world, beautiful places, thoughts, and ideas. The pieces in this book are deliberately written to encourage your own interpretations… As you explore and learn the music, we hope that you enjoy creating a calm and meditative sound world in your piano playing.”
The pieces have evocative titles which largely speak for themselves:
- First Light
- Aquarium
- Island Castle
- Falling Leaves
- Butterfly
- Abbey Ruins
- Rose Garden
- Orion
- Stonehenge
- Onward Journey
- Mountain River
- Mantra
- Moon Behind the Clouds
- Ice Crystals
- Free Spirit
- Happy Place
- Glen Coe
- Circles
- Skylark
- Lost in Thought
- Sanctuary
- Weaving Threads
- Dancing Shadows
- Contemplation
Some of these pieces have been recorded with visuals, and here’s the YouTube playlist:
For a deeper dive, you can also listen to demonstration performances of all 24 pieces via the composers’ SoundCloud channel here:
Musically, the pieces are in a reflective vein, and combine contemporary aesthetics with traditional values. Most are pattern based, albeit not in the dull way sometimes found elsewhere, and beneath their attractive surface, many conceal progressive technical challenges and carefully embedded learning objectives that speak to these composers’ well-honed teaching instincts.
As expected, the pieces are sequenced in approximate order to difficulty. The opening pieces should prove accessible to players working through the second half of Janet and Alan Bullard’s Pianoworks Book 1 method. From Butterfly onwards, they progress through Pianoworks Book 2 level and beyond.
Those familiar with the intelligent blend of musical quality and andragogic smarts that belie the Pianoworks books will find themselves in familiar territory here. But Pianoworks Meditations would equally suit players who don’t otherwise use the series; aside from the title and branding, the book is a freestanding publication which doesn’t reference the progressive outline of the series.
With pieces that progress from roughly Initial to Grade 3, Pianoworks Meditations can therefore be recommended as a superb collection of music for any Elementary level pianist, and will particularly appeal to teenage and adult players learning for musical enrichment and personal enjoyment, rather than certificate chasers.
That said, the collection would also be useful as a quick study piece-a-week type book for Intermediate players at around Grade 5 level, the range of key signatures and unusual time signatures providing useful material for developing musical understanding, all in the context of pieces with a relaxed tempo and vibe: great for building confidence!
The publication
The first thing existing Pianoworks users will likely notice is that the book’s appearance doesn’t match the rest of the series. Gone are the inviting glossy covers with vivid designs, replaced by a matt cover sporting a notably more sober presentation. There is a brief Preface combined with the Contents page, but overall this is a simple and essentially quite plain publication.
I have to admit that the new look took a while to grow on me, but is undeniably classy in tone. Time will tell whether the teenagers with whom I use the Pianoworks series will feel as inspired by this plain look, though.
Within, the page designs more clearly match those of the other books, with the familiar piano motif at the top of each page, and the superb music engraving that comes as standard with OUP Music publications. The book is printed on soft white paper, has staple binding, and opens flat on the music stand.
Most pieces are one page only, and those which are two pages have been positioned so as to avoid page turns. Fingering has been helpfully included in moderation throughout, and is as cleverly and musically conceived as ever.
I understand that the whole of the Pianoworks series is to be transformed into this new look, and the rear cover illustrates the point with images of the upcoming covers for the utterly brilliant Pianoworks: Night at the Theatre, and the Pianoworks Duets 2 books. I look forward to seeing them all, and must admit that after years of daily use my set could do with a refresh!
Closing thoughts
Pianoworks Meditations is a surprise (and highly welcome) addition to an established favourite series, and I think it succeeds particularly well for two reasons.
Firstly, the few original pieces that appear in Pianoworks Books 1 and 2 confirm that Janet and Alan Bullard are superb composers of accessible piano music in varied styles, and honestly left me wanting more. Here it is!
And secondly, the reflective style of music so thoughtfully celebrated in this collection has undeniable contemporary resonance, but is under-represented elsewhere in the Pianoworks series. Many older beginners learn to play the piano “for relaxation”, and while they perhaps get more than they bargained for, this book will certainly appeal.
With this in mind, and given the superb quality of Janet and Alan Bullard’s original music, Pianoworks Meditations can be welcomed as a beautifully conceived and thoroughly worthwhile addition to this indispensable series.
For teachers seeking genuinely musical repertoire for older beginners, and players looking for thoughtful contemporary music to enjoy simply for its own sake, Pianoworks Meditations is a winning choice.
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