Early Intermediate Repertoire – Page 16

Barbara Arens: Piano Misterioso

Pianodao Music Library
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

In my review of Barbara Arens’ collection of ’21 Amazingly Easy Pieces’ last month I concluded:

“The partnership between composer and publisher has clearly worked brilliantly here, and the resulting book is quite simply a delight. Let’s hope for more to come!”

I’m therefore particularly happy to be reviewing the follow up ‘Piano Misterioso’, especially as all the praise offered in my previous review equally applies here.

Subtitled “28 Magically Easy Pieces”, the collection would suit early intermediate players at around UK Grade 3 level. And it is clear that publishers Breitkopf & Härtel have again given their full professional attention to editorial detail, beautifully presenting Barbara’s latest pieces with class and distinction.

ABRSM’s ‘Piano Mix’

Pianodao Music Library
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

The latest series of new piano music books from ABRSM promises “great arrangements for easy piano”.

Does it deliver? Let’s take a look…

ABRSM’s Encore Series

Pianodao Music Library
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

Over the years ABRSM have produced a steady flow of graded piano repertoire books to supplement their exam resources, with series such as A Keyboard Anthology and Short Romantic Pieces becoming standard items in the teacher’s library.

However, one could have been forgiven for wondering whether some of these selections were made up of the most obscure pieces set in previous syllabi rather than the most widely enjoyed. So when Faber Music brought out their “Best of Grade…” books a few years ago, those looking for a one-stop collection of consistently appealing and varied pieces breathed a collective sigh of relief.

This summer ABRSM have responded with the publication of Encore, a set of four books which, based on their own data, include the most popular pieces featured in graded exams over the last decade or so.

Happily these collections include some great in-house pieces and arrangements now unavailable elsewhere. So, might these books play a central role in students learning over the next few years?

Let’s take a closer look.