Alan Bullard – Pianodao

Pianoworks • Meditations

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…

Pianoworks Christmas

The Christmas Shortlist
Selected and reviewed by Andrew Eales

I am often asked to recommend a fairly basic Christmas piano book, suitable for Elementary players at around Grade 1 to Grade 2 level, with a selection of traditional carols along with a few more contemporary favourites, and in straightforward, well-crafted piano-friendly arrangements.

Within my teaching practice, Pianoworks Christmas has proven to be that perennial chestnut, and in a crowded market remains my all-time top recommendation for a basic, no-frills Christmas piano songbook.

Although part of the superb Pianoworks series of books for older beginners, the collection has no links to the actual method itself other than branding, and of course the fact that it appeals to adult players as much as it does to youngsters.

Pianoworks Christmas has proven to be hugely and consistently popular with players of all ages, year after year. It’s simply a great book, which essentially reviews itself. But here are my thoughts on it, sample pages, and a full list of its contents…

Rediscovering Piano Time

Educational Resources
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

There are several reasons why I rarely review children’s method books. An important one is that I have found my views about a new method resource can change considerably after spending a year or two using it.

Time and again, though, I have found myself returning to Pauline Hall’s Piano Time, a series which has remained popular with my students and delivered positive results for nearly three decades. Children using this series with me have enjoyed learning and practising, developed confident reading skills, healthy playing technique, nascent creativity, and imaginative engagement.

There are shortcomings with any method book, of course, and it’s important for all teachers to recognise the weaknesses in their chosen series. Only then can we deliver effective teaching and identify necessary supplementary materials. For more advice, read my article The Problem with Method Books, which explores the issue in depth.

In the meantime, Oxford University Press have just published fully updated Third Editions of the three core books in the Piano Time series, along with an unexpectedly useful book of accompaniments. With brand new illustrations throughout, a host of fresh new pieces, freely downloadable audio, and gentle tweaks to further facilitate smooth progression, this is a very significant update, so there’s never been a better time to rediscover Piano Time.

Having used the series for so long, I feel appropriately qualified to unpack the revision for existing users, and encourage potential newcomers to have a look at this landmark best-seller afresh.

Alan Bullard • Aspects of Blue

Pianodao Music Library
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

Alan Bullard is probably best known to Pianodao readers as the co-author (with Janet) of the brilliant Pianoworks series of adult method and repertoire books, which I have reviewed here and use with my students on a near-daily basis.

Bullard is also respected as the composer of a set of 24 Preludes, reviewed here, which have found their place in the repertoire for more advanced players at around Grades 7-8 (including on the ABRSM syllabus).

Now he’s back with Aspects of Blue, his first publication with the adventurous boutique publishing house Editions Musica Ferrum, and arriving in their gorgeous house style.

We are told,

“These seven piano pieces, of intermediate difficulty, represent different aspects of the twelve-bar blues structure, which originated in the southern states of the USA in the mid-nineteenth century. Each is based on the twelve-bar blues chord sequence, but responds to it in a different way, with stylistic reference to the past as well as the present, providing a contrasting set of pieces which can be played complete or individually.”

Intrigued? Let’s investigate…

ABRSM Piano Scales 2021

Educational Resources
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

With the publication of their 2021-22 Piano Syllabus, ABRSM have given their scales requirements a significant overhaul, also publishing new scales books and resources.

In this review I will consider three main areas of this development:

The new syllabus requirements
The new ABRSM Piano Scales & Arpeggios books
Scale Explorer for Piano – a new series of five graded books written for ABRSM by Alan Bullard

Alan Bullard: 24 Preludes

Pianodao Music Library
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

Alan Bullard will be known to many readers for his many contributions to popular educational series and in particular the excellent adult piano method series Pianoworks, co-written with his wife Janet, and recently reviewed here.

In addition to his educational publications, Bullard is a busy and accomplished composer of concert works, including the recently published Twelve or Thirteen Preludes for Piano Solo: Set Two (Minor Keys), a collection that follows on from the first Set (written in each major key), which was published back in early 2017 by Colne Edition, and distributed by Spartan Press.

With this new publication, Bullard joins the ranks of composers (including J.S. Bach, Heller and Chopin) to have written a Prelude in each and every one of the 24 major and minor keys. And I think they make a very solid collection, one that deserves wide currency…

The Graded Piano Player

Pianodao Music Library
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales

The Graded Piano Player is a series of three books from Faber Music, comprising arrangements of well-known tunes specially arranged by leading educationalists for pianists from around ABRSM Grade 1-5 level.

Published back in 2016, the books return to the spotlight as two of these arrangements, Close Every Door from Book 1 and Wouldn’t it be loverly from Book 2 – have been selected for ABRSM’s 2019/20 syllabus.

When pieces are selected from the “alternatives lists”, there’s always a danger that a pupil might be expected to purchase a separate book from which they will only ever play a single piece – so teachers, parents and students will undoubtedly be interested to hear what the rest of the book is like, and in this instance the rest of the series.

With that in mind, let’s take a look …