Faber Music Piano Anthology

Winter Piano Anthology

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

The Faber Music Piano Anthology series of deluxe bumper books have proven one of the popular publishing successes of recent years, and certainly these robust collections combine excellent value for money with a compelling mix of piano music for late intermediate to advanced players.

With more than a dozen titles now in the series, the anthologies cover a wide range of musical styles and tastes. Some home in on specific genres, such as pop ballads, jazz standards, and piano duets, while others mix core and lesser-known classics, piano arrangements, and relaxed contemporary solos.

For a look at previous titles, you can explore the series here, but let’s now turn to the latest addition, a seasonal chilled Winter Piano Anthology…

The Women Composers Piano Anthology

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

Arriving just in time for International Women’s Day, the latest addition to Faber Music’s popular line of bumper piano anthologies focuses on music by women composers.

This is Faber Music’s second ‘women composer’ anthology, following in the footsteps of Karen Marshall’s Herstory, which I reviewed here. But while Herstory focused on forgotten classical composers, accompanied by its author’s teaching content, this new collection offers a more cosmopolitan range of music that encompasses contemporary styles.

The format of Faber Music’s Piano Anthologies will by now be familiar to readers, and I have reviewed the whole series here, so let’s jump straight in and consider the music on offer here.

The Piano Duet Anthology

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

There can be no doubting Faber Music’s commitment to their rapidly expanding series of keenly-priced but tastefully presented bumper Piano Anthologies, the latest of which focuses on intermediate piano duet repertoire with a contemporary and appealing twist.

This is the tenth anthology in the series, and having reviewed them all here, regular readers probably now know the drill. I like these books, they are gorgeously presented and deliver an engaging and distinctive range of music. I have also seen that they have proved popular with my adult students and in our piano club.

So let’s check out the latest addition…

The Night Time Piano Anthology

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

Faber Music’s Piano Anthology series understandably continues to prove popular with late intermediate to early advanced players looking for a bounty of fresh music in beautifully presented, keenly priced, and durable volumes.

In recent years, new additions have generally appeared in the autumn, and the most recent was the excellent Harry Potter Piano Anthology.

Hot on its heels, Faber now bring us another collection, this time resuming the series standard of offering a far broader, more varied selection of pieces for intermediate to advanced players, and celebrating an ever-popular theme: night time.

The Harry Potter Piano Anthology

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

The arrival of a beautifully presented new Faber Music Piano Anthology has become something of a tradition as the nights start to draw in each Autumn, and happily this year’s new collection doesn’t disappoint.

While Faber’s previous bumper books have each focused on a genre, their classical, jazz standards, pop ballads, Christmas, contemporary, soundtracks and easy piano collections all featured in the Pianodao Music Library, the latest has a more specific focus: the music of the beloved Harry Potter movie franchise.

Produced in partnership with Alfred Music, The Harry Potter Piano Anthology is a truly sumptuous affair, and promises:

“The best-loved themes from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts soundtracks magically arranged for intermediate piano solo.”

With 56 pieces, including tracks drawn from the soundtracks of all eleven movies in the franchise to date, the book is an obvious must for Potter fans, and a gorgeous gift book. Let’s take a closer look…

The Ballads Piano Anthology

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

The latest bumper publication to join the popular Faber Music Piano Anthology series focusses on pop ballads in solo piano arrangements suitable for advanced players.

As ever, the 176-page collection arrives wrapped in a classy, high quality thick matt card cover, with a sturdy but (in mine and my students experience) flexible spine that can both stand the test of time and lie flat on the music stand with minimal persuasion.

A lot of adults bring these books to my studio and consistently love them. Whether purchased as a gift book for a pianist friend or for your own study and enjoyment, any of the Faber Music Piano Anthologies is a top choice. With titles to suit all. including Soundtracks, Jazz, Contemporary and Christmas, you can explore the series here.

So let’s consider the latest addition…

The Contemporary Piano Anthology

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

Faber Music’s growing series of Piano Anthology books are a continuing source of joy, and have been enthusiastically received by several of my regular adult students.

I have reviewed several of the other anthologies here. Spoiler alert: in all cases I have been impressed both with the intelligence and value of the music selections and the quality of the publications themselves.

So it great to be welcoming a new addition to the family with the delivery of The Faber Music Contemporary Piano Anthology, which offers 52 “beautiful neoclassical pieces for solo piano”.

Let’s find out whether it lives up to the high standards set by the series…

The Easy Piano Anthology

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

Faber Music’s growing series of high-quality Piano Anthologies have been establishing a reputation for offering generous and well-presented collections compiled for intermediate to advanced players.

You can read my reviews of all the other titles in the series here.

The Faber Music Easy Piano Anthology is aimed at less advanced players, and includes an enticing selection of arrangements suitable for the elementary to early intermediate player (around Grades 1-4). Let’s take a look at this collection…

The Jazz Piano Anthology

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

Over the last three years, Faber Music seemed to establish a pattern of releasing deluxe Piano Anthologies in the run up to the Christmas season. For 2020, they have ‘upped the ante’ by bringing forward the next title in this stunning series to the Spring, with further anthologies (Contemporary and Easy) already in preparation.

The Faber Music Jazz Piano Anthology builds on the quality of its predecessors to deliver a sumptuous and brilliantly conceived book of jazz standards, newly arranged as piano solos for more advanced students and adult piano enthusiasts everywhere.

Definitely time for a closer look…

The Soundtracks Piano Anthology

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

Faber Music have in recent years welcomed the onset of the Christmas shopping season with the publication of lavish anthologies, making perfect gifts for the pianist in your life (or indeed for yourself!).

First (in 2016) came the Faber Music Piano Anthology, a hardback collection of 76 popular intermediate and advanced classics, which I reviewed here. In 2018 they followed this with the lush Faber Music Christmas Piano Anthology, an essential seasonal purchase which I reviewed here.

New for 2019, the Faber Music Soundtracks Piano Anthology is a collection of 58 pieces which have appeared in movies or TV shows, including popular classics alongside recent film scores.