Repertoire Collections

Piano Music of Latin American Composers

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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A couple of years ago, Hal Leonard launched a new series of repertoire collections under the banner of ‘Expanding the Repertoire’, the first two books being a couple of volumes edited by Leah Claiborne called Piano Music of Black Composers. Reviewing them at the time, I concluded that although the two volumes could be welcomed simply as an inclusive diversification of the pedagogy literature, nevertheless,

“…the quality of the content makes a compelling case for introducing this music to all our elementary to intermediate students, regardless of their heritage.”

I am glad to see that the series has now itself been expanded, with two complementary volumes of music by Latin American composers. Once again, the Level 1 book will suit elementary to late elementary players (UK Initial to Grade 2), while Level 2 caters for early to late intermediate (Grades 2-5).

Compiled and edited by Desireé González-Miller, Piano Music of Latin American Composers is an eye-catching resource, so let’s take a look…

Lang Lang Piano Book 2

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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The Lang Lang Piano Book is undoubtedly one of the music publishing landmarks of recent years, a collection of inspiring pieces for advancing players selected by the classical superstar in part because of the joy many of them added to his own musical learning as a child. Now available as the paperback Encore Edition, I have reviewed it here in depth.

Following the success of the original publication and CD double album, a sequel was perhaps commercially inevitable, and is now here. Lang Lang Piano Book 2 delivers another 30 piano pieces, both as a recorded album from Deutsche Grammophon (CD, vinyl, download, streaming), and as a Faber Music piano anthology.

We are told that for this second installment the pianist has included “a rich blend of playable classics alongside neoclassical pieces and music from film, pop and video games”, marking something of a departure from the first collection. So let’s investigate further…

Winter Piano Anthology

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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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…

Music We Might Have Played

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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This year is my 50th at the piano and, oh my, how the piano scene has changed in half a century! So it is fitting that the latest publication I have had the honour of working on celebrates the positive transformation of our repertoire in recent years.

Written in partnership with the brilliant musician, composer, broadcaster, and writer Jack Pepper, and with a foreword by Jeneba Kanneh-Mason, Music We Might Have Played brings together nineteen solo pieces in a wide range of styles, written by composers from around the world whose piano music we were both unaware of when growing up.

Lang Lang • Piano Book

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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When The Lang Lang Piano Book appeared in 2019 as a deluxe hardback publication from Faber Music, I described it as ‘sumptuous’. In the years since, several who come for lessons with me have enjoyed Lang Lang’s outstanding selection of popular classics and lesser-known pieces.

The original Artist Approved Collector’s Edition is now being replaced by the new Encore Edition, including scores of four additional pieces which appeared on the extended version of Lang Lang’s DG recording of the same name. This review similarly replaces my original one with an update that considers the publication in its new form.

The full list of pieces will appear later in this review (see below). But let me say from the outset that it’s a great list, and that I am sure that many will enjoy the Lang Lang Piano Book and welcome it as a strong anthology for early advanced players, the bulk of the material suitable at around UK Grades 6-8.

Piano Player • Classical Pieces

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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Faber Music’s The Piano Player series, which launched in Summer 2022, has been a highlight of the last couple of years, delivering a succession of themed anthologies that have enjoyed wide appeal with adult enthusiasts.

The eighth and latest title in the series is now with us, stylishly complementing the set with a collection of beloved (and in a few cases lesser-known) classical pieces from the eighteenth to early twentieth centuries.

I have reviewed all the previous titles in the series, and in this post I will take a look at this new addition…

The Night Time Piano Anthology

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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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.

Piano Music of Black Composers

Pianodao Music Library

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

“For far too long, the contributions of Black composers in the piano repertoire have not been brought to the forefront. Despite a persistent wave of great scholarship to bring awareness of these composers to light, only recently has there been deliberate inclusion of their works. Even with more awareness and attempts for inclusion, the myth that there is only piano music by Black composers for advanced pianists remains…
Finally there is a pedagogical piano collection that celebrates Black composers as pedagogues and gathers together piano music that can be enjoyed by the most novice beginning piano students through their musical progress.”

So writes Leah Claiborne in the compelling introduction to her two new music collections, Expanding the Repertoire: Piano Music of Black Composers, published worldwide by Hal Leonard.

Leah Claiborne