Customer Reviews

150 of the Most Beautiful Songs Ever

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I found this book at the public library and checked it out. Loved it so much I kept it overdue until I could have bought my own copy several times over. So glad I finally added it to my library. It has fast become my favorite.

This collection contains too many great songs to name them all, but my favorites include "Chances Are," the Johnny Mathis love song, "Can't Smile Without You," Barry Mannilow's hit, and Gershwin's "Love is Here to Stay."

You won't find much rock 'n roll, jazz, or country & western in this volume, but you will find enjoyayable, singable songs from almost every decade of this century.

This book draws heavily from musicals ("My Funny Valentine" "Memory"), big band ("Sleepy Lagoon"), Hollywood ("Manhattan" "When You Wish Upon a Star"), ballads ("I Left My Heart in San Francisco" "Smile") and of course love songs ("Till There Was You"! ; "Where or When")

You do not need to be an accomplished pianist to play these, but they are not for beginners either. As Goldilocks would say, they are "just right!" I play piano casually and can sight read about half of these and play the rest with a bit of rehearsal.

Well, I've sold myself again. Time for me to cut this review short and return to playing from "150 of the Most Beautiful Songs Ever."

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This book is essential for all piano players...the music is easy enough for my 8 year old beginer, yet is full of recognisable songs and not the usual made up singsongy stuff that most begining songbooks have. A novice can easily pick this book up and play every song. This book is mostly full of broadway musical songs, as well as some more classical peices as well. You will use this book more then any other, I completely reccomend it.

Maybe it's just because I'm 56, but the printed notes are too small to read easily, especially to sight read. I'm returning my copy. I wished an actual page of music was shown in the Amazon preview, instead of just the song list. On the other hand, I highly recommend The Library of Easy Piano Classics, which is very readble and has a high rating on Amazon reviews.

The book itself is great-big, thick, and solid unlike some smaller collections, and overall a beautiful book. Best of all, the book lays open really well, which saves the frustration of bending back the binding or using paperclips as I have previously. Basically, I'm a self-taught sort-of-intermediate (I guess) player who purchased this book to get away from the "learning music" used in John Thompson's Level 3-4 study books. (You know, classical songs that no one has ever actually heard before.)This book contains a lot of songs I know, and a lot that are common enough that I could find cds containing them (to see if I'm playing somewhere close to the correct way.) Anyway, there's a good selection-some from movies and broadway, some from the sixties, etc. Also there are some surprising songs you wouldn't expect to find-like "Somewhere Out There" from "An American Tail" (Just so you know, in the movie a mouse sings the song.) I was pleased to find that "Moon River" was included, as well. Anyway, the terrifying part was when I opened the book and found that every single song is written on three staves. For most people this is probably no big deal, but my experience with three staves was limited primarily to a song in a lesson book that I couldn't make heads or tails of. When I showed it to my uncle, who is very proficient on the piano and organ (played professionally in lounges during college and now plays the organ in churches) he pretty much squinted at it and told me he'd never seen anything like it before, that it was ridiculous, and that I should skip over it. Thus, the dismay when I opened this book. However, a day and a few tears later, I have finally come to a conclusion: you do not attempt to play all three staves together (two treble, one bass) as I first thought. The top staff is the primary melody line and you play it with the bass. The second staff is a slightly more difficult version of the primary melody, and is played with bass. I think you can play either or, whatever your preference and skill level is, but that the 2nd treble line might be good as well if you are accompanying someone and working in a little more harmony. Anyway, once I got the kinks worked out I found that I am very pleased with book. It's definatly worth the money. Incidentially, another book at a similar level is Jim Brickman's Disney Songbook (which I also purchased.) I'd probably put both books at a Level 4 John Thompson lesson book.

I keep finding songs in this book whose melodies I remember, but I could've never named them. If your mind goes blank in the music store, this selection is broad. 150 gives you a lot to work with! Best of all, the arrangements are just right. It's not Dan Coates, making me feel frustrated at my lack of innate talent. Some songs will take some effort, most allow me to sound good on the second pass through. That's my definition of intermediate. It's a great collection for those of us who love playing for our own enjoyment and want interesting arrangements.

Better than I thought it would be. Simple, one handed sheet music for the novice with a keyboard that has build accompaniment. I'm sure someone more adept at the keyboard would find it lame, but it was just what I was looking for.

This book was a gift to my music-loving,piano-playing friend who lost her mother's grand piano and every piece of music she owned in the wrath of Hurricane Katrina. Thank heaven for such a great book so filled with favorites. While nothing can ease the pain of having your whole house and everything in it wash away in a thirty foot wall of water, this book has such a wide collection of best loved songs that it makes things seem a little bit better. It has cheered her to be able to play again (on a piano bought from the Salvation Army) and bring the sound of music to her life again.
The book is well made and even lies flat for playing. Every home should have one.

I just started playing piano again after a 20-year break, and I'm kind of stunned by another reviewer's comment that a beginner can play these songs. I found this book really hard for me because it requires playing lots of sharps and flats. When I played some of these songs years ago, I don't remember playing all these sharps and flats. I sure wish I could play this music, however, because this book has pretty much every song you would possibly want to play. Oh well, maybe in 10 more years. :)

My mother purchased this book for me, and the first time I used it was as a booster seat to lift me higher on the piano so I could see my conductor. It's a fat book, satisfyingly fat, and the selection of songs is just great. If you're looking for a ballad, this book has got ballads in spades. These appear to be all the standard arrangements, which is why this isn't quite worth five stars-but contains such a large number of tunes from a variety of musical genres that it's very useful.

I use this with my voice students, at weddings, at funerals, and for my own enjoyment. You'll get the most enjoyment out of the book if you've followed Broadway music and earlier pop songs- the music from Tin Pan Alley and The Great American Songbook, as it were, although some later songs are included.

150 of the Most Beautiful Songs Ever is a fantastic resource, but again- the arrangements are lacking in a certain artistry- I consider them to be kind of clunky. Then again, they include chord symbols, so you can rearrange the songs to your liking if you wish.

A very nice collection of classic songs and show tunes. It's easy to improvise and brings back a lot of memories. It a thick book but still easy to turn pages and lays flat on the rack. I collect songs and this has many that I do not have. I play a few songs from it everyday.