Customer Reviews

30 Pieces for Children, Op. 27: Piano Solo

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Dmitrii Kabalevsky was a Soviet-era music teacher, composer and pianist. He composed solo piano exercises for children that include technique and etude but are also very pleasant musically. 30 Pieces for Children op.37 is an excellent lesson book for beginning pianists. The pieces are rather short and it doesn't take long to learn the notes. Then part II begins: it takes a lot longer to really master these short pieces dynamically and temporally with confidence.

For example, one piece, a Baroque-style minuet called Old Dance, contains mordents with a quick jumpy staccato and rests melody. Ditty is an evocative piece with sharps, flats, and accidentals that is reminiscent of a lush jazz played piano andantino. It is refreshing that Kabalevsky challenged his young students with such mature pieces. They are complex, interesting, beautiful, and a joy to learn, play, and listen to.

I recommend this book and hope that the word "children" in the title will not dissuade adult beginners to try this unusual and creative collection of piano lessons.