Customer Reviews

It's Christmas! Dan Coates Piano Favorites- Advanced Piano

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

These arrangements sound fresh but aren't too difficult to learn. On religious classics such as Ave Maria, Gesu Bambino, We Three Kings and Mary Did You Know? the left hand is in triplet or eighth-note arpeggios that span a tenth to a thirteenth and the right hand melody is often stated in chords, thirds or sixths so the overall sound is nice and thick.

Several pieces offer moderately jazzy chord substitutions and can be played straight or swing: Frosty the Snowman, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Home for the Holidays. A couple are pop: Believe from Polar Express, Grown-Up Christmas List. All of these include flashy little fills, key changes and enough technical heft so they sound convincing.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year is a neat little jazz waltz if you kick the tempo up a notch and add just a little more action to the syncopated chords.

Only one throw-a-way (in my opinion): We Three Kings.... It just isn't as interesting as the rest.

The complete list of songs is available in the 'look inside' feature. All in all, a good value if you need a bit of flash in your holiday playlist.

The non-sacred songs are very much what you'd expect to hear for cocktail music, with conventional chords and all the fills and fancies typical of the genre. Mr. Coates also included more up-to-date sacred songs like "Birth of a King" and "Mary Did You Know", which have been around long enough to be recognized by many listeners. Mr. Coates does the expected extremely well, and these will be a valued part of your repertoire. Be aware that these are at least "early advanced" in difficulty and will require practice for almost anybody, but students will learn a lot from them.

Loved the arrangements in this book; they were challenging enough to have to put in practice time before performing.

A wonderful set of Christmas music. Loved them all but "Mary Did You Know" is just beautiful. I love playing from this book.

ANY music arranged by Dan Coates is
right up MY alley!

I cannot reccomend him highly enough!

Glenice Mojel