Classics to Moderns in the Intermediate Grade (Music for Millions, Vol 37) [Paperback]

Denes Agay (Author), Hal Leonard Corp. (Creator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1992 | Series: Music for Millions (Book 37)

Volume contains standard works of the repertoire, and also works of composers rarely encountered within other collections. There are works from the baroque through the modern periods, and each piece is in its original form.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Founded in 1947, Hal Leonard Corporation has become the worlds largest print music publisher, representing some of the greatest songwriters and artists of all time. We are proud to publish titles of interest to all musicians as well as music lovers, from songbooks and instructional titles to artist biographies and instrument price guides to books about the music industry and all the performing arts.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Music Sales America (January 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0825640377
• ISBN-13: 978-0825640377
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #69,187 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I think it's what I want..., April 14, 2007

By 

amazon3131 "amazon3131" (California, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Classics to Moderns in the Intermediate Grade (Music for Millions, Vol 37) (Paperback)

When I was in elementary school, I took piano lessons for a while with a decent teacher. I wasn't the most cooperative student -- I really wanted an instant solution that would let me play as well as my well-trained mother, instead of all this hard work and fussing about timing and so forth -- and we gave up at the end of the first book. I've learned very slowly since then.

One frustration in the intervening years was learning a dumbed-down piece, like a heavily edited version of Beethoven's ever-popular "Fur Elise," and then discovering that not only was the real version much more complex and interesting (and beyond my limited skills), but that learning the dumbed-down version actually made it much harder to learn the real one! My fingers kept wanting to go in the "wrong" direction to play the simplified version.

I've looked for a long time for a book like this, which is original, classically structured compositions which have NOT been dumbed down for the not-very-advanced pianist, but simply weren't very difficult to begin with. I received this book just a few days ago, and I'm basically happy with what I see.

On the down side, I'm going to have to take the book down to a print shop to have the binding cut off and have the pages drilled for a three-ring binder. It won't stay flat even with a couple of hymnals to hold it open. This is not an especially expensive task, and it will completely solve the problem, but it is a hassle.

Also, quite a number of the pieces are things I've never heard of, and some of them can't be found on the Internet, either. I wish there were a CD available so I could figure out whether I have a reasonably normal interpretation of an unfamiliar piece.

Finally, I think it might be helpful if there were some effort to describe what the editor thinks "intermediate" means. A few of the pieces look somewhat more intimidating than the little bit that's visible on Amazon's website, and a couple just a little less. But if you're not well-trained or if you're a non-musician buying something for a student, having some specific information (like "recommended for people who have finished John Thompson's Grade Two book") might be helpful.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great collection of easy pieces, July 5, 2004

By 

R. A Swirsky (Sunnyvale, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Classics to Moderns in the Intermediate Grade (Music for Millions, Vol 37) (Paperback)

I always return to simple piano pieces when I want to check my technique. The pieces in this collection can each be learned in a day or so, but are original-form pieces, sensibly editied, and a large variety of styles and composers.

This collection is well worth having no matter what your level. If you're a beginner, it's a nice introduction to "accessible" piano literature. If you're advanced, it's good for sight reading exercises, to practice memorization techniques, or to use as simple technical studies.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Intermediate Classical Repetoire, May 4, 2000

By 

"dgnettles" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Classics to Moderns in the Intermediate Grade (Music for Millions, Vol 37) (Paperback)

This is the second time I've bought this book; I completely wore out my first copy. It has an excellent selection of music from Baroque to Modern, including several pieces that are familiar to most music lovers. Finger suggestions are provided, to the extent of being helpful, but not distracting. In fact, most of the editing has been judicious. This volume will be used and enjoyed for years as the performer will come back to it after having advance to higher levels.