My First Book of Chopin: 23 Favorite Pieces in Easy Piano Arrangements (Dover Music for Piano) [Paperback]

Bergerac (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 14, 2003 | Series: Dover Music for Piano

Fun-to-play, pedagogically sound arrangements include the theme from the "Raindrop" Prelude, "Minute" Waltz, the charming "Lullaby," and melodic highlights from the most familiar preludes, mazurkas, waltzes, impromptus, and etudes. Also features "Fantaisie-impromptu," the delightful "Butterfly" Etude, the world-famous "Military" Polonaise and "Heroic" Polonaise, 23 in all.

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (March 14, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486424278
• ISBN-13: 978-0486424279
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.2 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #350,748 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Theory, Composition & Performance > Sheet Music & Scores > Composers > Chopin

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Frèdèric Chopin, May 24, 2009

By 

James Hyden - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: My First Book of Chopin: 23 Favorite Pieces in Easy Piano Arrangements (Dover Music for Piano) (Paperback)

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This is the perfect book if you are a beginning pianist and are interested in learning the music of Frèdèric Chopin. NOTE: These are 'Easy' Piano Arrangements.

There are a total of 23 titles with 2 of the titles revisited later on:

· Prelude, Op. 28 no. 7
· Mazurka, Op. 67 no. 2

Total = 21 unique songs (listed below)

As a beginner to Chopin's music, I also purchased the following two CD's:

Chopin: Greatest Hits contain 10 songs from the book and Chopin: Favorite Piano Works contain 6 songs for a total of 13 unique songs. (3 overlap) .. including:

CHOPIN GREATEST HITS:
· Polonaise for piano No. 3 in A major ("Military"), Op. 40/1, CT. 152
· Waltz for piano No. 6 in D flat major ("Minute"), Op. 64/1, CT. 212
· Fantasy-Impromptu for piano in C sharp minor, Op. 66, CT. 46
· Nocturne for piano No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 9/2, CT. 109
· Prelude for piano No. 7 in A major, Op. 28/7, CT. 172
· Polonaise for piano No. 6 in A flat major ("Héroique"), Op. 53, CT. 155
· Etude for piano No. 3 in E major, Op. 10/3, CT. 16
· Prelude for piano No. 20 in C minor, Op. 28/20, CT. 185
· Prelude for piano No. 15 in D flat major, Op. 28/15, CT. 180
· Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35, CT. 202 Marche funèbre

CHOPIN FAVORITE PIANO WORKS:
· Fantasy-Impromptu for piano in C sharp minor, Op. 66, CT. 46
· Nocturne for piano No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 9/2, CT. 109
· Waltz for piano No. 3 in A minor, Op. 34/2, CT. 209
· Waltz for piano No. 9 in A flat major ("L'adieu") Op. 69/1, CT. 215
· Ballade for piano No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23, CT. 2
· Polonaise for piano No. 6 in A flat major ("Héroique"), Op. 53, CT. 155

Each song in the book is also preceded by a paragraph with background details. For example from the first song:

"(This is) The seventh Prelude from Chopin's 24 Preludes, Op.28, composed when he was 26. The music is really a delicate waltz, made up of rhythmically identical two-measure phrases. Originally in the key of A major, this version states the melody alone in the easier key of G major, then adds a simple bass line. The music is light, airy and elegant."

Here is the complete song list and the introduction from the title page:

"Chopin knows what sounds are heard in our fields and woods," wrote a critic. "He has listened to the song of the Polish villager and he has made it his own." But the composer's adopted France brought a new elegance and refinement into his music, and Frèdèric Chopin, revered as "the poet of the piano," was welcomed into Paris's highest social and courtly circles. The story and music of a great composer forever torn between two worlds appear in the pages that follow.

CONTENTS
In approximate order of difficulty

01. An Elegant Chopin Melody (in French Ballroom Style): Prelude, Op. 28 no. 7
02. A Plaintive Chopin Melody (in Polish Mazurka Style): Mazurka, Op. 67 no. 2
03. Lullaby: (Berceuse, Op. 57)
04. Mazurka: Mazurka, Op. 67 no. 2 (revisited)
05. Mazurka in F: (Mazurka, Op. 68 no. 3)
06. Etude No. 3: (Etude, Op. 10 no. 3)
07. Prelude No. 7: (Prelude, Op. 28 no. 7 (revisited)
08. An Early Nocturne: (Nocturne, Op. 9 no. 2)
09. A Late Nocturne: (Nocturne, Op. 55 no. 1)
10. First Ballade: (Ballade No. 1, Op. 23)
11. Ballade in F: (Ballade No. 2, Op. 38)
12. Funeral March: ("Marche funèbre" from Sonata No. 2, Op. 35)
13. Mazurka in C: (Mazurka, Op. 33 no. 3)
14. Grand Waltz in A Minor: (Grande Valse Brillante, Op. 34 no. 2)
15. "Farewell" Waltz: (Waltz, Op. 69 no. 1, "L'adieu")
16. "Minute" Waltz: (Waltz, Op. 64 no. 1)
17. "Organ" Prelude: (Prelude, Op. 28 no. 20)
18. "Raindrop" Prelude: (Prelude, Op. 28 no. 15)
19. Fantaisie-impromptu: (Fantaisie-impromptu, Op. 66)
20. "Butterfly" Etude: (Etude, Op. 25 no. 9)
21. "Military" Polonaise: (Polonaise, Op. 40 no. 1)
22. "Heroic" Polonaise: (Polonaise, Op. 53)
23. Scottish Dance: (The first of the Trois Ècossaises Op. 72 no. 3)

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good for beginning pianist., April 11, 2009

By 

R. Timmerman (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: My First Book of Chopin: 23 Favorite Pieces in Easy Piano Arrangements (Dover Music for Piano) (Paperback)

Excellent simple arrangements of Chopin pieces. There is a considerable range in difficulty from the beginning of the book to the end. I wish some of the arrangements were a little longer.