Piano Puzzlers: Thirty Familiar Tunes Disguised in the Styles of Famous Composers [Paperback]

Bruce Adolphe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2006

Is that a Prokofiev sonata or "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"?

Are you playing "Alouette" or a piece by Schubert?

Composer Bruce Adolphe is regularly featured on NPR's Performance Today, where he perpetrates his fiendishly clever "Piano Puzzlers." He'll rewrite a popular melody in the style of a great classical composer--then challenge you to guess the tune and the composer. For years, people have been begging for the sheet music. And finally, here it is! This collection presents 30 of Bruce's "recompositions," printed exactly as he plays them on the radio. Now you can play them at parties, in the classroom, as encores, or just to drive your neighbors crazy!

Editorial Reviews

Review

"There is much re-tasting and savoring to be had in this collection...belly-laughs, subtle jokes and connections." -- Fred Child, Host of NPR's Performance Today

About the Author

Whether it’s about a fugitive turkey, a mysterious message from the moon, or a teenage T. rex, Bruce Adolphe’s music captures the hearts and minds of audiences of all ages. Bruce has composed music for Itzhak Perlman, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the National Symphony, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the Beaux Arts Trio, Sylvia McNair, the Brentano Quartet, and many other renowned musicians and organizations. A composer, author, actor, pianist and scriptwriter, Bruce has earned a national reputation as a leading figure in the field of music education and audience development. Renowned for combining comedy and musical scholarship, he has been the lecturer of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center since 1992 and a featured speaker at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art since 2001, as well as a frequent guest lecturer at many of the country’s premier concert series and festivals, music schools and education conferences. A prolific author, Bruce has written three books on the art of listening to music: The Mind’s Ear: Exercises for Improving the Musical Imagination; What to Listen for in the World; and Of Mozart, Parrots and Cherry Blossoms in the Wind: A Composer Explores Mysteries of the Musical Mind. He has appeared on nationally televised Live from Lincoln Center broadcasts, and is often a guest on National Public Radio. Bruce’s latest radio venture is a comic musical quiz show featuring his renditions of familiar tunes in the styles of famous composers for NPR.

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Wannacracker Music (January 15, 2006)
• ISBN-10: 0970124937
• ISBN-13: 978-0970124937
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 8.9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #896,223 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars More great fun. January 20, 2013

By Nancy E. Garrels

Amazon Verified Purchase

My husband got the two books for christmas, having heard them on the radio, and it's great fun to stump everyone , as well as to play these well!

5.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what I wanted December 22, 2012

By Ryan M. Hainlen

Amazon Verified Purchase

I am slightly disappointed that there are only 30 but it shall be epic none the less!
Definitely a worthy Christmas present for someone who can play the piano and love some modest challenges.
Besides, you get some unique songs.