Customer Reviews for Classic Themes By the Masters
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Arizona Annie
Location: from Tucson, AZ
Difficulty Level:
Beginner
June 14, 2012
An Excellent Choice for Beginning Students
I have been a piano teacher for many years, and when one of my students brought this book in from a previous teacher, she brought me a super gift! I now have all my students play from it. The pieces are varied in level. As soon as my students finish Teaching Little Fingers to Play, they are given Ode to Joy. There are a number of beginning level pieces, all in the key of C, and the pieces progress from there into about the early second year of most students. In other words, you can work continuously from this book for well over a year to year and a half. Also important is that almost all of these melodies are so well known that many students say things like, "Hey, I've heard that before," or "My mom hums that when she's doing dishes". The titles may not be familiar to you, but the melodies will be. All in all, I give this book five out of five stars. It is standard in my teaching and will remain there.
9 of 18 people found this review helpful.
Karen
Location: from Florida
Difficulty Level:
Beginner
January 30, 2009
Great for Beginners!
I love this book! I am a beginner (less than 6 months of real practice) and yet this book enabled me to play some lovely classics I recognize right away. Makes me feel like I am getting somewhere. I started with the level 1 book in this series in a group piano class and was able to play this book with no problems. (Just as a reference, I am 40.)
26 of 51 people found this review helpful.
Stephenie Lyon
Location: from Ohio
Difficulty Level:
Beginner
April 9, 2008
Great Motivator
I got this book for an early beginner at piano, a 13 year old young man, who literally just started "Teaching Little Fingers to Play." He likes "Ode to Joy" and this version, although more difficult than his level of study would indicate, motivated him to make that extra effort. After two weeks, he can play it from the book and by memory and is starting to add extra accompaniment notes to fill out the sound. I'd recommend this book for beginners or for those just learning to improvise.
23 of 45 people found this review helpful.
Dr. Buckles
Location: from Wilmington Ohio
Difficulty Level:
Early intermediate
April 2, 2008
A great selection
of classic pieces. I have just begun playing out of this book and I find that there are plenty of pieces I can play now and others that I look at think, maybe someday. I pick this book up often because I enjoy the pieces that I am able to play.
23 of 48 people found this review helpful.
Marie
Location: from MN
Difficulty Level:
Early intermediate
March 28, 2007
Late Beginner to Early Intermediate Classics
My daughter loves classical music and now she can play her favorite pieces. The format challenges her at just the right level. Not too hard not too easy. She can't wait to play two of the pieces at her recital!
22 of 48 people found this review helpful.
Brendan O'Keefe
Location: from Scarsdale, NY
Difficulty Level:
Early intermediate
March 15, 2001
Students and parents love this one!
This book has all the great orchestral hits including Blue Danube, Beethoven's 5th, Ode to Joy, Surprise Sypmhony, Hall of the Mountain King, Fur Elise, Morning Mood and many more. You get lots of mileage of out of this book. Most students play 75% of the book.
20 of 38 people found this review helpful.