Accent on Analytical Sonatinas

Early Intermediate Level

By William L. Gillock

This book gives the student three complete Gillock sonatinas to use just before learning the Clementi and Kuhlau ones. Each sonatina includes a complete analysis of the form, helping the student learn to do the same when he learns the master composers works. Apart from the pedagogical value of the...

book, the pieces are worth learning just for the music's sake. They are just as interesting and fun to play as the standard ones we use all the time, sometimes even more so. Gillock has captured the stylistic elements that we've grown to love in a sonatina. If you didn't know differently, you would think that you were playing a newly-discovered Clementi original. A nice feature is that some of the pieces include simple ornamentation, but without the symbols: the notes are written out for the student. This helps them develop a sense for ornamentation without being confused by complicated notation. I consider this book an "everyone gets it" book.