Classical Books - Page 5

First Lessons in Bach (Alfred Masterwork Edition)

Johann Sebastian Bach

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Good for beginning adults 5 out of 5 stars.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.

I played piano for my entire childhood and adolescence, but gave it up over ten years ago now. I am trying to teach myself how to play again, and this book has been a great re-introduction. The songs are simple and accessible, but not "mary had a little lamb" or "when the saints go marching in," which is what you'll find even in the alfred's adult beginner books...I'd even venture to say that some of the songs are quite beautiful. That said, the level is a bit more advanced than the Alfred's beginner books, so if it's your first go-round with piano, I might still start there.

I'm also trying to learn theory, and the simplicity of these songs makes them pretty easy to analyze - although the theory is not always that obvious for a beginner.

I'd also recommend "Twenty Easy and Progressive Studies for the Piano", which is for a similar level, but the theory is more obvious, so you can go through and see why certain songs use certain notes. The songs aren't as nice, but they're still enjoyable to play and you don't feel like *such* an idiot when the downstairs neighbors hear you practicing. :)

Editorial Review:

Easy piano study of Johann Sebastian Bach, edited by Carroll.

Ludwig Van Beethoven Complete Piano Sonatas Volume 1 (Nos. 1-15)

Ludwig van Beethoven

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Awesome Edition For the Cheap Price 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I'm a piano major in college and I know several people who own this edition and have in soem cases for years and they're all still in very good condition for their age. Surprisingly, it holds up well over time and the pieces are excellently presented...I've never heard any editing complaints.

I myself own the Henley Urtext edition of the volume 2, but own teh Dover for the volume 1. If you're strapped for cash in your music shopping *which I have been many times*, this is a great choice!

Good Edition 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Obviously there is nothing to say about the Beethoven sonatas. Simply amazing.

This edition has given us 1-15 in a very reasonably priced book. The binding is sturdy, and I have put it through some strain, trying to make it stay open. It will stay open, if you will work with the binding. But the binding seems to have no problem standing up to the strain I have put on it. Highly recommended.

Editorial Review:

Volume 1 of authoritative Schenker edition includes Op. 2, Nos. 1-3; Op. 7; Op. 10, Nos. 1-3; Op. 13; Op. 14, Nos. 1-2; Op. 22; Op. 26; Op. 27, Nos. 1-2; Op. 28.

Wicked: A New Musical - Easy Piano Selections

Amazon Price: $10.85 List Price: $15.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Hal Leonard Corporation Amazon Marketplace: 15 new & used starting at $8.99

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Have they got the right book? 2 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I read all the previous customer reviews for this "easy piano" version and the other piano/vocal version of the musical before I ordered it, but I'm not sure they have matched the right reviews with the right book. The reviews I read for this book said it did NOT necessarily include the vocal line in the piano part, but in reality that's all it is--the vocal line with the simplest of accompaniment. I returned this book and ordered the other version.

The versions in this book are well done. Though they are simple, they sound convincing, with harmonies and rhythms recognizable from the original versions. They are NOT, however, adequate for accompaniment of a performance of the songs, and they are not at all challenging.

The pieces in this book could be easily mastered by a pianist with only a modicum of skill. They are sight readable for a accomplished pianist.

Editorial Review:

Nominated for a whopping 10 Tony Awards, Wicked is the Broadway smash of 2004! A prequel to the all-American classic The Wizard of Oz, this new musical is a character study of Elphaba and Glinda, school roommates who grow up to become the Wicked Witch and the Good Witch, respectively. 13 fantastic tunes: As Long as You're Mine * Dancing Through Life * Defying Gravity * For Good * I Couldn't Be Happier * I'm Not That Girl * No Good Deed * No One Mourns the Wicked * One Short Day * Popular * What Is This Feeling? * The Wizard and I * Wonderful.

The Last Five Years - Vocal Selections

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Wow! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Jason Robert Brown has been among my favorite composers in the business for quite a while. His books are among the most played music in my collection, and for good reason. They cover a tremendous emotional range, and this book is well worth the money.

A few caveats: I'm a music major, having played piano for 15 years and sung for most of my life, and I still think this music is HARD! Be aware if you're a less experienced musician that you may find most of his work frustratingly difficult. Also, if you own the vocal selections books from his individual shows (I own all but Parade), you will find considerable overlap in these books. From each of the shows so far that such books are available, this book includes 3 songs that you may already have and one new song. It also includes, however, many songs that are not available anywhere else, and is still very much worthwhile for what is left.

Editorial Review:

Jason Robert Brown, the creator of Parade and Songs for a New World, has written a distinctive new Off-Broadway musical. The Last Five Years tells the story of a failed marriage of 20-somethings: he a successful novelist, she a struggling actress. Her story is told in reverse, his conventionally moving forward. They meet in the middle at the point of their wedding. Brown's strong writing has found a solid following among musical theatre fans. Our songbook features piano/vocal arrangements of 12 songs: Goodbye Until Tomorrow/I Could Never Rescue You * I Can Do Better Than That * If I Didn't Believe in You * Moving Too Fast * The Next Ten Minutes * Nobody Needs to Know * A Part of That * The Schmuel Song * Shiksa Goddess * Still Hurting * A Summer in Ohio * When You Come Home to Me."Short, bittersweet and nearly perfect, Brown has come up with a winning combination of music and book."- Variety

Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician

Christoph Wolff

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Finalist for the 2001 Pulitzer Prize in Biography. A landmark biography of Bach on the 250th anniversary of the composer's death, written by the leading Bach scholar of our age. Although we have heard the music of J. S. Bach in countless performances and recordings, the composer himself still comes across only as an enigmatic figure in a single familiar portrait. As we mark the 250th anniversary of Bach's death, author Christoph Wolff presents a new picture that brings to life this towering figure of the Baroque era. This engaging new biography portrays Bach as the living, breathing, and sometimes imperfect human being that he was, while bringing to bear all the advances of the last half-century of Bach scholarship. Wolff demonstrates the intimate connection between the composer's life and his music, showing how Bach's superb inventiveness pervaded his career as musician, composer, performer, scholar, and teacher. And throughout, we see Bach in the broader context of his time: its institutions, traditions, and influences. With this highly readable book, Wolff sets a new standard for Bach biography. 42 b/w illustrations.

Ben Folds - Rockin' the Suburbs: Piano/Vocal Transcriptions

Ben Folds

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Ben Folds 5 out of 5 stars.
36 of 36 people found this review helpful.

Accurate transcription of piano music as played in Rockin the Suburbs CD. Keep in mind that this is not a transcription of a live performance, and so songs such as "Rockin the Suburbs" might be a little sparse on notes since little piano is used on the CD. Songs with less accompanyment by other instruments, such as "The Luckiest" sound more complete when played only with a piano.

Not quite as good as the other titles 4 out of 5 stars.
27 of 27 people found this review helpful.

Folks looking for the same full-instrument transcribed scores as the previous scores Hal Leonard released are going to be a little disappointed. When the previous reviewer says the piano parts get a little sparse, he means it, and unfortunately unlike in the previous books, you can't turn to the lines of other instruments for fill-inspiration. This also means it's a heck-of-a-lot easier to play than the other books (maybe this is a good thing for you?)

Still, it's Ben Folds, who pwnz all things piano and the piano ballads (Luckiest, Fred Jones Pt. 2) are sure to please.

Editorial Review:

Our matching folio to Ben Folds' first official solo release - which the All Music Guide deems only a half-star short of five-star perfection - features piano/vocal transcriptions for all 13 songs: Annie Waits * The Ascent of Stan * Carrying Cathy * Fired * Fred Jones Part 2 * Gone * Hiro's Song * Losing Lisa * The Luckiest * Not the Same * Rockin' the Suburbs * Still Fighting It * Zak and Sara.

Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground New Edition

Michael Moynihan, Didrik Soderlind

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 137 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

He's not the devil - he's a very naughty boy ... 4 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

A fascinating account of the formation of Norwegian Black Metal and its aftermath that attempts to delve into the minds of a handful of originators. The first half of the book makes for intriguing reading as the events of the black metal subculture branch out into an unsuspecting society. The latter half of the book attempts to discover the motivation behind the more sinister deeds of the black metal fraternity, but at times tends to be a little confusing and lacking focus, which is possibly a reflection of the state of mind of the book's antagonists. The authors successfully present the facts and let the reader draw their own conclusions, ensuring this book is a great conversation starter.

Editorial Review:

Bands including Dead, Euronymous, and Varg Vikernes — along with sociologists, police officers, theologians, and occultists — recount how the satanic Black Metal, a spin-off of the heavy metal underground, devolved into acts of church burning, murder, and suicide in Scandinavia. This second edition, fully revised, discusses the crimes committed by Black Metal practitioners since 1997 in one of the strangest sagas in the history of rock and roll. Over 200 photos and illustrations are included.

Fifty Easy Classical Guitar Solos

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

disappointed 2 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Ehhh, I'm truly disappointed in this book. It is truly for the very beginner and the songs are sub par. Many of the songs are very similar and just wasn't what I was looking for. I was hoping for something with more skill/technical. I would pass on this book if you have prior guitar experience.

Fun, good tunes, easy, yet progressive 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I recently decided to take up classical guitar on my own after playing piano most of my life and diddling around with electric and acoustic guitars. While this book doesn't give any instruction, it is progressive, starting out with extremely simple pieces and working up to easy yet more complex works. Half way through, the pieces require special fingering, and the tablature and notation help show how it's done. I'd give the book five stars since it delivers what its title describes, but I think the book could have been prefaced with some intro to fingerings and other beginner techniques. Nevertheless, there are many books that cover that issue. The songs in this book have mostly a nice Spanish sound to them, and I have really enjoyed working on them. I'd recommend this book to any beginner, hobbiest, etc.

Editorial Review:

Selections from all periods of classical guitar literature for the beginning or intermediate player , in both standard notation and tablature. Includes a full-length CD of performances by the author to guide you through your studies.

Pro Tools for Musicians and Songwriters

Gina Fant-Saez

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 49 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

You’ve got the power. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on recording-studio time anymore. Now, using Pro Tools—a digital-audio workstation—you can record demos at home on your own computer, edit tracks, add effects, and even output songs to a CD. But if you’re new to working with sound digitally, you face a daunting learning curve. Getting your music gear to work with your desktop computer or laptop—and producing results that you like—involves some unfamiliar tools and concepts.
At last, here’s a Pro Tools book written by a musician for other musicians! Author Gina Fant-Saez knows first-hand how frustrating it can be when you first make the move to using this complex, studio-quality audio application. Rather than overwhelm you with every detail of the program and complicated terminology or functions you’ll never use, Pro Tools for Musicians and Songwriters teaches only the essentials you need to record, enhance, and output your music.

With downloadable audio files from www.protoolsformusicians.com to help you get started, Pro Tools for Musicians and Songwriters will show you how to:
•     Use a metronome (click track) or percussion loop to help you keep time when you record
•     Record and combine multiple takes to create one seamless composition
•     Edit your tracks with crossfades, panning, doubling, automation more[  
•     Add and manipulate plug-in effects, such as reverb
•     Share your Pro Tools files with other musicians around the globe
•     Output your finished composition to a CD

Acoustic Guitar Tab White Pages

Amazon Price: $19.77 List Price: $29.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Hal Leonard Amazon Marketplace: 27 new & used starting at $17.05

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

a little confusing 3 out of 5 stars.
14 of 23 people found this review helpful.

This is a great selection of songs for the price. The only fatal flaw is that the tabs are TOO detailed. Some people may like to know every single missed note, mistake, or partial strum in the song, but for me, I find that the book sacrifices practicality for the sake of accuracy. I much prefer a little less detailed (and easier to use) tabs like those in Warner Bros. "Greater Guitar White Pages".

Editorial Review:

This awesome collection features note-for-note transcriptions with tab for 150 acoustic favorites from yesterday and today! Songs include: About a Girl * Across the Universe * Adia * Angie * At Seventeen * Barely Breathing * Behind Blue Eyes * Best of My Love * Bitch * The Boxer * Building a Mystery * Change the World * Come to My Window * Crazy on You * Drive * Dust in the Wind * Fast Car * Galileo * Here Comes the Sun * I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow * Iris * Jack and Diane * Layla * Learning to Fly * Leader of the Band * Leaving on a Jet Plane * Loser * Maggie May * Mr. Jones * More Than Words * Name * Not Fade Away * Patience * Pinball Wizard * Pink Houses * Signs * Silent Lucidity * Southern Cross * Suite: Judy Blue Eyes * Superman (It's Not Easy) * Sweet Home Chicago * 3 AM * Tears in Heaven * Time for Me to Fly * Time in a Bottle * Torn * Wonderwall * Yellow * Yesterday * You've Got a Friend * and many more unplugged gems.