The Best Piano Books for Your Collection

[@patgleeson1825]

Thank you for taking the time to make this video. You are a generous woman

[@AndyRubio1]

So much music to learn, so little time! Great video thanks Leah.

[@sandrafogarty1073]

Nice selections of music. William Gillock's music sounds GORGEOUS. Moon river and the Glasgow Love Theme are lovely, too.

[@Apfelkaninchen]

I really like your channel. You talk about all kinds of things and it's like a package where you get everything you might want to ask as a student in one spot. I really like how you address all potential concerns a student might have. I find myself wanting to listen to you, I really find your advice on everything refreshing. I like to listen to your advice even though I am no longer a beginner. And after listening, I often feel hyped up to jump to the piano and try what you teach or just play something. I guess, listening to your videos helps me stay consistent with my piano playing. I am a seasonal kind of person. When I go into other projects, sometimes I forget about the piano or don't have time but your videos help me build a habit and give me new ideas. The books you presented I think they are too easy for me. I think I might be able to play them right away from sight reading. I am a quite advanced player but sometimes I am looking for something where I can sharpen my skills a bit more but for very advanced to semi-professional piano players. I want to go back to the basics in a way. Is there something you could recommend? By the way, I find it really, really rewarding to work my skills up to the point that I can play something in its original. For some pieces, it took me 25 years. I never forgot about them, I just put them on the backburner until I was ready. As a child I definitely wanted to play the original Version and whenever it said it was an "easier arrangement" for children I was half-disappointed. When I finally got the original in my hands and worked for weeks to study it and learn the difficult parts and finally finished and listened to myself playing the original the way I want it, it feels surreal and I find myself asking: "wow...did I just do what I think I did?" It feels almost epic after so much time. I don't know if someone can relate to it but everytime that happens the realization doesn't quite hit until I try to go to sleep and then suddenly I am all hyped up because of the thought that I finally did it. 😅 And I warn everyone not to underestimate music made for movies and computer games. they are orchestral pieces hidden behind ideas like "oh it's just music written for a game." when they are written back into piano arrangements and sound exactly like the original, they can pack quite a punch. Many of them are quite the most difficult pieces I know and one shouldn't forget that the closer they are to the original the more piano player has to do to do what the orchestra does - alone. It sounds heavenly even though it might not have been intended for the piano but I would argue it was composed using a piano.

[@LeCheileMusic]

Yes, these books are intended for students in the early stages. For more advanced students it’s better to look for original collections by the composer, whether that’s Chopin’s Preludes, the Bach Inventions or a book of Einaudi scores. I agree with you on video game music; it’s where many of the best composers are working these days - the C19th had symphonies, the C20th had movie scores and the C21st has game music ☺️

[@jennywu6355]

Thank you so much Leah for introducing us to William Gillock. Yes his music is absolutely beautiful. Another piece really touches my heart is Autumn Sketch, even the title is so mesmerising. I’m going to buy the book you recommend, plus the “Lyric Preludes in Romantic Styles”. As a late “old” beginner(4 months now on my piano journey with music knowledge from secondary school 40 years ago 😅) I just hope I can learn to play his pieces 😊

[@christine1053]

Beautiful selection, thank you and Merry Christmas!

[@karinschmidt3506]

Dear Leah, thank you for your fantastic work! My first inspiration after a 45 year rest (got some lessons as a child) came from the lovely Pam Wedgwood, book: "It's never too late to play piano", beginner piano tutor - Wedgwood's arrangements all are very charming and playable..."the learn-as-you-play method covers up to the first 2 years of learning, giving you all the motivation you'll need to make learning fun" (from book cover) - that is totally true... Also available in german: Es ist nie zu spät Klavier zu lernen... Then after some experiences I bought an E-Piano KAWAI and all available Wegwood-books - most of them are quite jazzy or swing. But my level is still beginner/lower intermediate. In summertime I do other nice things in my free space, so I only play saisonable piano... But I have fun - there is no need to push me too much - inspiration is the most importance to me. Similar arrangements like the Wedgwood ones are from the German Gerhard Kölbl ( with StefanThurner) - many lovely easy arranged pieces in book1 "My Piano" and book2 "Piano Piano - Die 100 schönsten Melodien, von Klassik bis Pop".... I'm considering of starting a workshop... maybe in future - I would like to know what there are the rules - etc. I very much enjoy your videos - I like your manner of imparting music stuff. Greetings & love from cold Germany. Liz Baumhöfer (real name:) are all

[@LeCheileMusic]

Thanks Liz 🥰

[@karinschmidt3506]

You're welcome, Leah! Here's a really nice piece of choral music - please, sit down & relax... m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXfGhJmnjtZ7qZY

[@karenconnell3290]

Thanks so much Leah. My husband now knows what to buy me for Christmas. 😄

[@phyllisgordon6577]

Awesome! I will try.

[@carmelnithullaigh9049]

Thanks!

[@LeCheileMusic]

Thansk so much Carmel! 🥰

[@catherineb3841]

I have been learning to play the piano for 11 years and one book I am glad I bought in year 2 or 3, because I have used it many times, has been the Burgmüller ‘25 easy and progressive studies’.

[@michelprimeau4531]

I don't know why but I don't really care for arrangement for pop songs since they were not meant to the piano specifically but for classical, I just can't... I have a full list of stuff I want to play that are too advanced for me. Yet, I've found so pearls here and there of lesser known pieces that are at my level. I'm honing my skill with them and progress little by little. That's fine, I'm a patient man.

[@ivan94R]

The sad thing its the difficult of have one of those here in Bogota. I have to order them on amazon and it takes a while for them to arrive. I will try to get some tho. Thanks for every information.

[@enidfigueroaroque6974]

Excelent! I learned a lot!

[@suzannepage3360]

Thank you !

[@penelopethomas7427]

such a good channel.

[@ToastandJam52]

Interesting selection. I just go to the local charity shop and pick something up there. Generally, there is a large selection and the nice thing is the books cost just pennies!!!

[@anonymous.youtuber]

Thank you for making me discover William Gillock.❤

[@deadmanswife3625]

I'm not sure if I'm supposed to see a link where to go to buy a book or not not that I'm ready to buy another book right now I'm still on my beginner book but I'm just saying

[@LeCheileMusic]

Hi Wendy, the links are in the description.

[@deadmanswife3625]

@@LeCheileMusic what a difference nine months makes LOL I'm back watching this and yes I knew how to find the link this time and I went and checked out a few books to see what I thought thank you so much

[@tia904]

I could not stand Faber... I bought one book for adults, read it and tried the music. I thought their compositions were not attractive...the book has been gathering dust since. If I were a child and been given no choice, I would have given up on learning the piano if Faber series were used. I started learning with Anna Magdalena notebook and Russian children's book, much nicer and with exposure to different keys right away. Faber's obsession with C is a problem. I learned so much, much faster with great sounds.

[@LeCheileMusic]

Thanks Tia, of course not every method will appeal to everyone.

[@katiesethna]

Beautiful 9th choral. Tchaikovski. Dvorak. Thank you! Ah, sightreading! My bugbear. But I AM BETTER. Nothing can beat classical music.

[@wimjanssen2181]

😊wim😊

[@paschaligwenagum8612]

None of these books is free online Ma'am

[@LeCheileMusic]

No, they have to be bought. You can find lots of free music in the Petrucci Library if you Google that though.

[@paschaligwenagum8612]

@LeCheileMusic ok thanks Ma'am