After a few decades of hibernation, I’m resolved to pick up my (very rudimentary) piano skills again. I breezed through the first six or seven lesson books at an accelerated pace back when I was younger (I already knew how to read music and had been horsing around on my sister’s books for years), but I stopped after a year because I hatedhatedhatedhated my teacher.
But I still kept it up on my own into college, and would try to find piano pieces from the (mostly) classical repertoire that were within my skill level and didn’t have terrifying key signatures. Satie & basic Debussy were faves, some Beethoven, but I learned Joplin too, and other recognizable bits (“Terms of Endearment” theme, “Linus & Lucy”, etc.).
I don’t have any of that music anymore, so I need to start from scratch. I already bought a Piano Exercises for Dummies book so I can work on my scales, fingering, etc. I know that’s important and a priority (especially since I’m twice as old as I was back then). But I also want to slowly start eking out some tunes, too.
And this means pieces that were written specifically for piano. I’m not much into popular tune compilation books, since the arrangements usually suck–though if you know a Great American Songbook collection that might be worth exploring, I’d be interested in that, too. But mostly, classical or ragtime or early jazz suggestions–something that will be a challenge but also well-suited for my (admittedly slow) speed.
I don’t have a suggestion off the top of my head, but I’m curious about your skill level. If you can play ragtime, Debussy, some Beethoven, etc., sounds to me like you’re at least intermediate, not “very rudimentary”!
Well, keep in mind that these are cherry-picked pieces, the easiest of the easy. Most of their canon I’m not even remotely equipped to handle. So maybe pre-intermediate.
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. Like GreenElf suggested, I will revisit some of the numbers I’d already learned, but I did want to explore some new pieces, too.
With the websites, I’m hoping that the actual music is visible, not just the title of the work. Often, I’ll hear something that sounds doable, only to see the key signature is way out of my league, :eek: so that plays an important part in my decision-making.
This is a great start so far. Thanks! Anyone else?
I happen to have a copy of the Rudi Blesh book. Much of it is B-flat, F, C, and G. There are a few that go down to E-flat, A-flat, and a couple in D-flat.
Excellent! Of course, the challenge with ragtime is the syncopation and the speed, but they are great fun so I’m going to head to Amazon now (and maybe purhcase a Satie as well).
My first forays into “real” piano music were the simpler two-part inventions by Bach. They’re pleasingly straightforward, none of that sixteenths with the right hand and triplets with the left crap that Debussy does.
