A wonderful collection of favourites that everyone who has learned to play the piano will know and love. Beethoven’s touching ‘For Elise’ (1808) is a musical letter to the daughter of his doctor, and has been a favourite with piano teachers and pupils since it was discovered in the early 19th century.
Debussy’s Children’s Corner includes a tribute to one of the great instruction manuals on piano playing, Clementi’s ‘Gradus ad Parnassum’ and includes the famous ‘Golliwog’s Cakewalk’. Rather like Schumann, Debussy looks back as an adult to childhood memories, though through the eyes of a little girl. Debussy dedicated them to his daughter Chouchou.
Schumann’s ‘Scenes from Childhood’ reminiscences are very personal and touching short pieces. Tchaikovsky’s Album for the Young however was composed specifically for providing children
with new and exciting music to learn, rather than the dry old textbook material. ‘Morning Prayer’ is a particular favourite. Learning piano can have moments of fun as well as the Czerny studies and ‘Dr Gradus ad Parnassum’!
Other information:
- A superb collection of easy to listen to and easy to learn piano pieces for children.
