Library of Easy Piano Classics [Plastic Comb]

Like the other reviewers, I appreciate the quality of the selections and the spiral binding. But what I love most about this book is how cleverly the pieces have been simplified. They are easy enough for an advanced student to sight read, yet somehow they retain all the essence of the originals, so they don't sound like the watered-down kiddie versions I remember playing in my "lesson books." They would definitely provide enough challenge for a beginning or intermediate student building a repertoire.

I feel the reviewer who stated that the arrangements were "needlessly simplified or altered" completely missed the point of this book. Imagine learning to play the "Moonlight Sonata" or Schubert's "Serenade" in a few weeks or even a single sitting! The pieces are condensed, but when you are playing just for fun, it makes sense to play only the parts that people recognize and admire. And what a great idea to transpose Chopin's "Etude in E" into the key of F so that it is actually possible to enjoy its lyrical beauty without going mad trying to remember all those sharps. Since composers tend to be men with large hands, I've had to chop notes out of their four-fingered chords all my life, so why not have the publishers do it for me? In short, this book does all the right things to make these songs a joy to play.

Whether you are a beginning student looking for recital pieces, an intermediate student wanting to learn sight-reading, or an advanced student who just needs a welcome break from months of laboring over the originals, this book has something for everyone. I would recommend it as an addition to any home with a piano.

This book has really motivated me to practice more and concentrate harder in the time I do spend at the piano. Also, it's a great bargain - it's a huge book and a LOT of songs for the price. Usually you spend 12-15 dollars on a thin book with just a few songs.

This book contains essential pieces that everypianist should know. It has 300 pages, and since it's spiral-bound itfits easily on your music rack. The notes are big and clear on high-quality paper.

The bad:

A lot of these pieces have been needlessly simplified or altered. I personally would rather spend the extra time to learn the ENTIRE compositions, and I was extremely disappointed to find how incomplete these are. But at least it offers some good practice.

Also, anyone about to buy this book should realize that the word "Easy" in the title is misleading. This book is bordering intermediate-level. END