The 20th Century

The 20th Century series presents music by some of the greatest composers of the modern era, composers who wrote a full range of music for orchestra, voices, piano and chamber ensembles, in the great and large forms. But they also valued music education, and composed interesting music to foster a student pianist's progress. The pieces by these composers lead a student not only to technical proficiency, but also to become a more fully formed, imaginative musician. When a great talent turns attention to writing a short piece of limited difficulty level for students, it is approached with the same aesthetics, temperament, tastes and creative invention as applied when composing a symphony, opera or concerto. These exquisite miniatures are complete works of timeless art. Through them a master musician of the past indirectly teaches a progressing musician of the present and the future.

Contents: Bartok: selections from "For Children": Children's Song, Happy Thoughts, Sorrow; selections from "The First Term at the Piano": Crescendos, Folksong, Hungarian Folksong, Walking; Bolcom: selections from "Monsterpieces (and Others)": The Bad Mister, Badminton, The Plaid Miss; Dello Joio: selections from "Suite for the Young": Little Sister, Mountain Melody; Diamond: selections from "Eight Piano Pieces": Jumping Jacks, Pease-Porridge Hot; Gould: The Missing Beat from "At the Piano," Book 1; Loud and Soft from "Ten for Deborah"; Kabalevsky: selections from "30 Pieces for Children," Op. 27: Waltz, A Little Song; selections from "24 Pieces for Children," Op. 39: Waltz, Jumping, Folk Dance, Clowns; selections from "35 Easy Pieces," Op. 89: The Shrew, Little Goat Limping, The Little Harpist, Stubborn Little Brother; Pinto: Minuet from Children's Festival; Shostakovich: selections from "Children's Notebook for Piano," Op. 69: The Bear, Merry Tale, Sad Tale.

Schirmer Performance Editions feature composer biographies, historical notes, and practice and performance tips.