Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum in search of a children's book

Years ago, while visiting a friend and noodling on the piano, I peaked in his grandmother's piano bench and found a book of children's song written by a Russian composer. Prokofiev? Shostokovich? Rimsky-Korsakoff? I just can't remember.

I took it out and played it. It was very cool, and not terribly difficult. Not that I've got a piano of my own and some kids that want to play it, I thought it would be fun to track it down for them. Unfortunately, without knowing a composer or publisher it ain't so easy.

Does this ring a bell for anyone?

Maybe Kabalevsky. Album of Children's Pieces for Piano.

Or Tchaikovsky. Children's Album for Piano.

Of course I meant "Now that I've got a piano."

Ermo, I think you're onto something with the Tchaikovsky. I remember it being a mainstream composer. The only other thing that I remember is one of the song titles had to do with bears. I suppose that's only about half of all children's music written. But I'll be looking into them both. Love that Russian style, so keep 'em coming.

When you say children's "songs," do you mean actual songs, with words?

Ooops, I forget I'm speaking to folks who are musically literate. To be more precise, Children's Music (no words).

Thanks Nina

Bartok maybe? Microcosmos or Folk Songs?

Kabalevsky is well known for writting a great deal for children.

Bartok's "Bear Dance" is the first one of THOSE that comes to mind, but he lived in Eastern Europe, not quite Russia.

Sorry for the non-help.

Bob

At the time there was still a "Soviet Block" and with a name like Bela, it's close enough.

What a great resource y'all are. Can't thank you enough.

Ten Easy Pieces - Composed by: Bela Bartok

1. Peasant Song, 2. Frustration, 3. Slovakian Boys' Dance, 4. Sostenuto, 5. Evening In Transylvania, 6. Hungarian Folksong, 7. Dawn, 8. Solvakian Folksong, 9. Five-Finger Exercise, 10. Bear Dance

(emphaeeks mine)


Any others here sound familiar to you?

heres a link to a
"Russian And Eastern European Piano Music Part Two - CD Sheet Music"
index

http://www.encoremusic.com/piano/1704250.htm


I think Bartok died in 45, so strictly speaking the Block hadn't been formed yet, but not to worry.

It'll have to be Bartok.
Caz the other only composer who wrote about bear was Schumann... so shouln't be him.
But though Bartok named it 10 easy pieces... there's really nothing easy about it, and are not really suitable ( on a technical level for children ). They/re more for early intermediate to intermediate students.
Take for example, Bear Dance, the 1,2,3,4 fingering is no small feat for children. I once attended a masterclass by Maurice Hinson on this. Actually the masterclass was about 20th century music and styles, but Bartok was one of the focus that day.

I thought about Schumann too, discarding him because he's not Russian, but if you're opening it up to include Bartok, what the heck.

There are a couple of different collections for children by Schumann. One of which includes Schumann's version of a Bear Dance (apparently a common theme...what's with that?), which I actually played at some point early in my short and undistinguished career. There is also the ever-popular Happy Farmer Returning From Work, which sounds like something you would order in a Chinese restaurant.

Any of these might scratch your itch for fun, easy-to-play pieces for your...umm...kids...to play (which sounds suspiciously like you're asking someone to sign an autograph for your...umm...son, who just happens to have your same first name), so why not check them out even if they're not the same ones you saw in Granny's piano bench. The Kabalevsky, for instance, is nice stuff.

Nope, nope, nope. John Field wrote a delightful little Piano 4-hand piece call "La Danse de Ours"

It must be the Bartok.

Honestly, I was thinking for the kids. But, I liked the music too, so, of course, I'd play them. My recollection was that I could sit and SLOWLY site read them- so they couldn't have been too hard. I was only an intermediate player on my best days.

I've been away from piano for almost 20 years so they might be just the place to dive back in. I switched to guitar in college because it was cheaper and more portable. Also because I thought the "chicks" would think it was cool. The latter reason didn't really pan out for me though.

Thanks for the link Bob!