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Songbook Review: Whisperings Solo Piano Songbook Volume 1
Whisperings Solo Piano Radio
Cover image of the songbook Whisperings Solo Piano Songbook Volume 1 by Whisperings Solo Piano Radio
Whisperings Solo Piano Songbook Volume 1
Whisperings Solo Piano Radio
2011 / Midnight Rain Productions
95 pages / 16 songs
Review by Kathy Parsons
After reviewing the first Whisperings Solo Piano Radio compilation CD, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the companion songbook. Now that it’s here, I can say that it completely lives up to my hopes and expectations! What a joy to spend a couple of evenings playing this music and getting to know these songs from a more personal perspective! All sixteen piano solos from the CD are included, and they appear in the book in the same order as they do on the recording, for those who like to play along. With sixteen artists represented, it is only logical that the music would have a fairly wide range of playing levels. I would compare it to the Narada Piano Solos book from quite a few years ago because a few pieces are quite easy, most are a strong upper-intermediate to a fairly advanced level, and a couple are what I would consider (as a teacher) advanced and challenging. That said, there is certainly something for everyone here, and advancing pianists can work their way into the more challenging pieces. There are a few songs with complicated key signatures, but I found very few places with stretches of more than an octave. The transcriptions are clear, clean, and roomy, and the music is printed on a heavy paper stock (which I have a hard time with making quick page turns). The book is spiral bound (YAYYY!!!) so it stays open on the piano, and the cover is a larger version of the album cover artwork. It’s an exceptionally nice collection, and I highly recommend it to pianists of all ages. It is available from the Whisperings website.
August 23, 2011
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