The course books have been completely expanded to include more definitions of music, more music to play, and re-engraved with new illustrations. A big change in method approach is to teach more note reading and use less emphasis on fingering. For this series, these changes may be very welcome.
In recent years, the method has suffered somewhat from being less sequential than possible, with core concepts presented haphazardly. Some students experienced frustration when they perceived information as having gaps or jumping from one musical idea to the next. Another problem was the lack of preparation to read the musical score before actually being asked to play it.
With the addition of related books that teach music theory, piano technique, and solo pieces, students have the opportunity to study all aspects of piano learning. The books range in level from First to Grade 5. For the best study options, students should have the Lesson, Technique, Theory, and Performance books for each level they learn.
It is possible to order some textbooks in French, German and Spanish. For interested students, it’s great to have these options. There are also some books for singers in these languages, so students studying voice or other instruments can access some study materials from the entire library.
A word of caution for teachers and parents is that some experienced teachers have noticed that there is a large gap in difficulty level as the books reach the upper grades. For example, pieces found in one grade can easily fall into the intermediate range, but the next grade may be much better suited for late intermediate or early advanced players. This change in difficulty seems most prominent between grades 4 and 5. Some students may not have a problem advancing to more challenging pieces. But, for those who do, using supplementary materials from additional collections can be helpful in building better bridges between difficulty levels.
Many students who began piano lessons in the 1960s or later may have fond memories of the songs they studied in this course. For some, these are highly prized little piano pieces that have never lost their beauty. It may be that with constant teaching, the new generations of little pianists will enjoy the same sensations.
