Play it again: Piano

Did you use to play the piano? And would you like to play again?



This is the first of three books of Play it again: Piano. It will reunite you with the keyboard using real pieces from the piano repertoire to teach specific techniques and tips, to get you playing fluently once again. The level of pieces in this first book progresses from around UK grades 1 to 4 (elementary to intermediate).





"I used to play the piano…"

Aimed at 'returning' players who have spent some time away from the keyboard, Play it again: Piano gives you the confidence to revisit this fulfilling pastime and go beyond what you previously thought you could achieve. Each of the 28 pieces in Book 1 is accompanied by two full pages of easy-to-understand practice tips, all designed to get your fingers speeding comfortably across the keys once again! There are more comprehensive Piano Technique and Theory sections at the front and back of each book, so you can also delve deeper to regain a fuller understanding of music and technique.



A refresher course for all abilities

Each book is arranged in 4 progressive sections, with Book 1 moving from 'Elementary' to 'Intermediate', and Book 2 taking you from 'Late Intermediate' to 'Late Advanced'. Dip in and out wherever your level of playing suits: this two-book course starts with simple and elegant miniatures and concludes with the famously showy Prelude in C-sharp minor by Rachmaninoff! Confident pianists could start with Book 2, but there is a wealth of delightful repertoire and valuable practice tips in Book 1 – it's always useful to go 'back to basics'.



From Schumann to shuffles

Baroque, Classical and Romantic works sit alongside Jazz, Ragtime, contemporary or traditional pieces at every level, so each lesson brings something different and you'll learn to play in a range of styles, some of which may be new to your fingers.



If you often find yourself saying "I used to play the piano…" but wish you still did, then Play it again: Piano is the resource for you!



Melanie Spanswick – pianist, author, teacher, and composer – graduated from the Royal College of Music with a Master's degree in Performance Studies. Melanie is a widely experienced examiner and adjudicator, and frequently gives master classes, workshops and presentations throughout the UK and internationally. As a pianist, she has performed and broadcast worldwide.

Melanie has written and edited piano books for the international market, to critical acclaim. She is a regular contributor to Pianist magazine and Piano Professional (EPTA), and her piano compositions have been featured in various publications and included on many music festival syllabuses.



Introduction - From the Author - How to use Play it again: PIANO - Posture, Hand and Finger Positions - Music Notation and Keyboard Layout - Rhythm and Pulse - Musical Symbol - Late Beginner - Ave, Generosa by Hildegard of Bingen, arr. Melanie Spanswick - Study in C from Kinder-Klavierschule by Heinrich Wohlfahrt - Can Can by Jacques Offenbach, arr. Melanie Spanswick - Little Melodic Studies for Beginners Op. 187 No. 13 and 14 by Cornelius Gurlitt - Cradle Song Op. 49 No. 4 by Johannes Brahms, arr. Melanie Spanswick - Song and Ukrainian Folk Song by Leonid Vladimirovich Nikolayev - Cherries and Little Mazurka by Milada Borová and Zdena Janzurová - Sparkle by Melanie Spanswick - Ripples by Rosa Conrad - Scarborough Fair Trad. arr. Melanie Spanswick - Preparatory - Old German Dance by Michael Praetorius - Andante and Allegro moderato from 120 Pieces for Aspiring Beginners by Daniel Gottlob Türk - Little Invention by Jakub Jan Ryba - Ode to Joy (Symphony No. 9) by Ludwig van Beethoven, arr. Melanie Spanswick - Melody No. 12 (Theme and Variations) from L'ABC du Piano by Félix Le Couppey - Little Invention from First Term at the Piano, Sz. 53, No. 3 by Béla Bartók - Canon by Henk Badings - Little Waltz by Gunter Kretschmer - Rock Fever by Hans-Günter Heumann - Sunday Afternoon Etude by Melanie Spanswick - The Peacock Princess by Sharon Choi - Molly Malone Trad. arr. Melanie Spanswick - Early Elementary - Minuetto from Harpsichord Suite No. 6 by Anna Bon - Minuet in C (K. 6) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Dance No. 1 by Sophie Auguste de Weyrauch - Waltz (Swan Lake) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, arr. Hans-Günter Heumann - On Tip-Toe by Arnoldo Sartorio - Le petit mendiant from Op. 103, Album for the Very Young by Mélanie Bonis - Noёl! by Marguerite Balutet - Little Dance by Alice Tegnér - Secret by Barbara Heller - Louisiana Blues: Swing - Etude by Melanie Spanswick - Amazing Grace Trad. arr. Melanie Spanswick - Theory - Piano Practice - Rhythmic Exercises