You're stranded on an island and oh-my-gosh! there's a piano there! What single book of scores would you want to have floated ashore with you?
Currently, I'd pick a book of Chopin nocturnes. The Henle book preferred.
You're stranded on an island with a piano and one book of scores....
You're stranded on an island with a piano and one book of scores....
Can we switch that to "my iPad fully loaded with forScore and the bluetooth foot pedal" ???
(where's that running away gif when you need it....)
So, jokes aside, if I had to choose only one collection, I would want it to be mixed with different composers.... But there's not one book that has all the composers I would want....
Oh no, that's difficult. If I have to choose from the books I have I'll choose the henle book with Chopin waltzes. If I can buy a new one I want the Chopin preludes. I also saw a book online once with all Chopin's pieces, maybe I need that one. I read it doesn't stay open, that's why I didn't buy it.
Essential keyboard repertoire, volume 3 or 4. Or another collection of graded pieces from all eras - that is, there should be pieces that are a bit too easy for me, pieces at exact my level, and pieces that are a bit too difficult; pieces from baroque to modern.
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... feeling like the pianist on the Titanic ...
- Edited
Animisha that is, there should be pieces that are a bit too easy for me, pieces at exact my level, and pieces that are a bit too difficult; pieces from baroque to modern.
A very wise decision!
I have a book I purchased recently, from which I have yet to play anything, I only bought it because I have a sheet music addiction, I think it’s called the Anthology of Contemporary Piano Music or something like that, that might be a good choice for me…
You told about this book! So does your crossing that sentence mean that you actually have started with a piece of that book?
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... feeling like the pianist on the Titanic ...
Did you say book? They're printed on paper and don't usually last very well when wet. Some of my books were water damaged. A copy of the Bach Italian Concerto in F got partly soaked in the rain.
I'd play the pieces I remember by ear as much as possible and get into improvisations. There is no guarantee the piano on the island is in good condition with few or no broken key(s) and has been tuned recently. I came acoss old pianos that people gave away that hasn't been tuned for a few years. Even a piano that was played before it was given away the owner didn't spend money for a technician to tune the instrument.
The 2 books that I'd take to the island are the 2 that has many pieces I can play for fun without hours of practice:
- The first is Reader's Digest "100 Favorite Songs of Faith, Friendship & Love". These are old songs from before the 1970s. The pieces have simple LH accompaniment and chords on top that can be read as lead sheets.
- "The Big Book of Classical Music: 100 of the World's Favorite Pieces". These are Classical pieces. Not all were originally for piano such as "In the Hall of the Mountain King" from Peer Gynt Suite by Grieg somewhere in the book.
I like both of these equally well.
Animisha Essential keyboard repertoire, volume 3 or 4. Or another collection of graded pieces from all eras - that is, there should be pieces that are a bit too easy for me, pieces at exact my level, and pieces that are a bit too difficult; pieces from baroque to modern.
The Essential Keyboard series would be a decent choice! You would get to sample different composers from different periods. Looks like they go through Vol. 8, but that after Vol. 4 or 5, the books specialize in various things but stay in the early to advanced intermediate level.
Complete piano works of Claude Debussy. They range in difficulty from intermediate level to virtuosic. But I would inevitably rely on improv skills (pastiche) for other styles.
Oh, and since this is a fantasy, the piano would always remain in perfect tune and regulation. 
pseudonym58 Complete piano works of Claude Debussy.
Cheater! 
That would be a very large tome!
And that tome would be my second choice after the Chopin mega-tome!
For me, I'd choose a book on composing music because you know that one music book isn't going to cut it for very long before you've played everything in it so many times you're sick of hearing yourself play.
At which point the piano will make a good bonfire to signal passing ships with.
Player1 For me, I'd choose a book on composing music because you know that one music book isn't going to cut it for very long before you've played everything in it so many times you're sick of hearing yourself play.
A compromise would be the Sher Standard Real Book. Almost 600 pages of melodies and chord symbols to arrange to my heart's content.