My First Recital Book: An Artistic Early Elementary Collection for Solo Piano with Optional Duet Accompaniment - Composers in Focus Series - Book Review

American Music Teacher, Oct-Nov, 2003 by Sylvia Coats

by Melody Bober The FJH Music Company, Inc. (2525 Davie Rd., Ste. 360, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317-7424), 2003. 22pp., $5.50. Early elementary.

An artistic early-elementary collection for solo piano with optional duet accompaniment, My First Recital Book, by Melody Bober, provides students with special pieces to perform for their first recital. Students want to play "long pieces" for the recital, and this collection will fit the bill with all pieces being three pages and ranging in length from thirty-two to fifty-six measures.

My First Recital Book is from the Composers in Focus series, original piano collections celebrating the creative artistry of contemporary composers, according to Frank J. Hackinson, publisher of FJH. Bober has composed numerous pieces for the elementary and intermediate student.

In notes to the teacher, Bober suggests that having the teacher on the bench during the recital will boost the student's confidence and enhance the sound with a beautiful duet part. I also recommend it! Sometimes students are confused when sitting at an unfamiliar instrument, and the teacher can assist them with starting in the right place.

This collection contains six pieces, all in middle-C position with the melody divided between the hands and some octave changes. The pieces have a variety of moods and tempos in ABA form. The first three--"Rockin' Good Time," "A Sweet Melody" and "Windmill Waltz"--are straightforward with contrasting dynamics and touches.

The last three pieces are more complex. "Dancing Raindrops" encourages musical artistry with phrases notated with crescendo and decrescendo throughout. The ending provides a challenge of accidentals and hands-together playing. "Tuba Talk" is a clever march in the low register with an elaborate accompaniment in the upper register that invites images of a woodwind section with flute-like scales and arpeggios. "October Wind" is a very musical minor waltz with a harmonically interesting accompaniment.

In this collection, Bober has been successful making music with just a few notes and composing satisfying accompaniments that will please the student, teacher and audience. Reviewed by Sylvia Coats, Wichita, Kansas.