The 20th Century series presents music by some of the greatest composers of the modern era, composers who wrote a full range of music for orchestra, voices, piano and chamber ensembles, in the great and large forms. But they also valued music education, and composed interesting music to foster a stdent pianist’s progress. The pieces by these composers lead a student not only to technical proficiency, but also to become a more fully formed, imaginative musician. When a great talent turns attention to writing a short piece of limited difficulty level for students, it is approached with the same aesthetics, temperament, tastes and creative invention applied when composing a symphony, opera or concerto. These exquisite miniatures are complete works of timeless art. Through them a master musician of the past indirectly teaches a progressing musician of the present and the future.

Contents: Bartók: selections from For Children: Children’s Song, Happy Thoughts, Sorrow • selections from The First Term at the Piano: Crescendos, Folksong, Hungarian Folksong, Walking • Bolcom: selections from Monsterpieces (and Others): The Bad Mister, Badminton, The Plaid Miss • Dello Joio: selections from Suite for the Young: Little Sister, Mountain Melody • Diamond: selections from Eight Piano Pieces: Jumping Jacks, Pease-Porridge Hot • Gould: The Missing Beat from At the Piano, Book 1 • Loud and Soft from Ten for Deborah • Kabalevsky: selections from 30 Pieces for Children, Op. 27: Waltz, A Little Song • selections from 24 Pieces for Children, Op. 39: Waltz, Jumping, Folk Dance, Clowns • selections from 35 Easy Pieces, Op. 89: The Shrew, Little Goat Limping, The Little Harpist, Stubborn Little Brother • Pinto: Minuet from Children’s Festival • Shostakovich: selections from Children’s Notebook for Piano, Op. 69: The Bear, Merry Tale, Sad Tale.

Schirmer Performance Editions feature composer biographies, historical notes, and practice and performance tips.