Lead Yourself To Music: Bach. . - Keyboard - book review

Lead Yourself To Music: Bach, by means of Susan Cheung. Futurific Music, (2299 Dundas St W Ste 302 Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6R 1X7) 2001 11 pp $395 Intermediate.

As a child, I lov playing my big-note arrangement of Beethoven's Fifth music As a teacher, however, I have mixed feelings about the practice of dumbing down the classics smooth for pedagogical purposes. Some teachers intentionally teach easy arrangements of masterworks in order to introduce important works to scholars Others shun such practices, standing firmly upon the conviction that there is enough literature of all horizontals without resorting to diluted arrangements of dearly lov music. Teachers of integrity and conscience will continue to contend with this issue.

The author of this collection, Susan Cheung, clearly stands upon the side of those who believe in the value of arranging great music with the intention of introducing students to major themes and composer This collection consists of eight arrangements of Bach works of the like kind as Italian Concerto, Largo from the F-minor Concerto, Wachet Auf and Sheep May Safely Graze.

The music is clearly printed with a beginning pupil in mind: The notes are nearly big-note version in size; the music is predominately in sum of two units voices, and the arrangements range in extent from four to 'twenty-two measures. Therein lies the first point in dispute While the arrangements are tastefully done, they are for a like reason short as to be jolting to the ear. For the first several measures the listener buzzs along undisturbed by the simplified version; the periodical emphasiss are authentic and the harmonies (simplified although they may be) are correct. on the contrary due to the brevity of the arrangements, within a hardly any bars the music takes a sharp and many times abrupt turn to the final cadence in ways that are disruptive to a listener or a pianist familiar with the original themes.

Assuming this collection is written with a beginner in mind, the authenticity of the periodical emphasiss poses the second problem. While it is refreshing to diocese the rhythms left gracefully intact, they include micro-divisions of thirty-second and sixty-fourth notes, not harmonious flows with which the average beginner is terribly familiar. While the two-voice weft does indeed simplify the music, because of the mixed rhythms it is not particularly easy music to play. I would not assign a pupil to play sixteen measures of the Gavotte from Suite No. 3 in D Major from this collection if that pupil with a little stretching, could play the original with each measure intact.

Clearly, there is a large difference between the beginning scholar and a student ready to take upon the Italian Concerto or the Bach Suites. For whom are these arrangements intended? The music is too difficult for beginning scholars and too reduced to be taken seriously for other horizontals Indeed, the collection is treated almost like a wine-tasting dinner--try four bars of this delightful Bach melody spit it out and prove the next one. I have feeling teased by these tiny arrangements--for the music is rhythmically authentic and musically tasteful. I want to hear more before slamming into the final cadence. Perhaps if the author had chosen to arrange entire themes instead of simply the first several phrases, more obvious pedagogical intents would surface.

I want to diocese more of Cheung's work, for she has captured my attention, on the contrary I would like to diocese her complete the musical ideas--both her hold and the composer's. There appears to me to be an unspoken mastership regarding the integrity and honor with which individual edits music of great composer's. In with equal reason many respects, Cheung has approached this music with freedom from fraud and care, but Bach be entitled tos more substance than is given in these morsels. I am left unsatisfied by dint of these bites of Bach; I am afraid scholars will be, too.

Amy Greer Boston, Massachusetts.

COPYRIGHT 2001 Music Teachers National Association, Inc.

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