Embedded Files
Adams, Mrs. C. 1907. Peter Pan: Black key study, op. 20 no. 2. Boston: Arthur P. Schmidt.
This student/teacher duet is written in both F# and Gb for your convenience.
Baker, M. 1993. Reading music. Clavier 32, 4 (April): 18.
For preschoolers, the author suggests designating bass clef C as Papa Bear, middle C as Mama Bear, and treble clef C as Baby Bear.
The three bears take turns singing "Who‘s been walking on my floor?" on a monotone C. Then they take turns singing "Who's been rocking in my chair?" on C D C D C D C.
Bartok, B. n. d. Mikrokosmos, vol. 4. London: Boosey & Hawkes.
On pp. 18-19 is a rarity--a polytonal pentatonic composition.
In this piece, entitled "Playsong," the left hand plays do re mi so la in B while the right hand plays so la do re mi in G.
_____. n. d. Mikrokosmos, vol. 5. London: Boosey & Hawkes.
Although the series is written for piano students, a Hungarian folk song arrangement in this volume calls for a vocalist for whom the piano student is to serve as accompanist.
Bishop, D. 1972. Thumbnail sketches for black keys. New York: Carl Fisher.
Four very nice one-page pieces. Three are written in Gb and one is written in F#.
Brant, A. 1953. Contra punts. Philadelphia: Elkan-Vogel.
Tired of Alberti bass and waltz accompaniments? This beginner's book is written entirely in two voices.
Pentatonic goodies are on pages 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, and 22.
Burgess, M. D. 1948. Black keys to note reading. New York: Creative Music Publishers.
The composer of this book had some good ideas.
Unfortunately, though, the unconventional notation for the child, the conventional notation for the teacher, and the illustrations are arranged on the page in a way which appears cluttered.
It would be nice if someone could typeset this book all over again and issue a revised edition.
Carter, J. 1990. Spirituals for piano. Carol Stream, IL: Hope Publishing Co.
Includes "Every time I feel the spirit.
Casella, A. [1921] 1949. 11 children's pieces. Hackensack, NJ:Joseph Boonin, Inc.
On page 7 is a "Canone (sui tasti neri)."
Coelho, Z. Jr. 1960. 4 pecas faceis. Sao Paulo: Irmaos Vitale.
The first piece is a bugle imitation accompanied by tonic and dominant seventh chords. The third piece is a melody on do re mi so played over a drone.
de Sutter, I. 1967. Concertino pentatonico: Voor klavier en Orff-instrumenten. Amsterdam: New Sound.
A single movement in sonata form, with the first theme in C major and the second theme in F major. Besides the piano, the recorder and glockenspiel parts are somewhat advanced. The metallophone, xylophone, and kettledrum parts are easy ostinato parts. In the absence of Orff instruments, the parts can easily be assigned to traditional instruments.
Debussy, C. 1908. Children's corner petite suite pour piano seul = Coin des enfants. Paris: Durand.
The second movement, entitled "Jimbo's Lullaby," is of intermediate difficulty.
Dee, M. 1953. Jolly jingles: Up to the minute piano stories. Pittsburgh, PA: Volkwein Brothers, Inc.
"Trudging up the hill" is all on black keys. The left hand plays an ostinato while the right hand plays an ascending melody.
Firnkees, G. 1995. Explorations: 14 introductory pieces to contemporary piano music. Mainz: Schott.
#1 is polytonal, with the right hand playing on the black keys and the left hand playing on the white keys.
#12 is an arrangement of "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen," played all on the black keys.
Giglio, V. 1994. Southern Cheyenne women's songs. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press.
Ginastera, A. 1946. 12 American preludes, 2 vol. Carl Fischer.
Contains a piece in the major pentatonic and minor pentatonic modes. The minor pentatonic piece adheres strictly, but the major pentatonic piece does not. Both pieces offer challenging rhythms for the intermediate student.
Grieg, E. 1948. 19 hidtil utrykte norske folkeviser [19 Norwegian folk-songs, op. 66]. Leipzig: C. F. Peters.
The first piece, entitled "Cow-call" is an pleasant one-pager of intermediate difficulty. In the top voice, there is only on pying.
Herzog, A. n. d. The black key polka mazurka. New York: National Music.
A piano solo of intermediate difficulty. The publication differs very little from Sack 1864, and I don't know who the true composer was.
Available through interlibrary loan.
Iljinsky, A. 1894. Berceuse, op. 13 no. 7
This Russian composer lived from 1859 to 1920.
The main theme, played at the beginning and end, is all on the black keys in the right hand. Intermediate difficulty.
Jackson, G. P. 1943. Down-east spirituals, and others; three hundred songs supplementary to the author's Spiritual folk-songs of early America. New York: J. J. Augustin.
Jang, K. 2011. Korean old folk song "Arirang."
An easy one-page arrangement.
Available here.
Kodaly, Z. 1947. Gyermektancok [Children's dances]. London: Boosey & Hawkes.
There have been very few composers who could write pentatonic keyboard music without falling into pseudo-exotic cliches.
Kodaly was one of them.
_____. [1958] 1970. Pentatonic music II: 100 little marches. London: Boosey & Hawkes.
Written in solfege notation. The composer asks for a xylophone, but a student on any instrument would undoubtedly benefit.
Kohs, E. B. 1962. Invention #1 for 3 voices in D pentatonic. New York: American Composers Alliance.
Ellis B. Kohs (1916-2000) was a professor at the University of South Carolina.
Loomis, H. W. 1902. After the lesson: Twenty-four miniature piano lyrics in duet form for teacher and youngest pupils, Op. 75, 2 vol. Boston: C. C. Birchard.
The following pieces are from Book I:
The following piece is from Book II.
Loomis, H. W. 1904. Evening at the lodge. From Lyrics of the red man, op. 76, Book II, no. 4. Reprinted in Lawrence, V. B. 1970. The Wa-Wan Press, 1901-1911. New York: Arno Press.
Milhaud, D. 1941. Touches noires (Black keys). New York: Carl Fischer.
This two-page composition is good for a student who likes impressionistic music.
Modugno, D. (Zencovich, A., arr.). 2017. Tu si 'na cùosa niura (You're a black thing).
A black-key arrangement of intermediate difficulty.
The Kindermusik curriculum uses "Wine, Woman, and Song" by Johann Strauss, but only identifies it by composer's name and opus number.
If you choose to use this piece, you may decide to take similar precautions.
Available here.
Piovani, N. (Zencovich, A., arr.). 2017. Buongiorno, Principessa Nera (Good morning, Black Princess)
A black-key arrangement of intermediate difficulty.
The Kindermusik curriculum uses "Wine, Woman, and Song" by Johann Strauss, but only identifies it by composer's name and opus number.
If you choose to use this piece, you may decide to take similar precautions.
Available here.
Rebikoff, V. 1962. Playing soldiers.
From Silhouettes, op. 31. Consists of a 4-measure trumpet fanfare played 6 times, the first and last time unaccompanied by the right hand.
Contained in volume 1 of Anson Introdeuces Rebikoff.
Rees, O. 1959. Tunes for the music makers. London: Hohner--Education Department.
"Noah's Ark,“ on pages 14-15, has the tone row so do re mi.
Ricker, E. 1990. Pentatonic partners. Chatham, NY: Lee Roberts Music Publications.
I think children would like this book, and I think they would learn from it.
All of the pieces are written in Gb pentatonic. For a student not yet able to read music, the pieces should be easy to teach through verbal instruction.
Robertson, T. 2010. 375-3352
This collection of piano duets derives its title from the telephone number of a piano studio in Korea.
The studio shares the second floor with an English school where the composer works.
In a waltz, a march, and other short pieces, the student plays the telephone number as an ostinato.
Available in pdf format here.
Sack, C. 1864. Black key mazurka. Cincinnati: John Church & Co.
Of intermediate difficulty. The right hand part is all on black keys.
Except for an 8-measure introduction in this edition, there are no major differences between this and Herzog n. d. It is not known which is the true composer or which version is more authentic.
The cover for the sheet music can be seen right here.
The score can be downloaded free right here.
Sacco, P. P. 1970. Ancient to modern: Original pieces for piano. Los Angeles: Western International Music, Inc.
"Echo" is a canon at two octaves in the key of Gb major.
"Under Water" calls for one hand to play black keys while the other hand plays five-note tone clusters on the white keys.
"Black Keys" and "Pentatonic" are self-descriptive.
If you are a hexadecamysist (hater of 16-measure melodies), you might like this book.
Schaum, J. W. 1956. Black Beauty. New York: Belwin, Inc.
For symbolic purposes, this song about Anna Sewell's equine hero is set in F# major.
Available on-line.
Slonimsky, N. 1932. Big Ben. Boston: Oliver Ditson Co.
Of intermediate difficulty. Less advanced students on other instruments could join the piano student in playing the 16-note motif 6 times.
Sousa, J. P. 1928. The Royal Welch Fusiliers. In Sousa album for the pianoforte. Bryn Mawr, PA: Theodore Presser Co.: 16-19.
On page 18, there is an 8-measure section marked "Regimental Trumpets." The left hand makes a drum imitation while the right hand plays the usual four notes played by the bugle.
Stravinsky, S. 1960. Piano music for children, vol. 1. New York: C. F. Peters.
#7, "For the kid next door," combines the tritonic jeer in five different keys.
#14, "Pagoda," is all on the black keys.
Strumpf, M. 1970. Ghanaian xylophone studies. Legon: Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana.
In some of the pieces, the rhythms may be too difficult for most students.
Available in pdf format here.
Tcherepnin, A. 1935a. Etude de piano sur la gamme pentatonique, op. 51: Premiere suite.
There have been very few composers who could write pentatonic keyboard music without falling into pseudo-exotic cliches.
Tcherepnin was one of them.
_____. 1935b. Etude de piano sur la gamme pentatonique, op. 51: Deuxieme suite.
Second volume of item listed above.
_____ 1935c. Etude de piano sur la gamme pentatonique, op. 51: Bagatelles chinoises.
Third volume of two items listed above.
_____. 1959. Exploring the piano: 12 duets for beginner and teacher-pianist. New York: C. F. Peters.
The child plays an ostinato while the adult plays something more complicated. Children love this book.
Watson, M. M. 1931. Songs and finger games on black keys: In the form of duets for first recital pieces. Philadelphia: Theodore Presser Co.
This is a set of teacher/student duets in the keys of F# and Gb.
At the end, there is a solo for the student.
The composer does an admirable job of balancing musical and pedagogical considerations.
The first few pieces call for very simple tasks for the student.
Available in pdf format here.
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