African American Folk Songs Collection - 24 Traditional Folk Songs for Intermediate Piano Solo Arranged by Artina McCain

This is a book I think every piano teacher should have in their library and use in teaching intermediate students.Things I like: First, these arrangements are beautiful and accessible. There are so many compositional touches about the arrangements that make them a joy to play and listen to! I knew that Dr. Artina McCain is an accomplished concert artist, and now I see that she is a marvelous arranger too. I'd love to see her original compositions.Musical quality should be considered before anything else. If music pieces weren't pleasing to listen to and play, there would be no point. But let's also address what these pieces represent: They are an important part of American history. What's more, they show the genius and ingenuity that it took to survive slavery without letting it break the spirit — something everyone should consider, because slavery exists in modern times too, and can happen again.Another feature I love is the short explanations given after each title in the Table of Contents. They are just the right introduction to peak students' interest, and teachers' too! Reading them, I am inspired to find out more. Researching by looking up keywords on the internet, after reading these short introductions, would be an excellent homework assignment for students, or even an in-lesson activity.The book is also visually appealing, with lovely illustrations and an elegant feel. It's just a really nice book. I also appreciate that the illustrations enhance the music without distracting the eye.Things I don't like: Really, there is only one. I wish that lyrics had been provided for the songs, even if they had been put in an Appendix in the back of the book. Perhaps this could be done in a future edition. The lyrics probably can be found with a quick internet search, true; but folksongs sometimes have variations because they were passed down orally instead of being written down. If there is a different syllable count in the lyrics, then they may not match up easily. In this case, thankfully, the folksongs are from a time period when some of them could have been written down by scholars and other foresighted persons who were interested in preserving the music. So, perhaps the lyrics we find on the internet will match up just fine with the melodies published in this book.That is a small quibble, though, and I imagine the lyrics were left out intentionally so that intermediate-level pianists could focus on learning the gestures that are needed to make playing this level of music easier. These pieces will be excellent for teaching advancing students who are ready for intermediate-level work. Not only will this book help prepare students for the fluid movements needed in Chopin and other intermediate-level repertoire: This book will also open the eyes of teens, who are undergoing their own struggles, and educate them in a gentle way about the struggles endured and overcome by past generations and peoples. Perspective is such a great gift to give to teens! They will be able to express their emotions with these pieces, and also realize they are not alone in their struggles.What an excellent book. Highly recommended.