Thalberg (1812-1871) was a renowned piano virtuoso and composer. His technical specialty, since widely imitated, was to play a central melody with the thumb of either hand and surrounding it with brilliant arpeggios and arabesques.

Sigismond Thalberg was one of the most famous and most successful piano composers of the 19th century. During the 1830s and the 1840s his style was a major force in European piano-playing. He was greatly in fashion and was imitated by others. In 1852, Wilhelm von Lenz wrote:

'The piano playing of the present day, to tell the truth, consists only of Thalberg simple, Thalberg amended, and Thalberg exaggerated; scratch what is written for the piano, and you will find Thalberg.'

Ten years later, in 1862, a London correspondent of the Revue et gazette musicale wrote:

'Nobody in fact has been so much imitated; his manner has been parodied, exaggerated, twisted, tortured, and it may have happened more than once to all of us to curse this Thalbergian school'.
Expressions like "exaggerated", "twisted" and "tortured" indicate that some contemporaries were starting to feel jaded of his style. It was at this time when Thalberg's career as composer and as virtuoso came to an end.

In the late 19th century, Thalberg's fame had come to depend on his association with a single piano technique, the 'three-hand effect'. Carl Friedrich Weitzmann, in his Geschichte des Klavierspiels (1879), wrote about this.

'His bravura pieces, fantasies on melodies from Rossini's Mos� and La donna del lago, on motifs from Bellini's Norma and on Russian folk-songs, became extraordinarily popular through his own, brilliant execution; however, they treat their subjects always in one and the same way, [namely] ... to let the tones of a melody be played in the medium octave of the keyboard now by the thumb of the right, now of the left hand, while the rest of the fingers are executing arpeggios filling the whole range of the keyboard'.

The Easy Concert Pieces series presents easy piano pieces for beginners in progressive order. Three volumes have already been published.
These pieces are intended to complement a piano tutorial method and are particularly suitable for performance at auditions, concerts, competitions and examinations. They offer varied repertoire in a broad selection of pieces from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern eras. .

Volume 1 (ED 22547) is meant for beginners. The pieces span a single octave and stay within five-finger positions. Other criteria for the selection of the pieces are simple rhythms and very easy chord playing. Crossing the thumb under, polyphony and pedal are not required yet.

Volume 2 (ED 22548) extends the range to two octaves. .Hand turns (crossing the thumb under), pedal, simple polyphony and three- or four-part chords all feature in Volume 2, as do simple ornaments, playing cantabile and differentiating between melody and accompaniment.

Volume 3 (ED 22549) is aimed at advanced players who wish to refine their expression and personal interpretation. The pieces demand a great deal of dexterity, a high sense of rhythm, articulation and phrasing, polyphonic playing (polyphony even in one hand) and tonal differentiation of the piano setting.

For the Easy Concert Pieces series, the experienced piano teacher Monika Twelsiek compiled pleasant, easy piano pieces for beginners and published them in three volumes in progressive order.

The three volumes are intended to complement a piano tutorial method and are particularly suitable for performance at auditions at music schools, for examinations and for competitions. They offer varied repertoire in a broad selection of pieces from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern eras.

Volume 1 (ED 22547) can already be used by beginners, containing pieces in the five-note range and easy pieces spanning a single octave. Other criteria for selection are simple rhythms and very easy chords. Crossing the thumb underneath, playing several parts together and pedal use are not yet required.

Volume 2 (ED 22548) contains pieces with an extended range of two octaves. Crossing the thumb under, pedal use, simple polyphony and three- or four-part chords all feature here, as do simple ornaments, cantabile playing and differentiating between melody and accompaniment.

Volume 3 (ED 22549) is aimed at advanced players who wish to refine their expression and personal interpretation. The pieces demand a great deal of dexterity, a high sense of rhythm, articulation and phrasing, polyphonic playing (polyphony even in one hand) and tonal differentiation of the piano setting.

The memorable melody of Springs of Joy consists of 8th note arpeggios, supported by waltz bass and intruiging harmonic shifts. The B section offers a new key, an equally-compelling melody in the bass, and thumb-damped chords in the treble. Reminiscent of a Chopin waltz, the open scoring of Springs of Joy will challenge your ringers to play the melody smoothly, and it is perfect as an uplifting moment in worship or a sprightly addition to concert or festival repertoire. A smaller ensemble (8 ringers on 3 oct. or 9 ringers on 5 oct.) might welcome the challenge of ringing paired 8th notes (a performance concept taught by both Kathleen Wissinger and Carlos J. Avila Baez at conferences); instructions for this method are included in the score. This light-hearted, original piece is dedicated to Carlos for his inspiration.

ISBN 9781610658089. First Lessons on Banjo is an ultra-easy instruction manual for beginning five-string banjo played in the three fingerstyle in G tuning. It can be used by those with no previous experience with the banjo or music of any sort. It is so basic it can be used even by small children. The book features very detailed descriptions of even the most basic aspects such as wearing the picks properly, the correct picking motion, and noting the strings properly. These are aspects that are so basic most manuals skip over them. There are many detailed photos, several from the player's point of view, not from in front of the banjo. First Lessons on Banjo covers the most basic rolls, the Alternating Thumb Roll and two Forward Rolls, plus the three basic chords plus the relative minor chord. All musical examples are presented in tablature, with the melody notes in boldface type so the student knows which notes to emphasize. All arrangements include lyrics, which is very important to the novice who is trying to train the ear to hear the melody among the fill notes. Several tips and suggestions about the proper mental approach are included that will lead to playing by ear and arranging at an earlier stage in the student's development. There are also suggestions about developing the proper mental approach and about speed reading of tablature. These suggestions are not found in any other banjo instruction book. The 'finale' arrangement is Cripple Creek, a popular banjo standard that when mastered, should give the novice a great sense of accomplishment. The accompanying recording includes all tabbed examples, with the rhythm instruments and lead banjo in separate channels. The songs are played at three tempos, the first tempo VERY slow, then a medium tempo version, and finally at performing speed with guitar, mandolin and bass accompaniment. The up- tempo accompanied versions are all together at the end of the recording so it the final tracks be used as a listening recording. This also allows the student to play along with all the more interesting arrangements in sequence without skipping around the recording. Includes access to online audio.