This book manages to touch on many levels. Whether you are a beginner looking for some not-so-intimidating arrangements of all-time favorites that don't sound over-simplified, or an occassional player looking for some easy-to-sight-read standards that have a full sound, or an accomplished player wanting a comprehensive collection of American favorites, this books is it. I got my first copy, a hard-cover edition probably 20 years ago. I used it constantly and eventually the book had no front cover... then no back cover. It was shot, but much loved! Then one day I saw the new paperback version "flat-lay" bound and flipped!! Of course I snatched it up immediately, and it remains my favorite book to turn to when I want to sit down and play "songs people know" for fun. I am a piano teacher and have used this book with some students, who also love it.

OK, so your friends roll their eyes when you break out into a tap dance, feigning your best Jimmy Cagney impression to the tune of Yankee Doodle Dandy. But if George M. Cohen and Whistling Dixie are right up your alley, then you are in some rare luck with this hard-to-find gem. This book features the sheet music from all the famous American composers and Broadway musicals. I have been playing the music from this book since the age of 10 or so, so 17 years and two copies later, I'm eager to return to the classics. They're all here: Bicycle Built for Two, Man on the Flying Trapeze, Buffalo Gals, Bird in a Guilded Cage, Shenandoah, On the Sidewalks of New York, and my Scottish grandfather's favourite, In the Gloaming. So take it from a showtune fanatic--this book is a great collector's item!

I thought this book was great when I was young and learning to play the piano and I STILL like going back and playing some of them. They are not just "easy" pieces, they are pieces that are beautiful in and of themselves regardless of the difficulty. Perhaps they are beautiful because of their simplicity. Now I'm greatly looking forward to my daughter learning the pieces. She's just starting her first piece from the book today.

I was looking to expand my piano playing skills and came across this book. It offers a great selection of challenging, yet beautiful pieces. A must have for any pianist.

To start...this book is not for one who is just beginning to play piano..nor is it for a good intermediate player. For one it will prove too hard, for the other quiet simple. The works are all arranged to make them a bit easier. For instance "The Flight of the Bumble Bee," by Rimsky-Korsakoff contains the same trebel notes but in the eighth note (quaver), and the base is much simplified into chords. Nevertheless, the music maintains its quality and will prove beautiful when played right. Other works include "Caprice No. 24" by Niccolo Paganini, "Cantabile" by Chopin, and many other works by Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Strauss, Beethoven, Khatchaturian, Verdi, and many others.

Overall the collection is beautiful, and anyone with some quality experience (early intermediate) will love this book. Enjoy!!!

Beautiful compilation of classics of authors ranging from Tchaikovsky to Verdi, Debussy and Rosas, though only arranged versions.

I really enjoyed the repertory of classical pieces that Denis Agay compiled. He included pieces by lesser known composers (in addition to ones by Mozart and Beethoven)that were quite lovely. I'm actually buying this book for the second time because my last copy, that I bought 15 years ago, is falling apart from the use it has gotten.

This book is a wonderful collection of classic pieces, arranged with a fullness of sound rare in the intermediate range of playing. I use this book with all of my students. Their smiles of accomplishment give this book a 5 star rating!!

This book is well edited and fun. It provides enjoyment and has great songs. These include Claire De Lune by Claude Debussy; Rustle of Spring by Christian Sinding; Fur Elise by Ludwig von Beethoven; Prelude in C major by Johann Sebastian Bach and many other great classics. It is apperently well thought out and concise. But what did you expect, it is after all by the great Dr. Denes Agay!

This 64-page book is an excellent supplement to someone learning to play piano and wanting some interesting variety in the tunes they learn. There are 27 songs included in the popular idioms of Jazz, Ragtime, Rock, and, of course, Boogie and Blues. As a teenager, I played the accordion, and then later, I learned to play the electronic organ. Recently I purchased a portable keyboard and wanted to become more agile at two-handed piano playing. This book fit in perfectly with my program of study. For example, two early songs in the book, the Aunt Rhody Boogie and the Boll Weevil Boogie, include a distinctive, but easily playable, boogie accompaniment to a jazzy rendition of these classic folk tunes.

About half of the tunes are original compositions or arrangements by Denis Agay, the editor of this book, but you will also find such classics as Sunrise Serenade (Franke Carle), Maple Leaf Rag (Scott Joplin), and China Jumps (Thomas "Fats" Walker). For those with older eyes, the music is clearly printed and easy to read and most of the arrangements can be played without worrying about turning the page in the middle of the song.

Beginning to intermediate piano players should be able to master any of the tunes in this book and will be able to add some very delightful and pleasing arrangements to their repertoire.

Interesting collection of pieces from the 18th-19th centuries, 1/2 page to 2 pages long, which are presented in their original form with only cosmetic editing (no dumbing down/blandizing).

Includes lots of well known pieces like a Mendelsson Song Without Words, Tchaikowsky's The Doll's Funeral March, a Mazurka and a Waltz by Chopin, John Blow's Air, a Brahms Waltz, and lots of pieces by well known composers like three of the Bach family, Beethoven, Handel, Hayden, Liszt, Mozart, Schumann and Schubert (also numerous others which are less well known). Probably about half or more of the pieces are ones that I haven't come across before - good for sight reading practice and a bit of variety.

An excellent book for beginners in particular, with lots of things of varying difficulty that will keep you busy for a while and give you a taste of lots of composers.

The 'Joy Of First Year Piano' is an exceptional first year piano method that captures the interest of adults as well as young students. The songs and melodies are substantial in variety as well as content and composition. A new concept or technique is introduced with each new tune which enables students to progress rapidly.