Customer Reviews
one of the best instructional books for beginners 
2007-09-17
I started taking lessons at 8, with Ferdinand Beyer's beginner's book, which deserves the highest praise, though it's not widely used in this country. After Beyer, I proceeded with this book, Burgmuller's 25 pieces. Each song has a title, and each song trains you not only technically, but how to express, how to interpret, how to use your imagination, and most of all, how to play beautifully. The pieces are easy, but they are of quality which advanced students can play them in really professional ways. That means, these pieces have depth that challenges the student's true musicality, imagination, and creativity.
I have owned this book for more than 35 years now, still in very good shape despite the heavy usage. I am much more advanced now, of course, but I still use it frequently. These pieces can be played, for their beauty, grace, and integrity, at church, wedding, etc. I can't count how many of my church congregation have expressed their appreciation whenever I played any one of the pieces. They are just such precious jewels of music.
Now I teach piano at home, and this book has been a delight for both my students and myself. I'd say these pieces are just as immortal as Bach's inventions. I'd recommend this book to anyone, from beginner to advanced students. It's for advanced beginners (if there are such thing), but very much enjoyable for even professional pianists, for whoever truly appreciates and loves music.
popular in the piano studio, and deservedly so 2007-03-03
When I was a kid, I enjoyed this book because of its pungent chromatic progressions (#25, ms. 7-8), its dominant chains (#23, ms. 17-24), and its modulations into relative major and minor keys (#14, ms. 13-20; #18, ms. 9-16).
One might also praise the book for its motive play (#2, ms. 12-17), its contrapuntal sprinklings (#4, ms. 15-18), and, in two of its numbers (#12, #15), its liberality of phrase lengths.
In circles of musical snobbery, the title of "great composer" is reserved for one who is consistently contrapuntal and consistently liberal with phrase lengths. Burgmuller may not be a great composer, but he is good enough for most of us.
A must for teachers/students library 2006-01-13
I use this book for all my students and they love it! The pieces are very nice. They make learning piano technique and artistry really enjoyable. This book is for the intermediate students. Better to use this book after students learn scales, chords, and arpeggios so they can learn the pieces by recognizing patterns, which make them learn the pieces faster. Highly recommended!
Exactly what it says it is 
2004-10-25
I'll start with a preface: I have been playing piano for four years, I started when I was 18, and aside from six one-unit community college classes, I've never had any formal training. That said, this book is (in my opinion) a little tougher than the first "First Lessons in Bach" book and at the end is still easier than most of the second "First Lessons" Bach book. It fits squarely in the middle, which would be a good run up towards Schumann's Album Für Die Jugend or a book of Bach's inventions.
Also it would be useful for an accomplished pianist to run through these as one would Hanon or Czerny, only these are actual songs, which helps to break up the monotony of finger exercises. Not to say Hanon or Czerny aren't important; diversity is simply a good thing to have.
I'm a total amateur, and I was looking for something less intense than Bach, less repititious than Hanon, and less insane than Czerny. Burgmüllers Twenty-Five Easy and Progressive Studes fits the bill nicely.
