In my Ostinato post, I discussed my reluctance to practice piano as a kid. Now I want to share another piano memory, this time about something that helped me want to play.
It’s probably abundantly clear from my content by now, but I’m what people call an “old soul.” I live in the modern world and take advantage of its conveniences—I love my computer and TV and electric lights. But, when it comes to culture, I am more drawn to the days of yore and always have been. My favorite eras have changed from time to time since I first got into vintage as a teen, but one thing that has stayed the same is my love for the “standards” found in the Readers’ Digest music books.
As long as I can remember, we’ve had this colorfully-bound collection of piano music on our shelves. In fact, our collection got started when my mom was a little girl. There are many songs she remembers playing or hearing her mom play.
For a long time, I didn’t pay much attention to these books. They sat on the shelf and Mom would take one down to play out of from time to time, but for the reluctant little musician I was, they were intimidating.
When I got older and started enjoying old music, I decided to give the Readers’ Digest books a whirl. At first, I just played the notes of the melody, slowly adding in all the treble clef harmonies. Finally, I added in the bass and practiced until I got it right.
Was it easy? No; I probably didn’t sound very good for quite a while. But, since they were songs I knew and liked, there was an incentive to persevere. My mom and I started looking for any books in the series we didn’t have when we went on our many bookstore and thrift store adventures. Now, when I want to unwind by playing some tunes, I usually end up choosing one of the Readers' Digest volumes.
As an adult, I’ve come to appreciate more about the books.
I love the vintage style of the illustrations. I enjoy reading the blurbs that explain the history of each song. And, of course, I’ve come to feel nostalgia for these books that have been used by other generations in my family. I like that family members’ names are written in the front of some of them. I love playing the songs I know Mom and Nana enjoyed the most. I even play them on the same piano, handed down to me just like the songs.
If you are a pianist, no matter how experienced or inexperienced, don’t hesitate to pick up one of these books if you ever see it. The arrangements are approachable, but sound lovely. And there is something to please lovers of any genre. We have a classical one, a showtunes one, a hymn one, a country one, a Christmas one, and many that compile all kinds of pop, jazz, and even folk songs from different eras.
In addition to piano notation, Readers’ Digest provides guitar chords with fingering diagrams for the songs. Thanks to these, I’ve been able to use the books to inspire my guitar practice as well. I’ve even played many of the songs on the accordion. They really are my go-to books for anything musical.
Each originally included a lyric booklet, but most of ours have been lost over the years. Even if you don’t have the lyric book, Readers’ Digest still has your back for a singalong by the fire. Each of the songs has the full lyrics printed along with the notes. If you aren’t a musician, you could have a great time just reminiscing through the lyrics of your favorite oldies. Looking at the little blurbs and curated song collections lets you experience a bit of music history as well.
Now, when I reach for one of my more advanced jazz books that I use for a challenge these days, I owe a lot to the Readers’ Digest music books that made me learn that playing, even when it’s hard, can be rewarding.
(P.S. If any of you have kids who are taking music lessons but are loath to practice, try finding sheet music for one of their favorite songs. It might be just the inspiration they need.)
Did not know Reader's Digest produced music books. I'm familiar with their compilations of fiction, but never heard of the music. Of course, I, unfortunately, don't play the piano. Thanks for new and interesting information.
You play piano as beautifully as you write!