Puppet Theatre is the latest collection from composer Jakub Metelka, and contains 20 miniatures for solo piano. Following his popular previous volumes, also published by Bärenretier, The Secret Garden, Little Virtuoso and Modern Piano Studies, Puppet Theatre offers another collection of characterful pieces. For teachers, they will value, in particular, the technical and expressive possibilities in the music, whilst students and pianists will, I’m sure, enjoy the characterful and playful nature of these catchy pieces.
About the Composer – Jakub Metelka
Born in 1986, Jakub Metelka has established himself as a popular composer of piano works within the educational market. His previous volumes of piano repertoire have gained international recognition with their inventive feel and impressive attention to musical detail. Puppet Theatre sits well alongside the previous three volumes making a valuable, and expanding series from Bärenretier.
Inside Puppet Theatre: 20 Miniatures for Piano
Puppet Theatre contains 20 miniatures for the piano, and according to the Bärenreiter website, is aimed at pianists who have taken approximately two years of lessons. None of the pieces are more than a page long, with several of the ‘miniatures’ coming in at just eight bars (longer with repeats). Whilst some might say the musical style is fairly conservative, all the music included in Puppet Theatre is nevertheless inventive and characterful. Each miniature has its own personality, offering pianists plenty of opportunity for expression and characterisation.
Technical Level and Teaching Value
Whilst Puppet Theatre is aimed at students who have been taking approximately two years of lessons, it is, of course, almost impossible to standardise how much progress each person will have made in that time. It’s always hard to attribute books and pieces to particular grades, but I’d suggest that the majority of Metelka’s works included here fall into the Grades 1-3 bracket. A good degree of hand independence is demanded, and some pieces such as ‘Funeral March’ and ‘Silhouette’ require careful pedalling. The extensive use of articulation and dynamics encourages students to make each piece characterful, and as well as enjoying them in lessons and at home, many of the pieces in Puppet Theatre will make super concert and recital works, as well as own-choice pieces in exams.
Musical Style and Character
As the Puppet Theatre title suggests, each miniature has a child-like feel with titles such as ‘The Jester’, ‘The Princess’, ‘Granny’s Cottage’ and ‘Dwarves’. The titles lend themselves the characterisation and storytelling quality of the music. Each aspect of the puppet theatre’s performance is captured through drama, humour and colour. Whilst pieces might be learnt individually, the 20 miniatures as a whole would create a lovely story, from the ‘Little Bell’ at the opening, to ‘The Curtain’ at the end. There are no performance notes included, but the titles give ample clues as to the character of each miniature.
Presentation and Layout of the Sheet Music
Bärenretier has a long history of quality music publishing, and Puppet Theatre is no exception. The attractive and eye-catching cover enables the book to sit well alongside Metelka’s previous volumes, and the layout of the music inside is clear and detailed. Just occasionally, the pedal markings are very close together, for example in ‘Funeral March’, and in fact, I think these could be more clearly engraved throughout. The 24-page book is printed on quality paper, although I noted that after a week or two on top of the piano, the cover had begun to curl back on itself. As well as the book itself, Metelka has recorded all the works which are available on the Bärenreiter website. The book retails at around £14 in the UK, which on first glance, seems a little steep, but for 20 characterful miniatures, is probably a fair price these days.
Who Is Puppet Theatre Best For?
As I mentioned above, teachers in particular will value the pedagogical possibilities offered by Puppet Theatre. The music demands a degree of technical command in order to fully explore each miniature’s character, and to bring to life the detailed articulation and dynamic markings on the page. Students, of all ages, will enjoy the character of each piece, and possibly also the length of each miniature. I’m sure that Metelka’s works will be enjoyed in recitals, concerts, festivals and exams, as much as they will in lessons and at home.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Puppet Theatre offers 20 inventive miniatures giving pianists ample opportunity to tell a story and capture the character of each individual work, as well as the set as a whole. It will suit pianists of around Grades 1-3 level, and whilst I had some reservations about the pedal markings, overall, it is a characterful and well-produced volume of music.
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Published 22.9.25.
Puppet Theatre: 20 Miniatures for Piano by Jakub Metelka, is published by Bärenreiter, ISMN 9790260110090, RRP £14.00.
I was sent a review copy of this book free of charge; however, this review is my honest opinion as a teacher. You can find my Reviews Policy here.
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