I write a lot about music aimed at students, at teachers, and the slightly wonkily-defined ‘educational market’, but this book was a beautiful reminder of how much music there is to be discovered, not just as students and teachers, but as pianists and musicians. Rediscovered Gems for Piano Solo brings together 20 previously unpublished works by American composer, Florence Price (1887-1953).
It’s so hard, especially when reviewing single-composer collections, to not draw comparisons with others. On the one hand, there’s a good dose of Edward MacDowell here, but on the other, hints of Gershwin, a jazz influence, maybe even a bit of Schumann. She was influenced by Dvorak and Debussy, and there’s snippets of their styles too. It’s perhaps Price’s versatility which enables her to move so seamlessly, and indeed, inventively, between the different styles, each one attracting her own stamp and take.
Many of us won’t be familiar with enough of Price’s music to say whether this is a fair cross-section of her pianistic output, but the book certainly offers a varied selection; a range of different pieces in a variety of styles and genres, drawing on many different traditions and influences. The music is aimed at intermediate to early-advanced level pianists (I would suggest around Grades 4-6). I can see that adult students in particular would enjoy these pieces, and it’s unusual in a single-composer collection to be able to present such a huge variety of styles.
I particularly enjoyed the manageable virtuosity and flamboyance of the ‘Rhapsody in E-flat major’; a great concert or festival performance piece. Equally, I loved the bluesy chords of ‘Southern Sketches’, and the jazzy, Billy Mayerl-style chromatic triplets of ‘Dainty Feet’. The three ‘Forest Scenes’ had a touch of Grieg’s Lyric Pieces about them, with their impish, running quavers. I also enjoyed the Celtic-influenced ‘A Wee Bit of Erin’ which as a beautifully simple piece, with plenty of room for expression. Every page was a surprise, and these pieces deserve to be better-known.
If I was honest, I was slightly put off by the title and cover image, both of which I thought devalued the music inside, but that is, of course, personal preference. At a recommended retail price of £18.99, this felt expensive for what it was at just 64 pages. Whilst this is a very welcome publication, I think the price will put people off. Many of the books I review are larger, thicker, and considerably cheaper. That is, of course, my personal opinion, but it’s a shame that, because of this, not as many pianists will enjoy the music as they should.
Overall, Rediscovered Gems for Piano Solo by Florence Price, is a notable addition to the market, offering a wide selection of music in a variety of styles, by an overlooked composer, now, justly rising in popularity. Despite what feels like an unusually high price for such a volume, there is much to enjoy here in terms of the music itself, and the fact that these works have, until now, remained unpublished, makes it an important publication.
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Published 26.4.25.
Rediscovered Gems for Piano Solo by Florence Price, is published by Hal Leonard, ISBN 9798350127157, RRP £18.99.
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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