Kawai Piano Prices: The Ultimate Elton John Collection Boxed Set (Piano/Vocal/Guitar Artist Songbook) [Hardcover] Review

The Ultimate Elton John Collection Boxed Set [Hardcover]

The publisher Hal Leonard calls this the "Deluxe Collector's Edition" and that's exactly what it is: It's very pretty, great-looking gift, looks great on the shelf.But the first hint that this might not be as ultimate as you'd like comes the moment you open it:it doesn't stay open nearly as well as you'd hope.

This collection's best feature is that there are more songs here than you will find anywhere else at the price.There are over 100-songs here, including rarities you won't find printed in other books.Still, it's something of a quantity-over-quality approach:"Someone Saved my Life Tonight", "Something About the Way You Look Tonight", and "Sacrifice" aren't in the right key.But if you want "Skyline Pigeon," you'll only find it here.

It's also important to note that These Are Not Transcriptions.Meaning that this is not what Elton John plays exactly (for that, look to the Elton John Keyboard Book).The melody-line is built-in to the right-hand, and it's somebody else's interpretation.This is terrific for folks who don't sing, don't want to sing, but still want to hear the melody.This is irritating for folks who want to sing along with the music without the melody echoed in the piano.

It is what it is.Decent interpretations, incredible selection, at the expense of something more detailed and accurate, for 3x the price of other books.I'd suggest getting it only if you must have every song of Elton's you can possibly get, as you can find his biggest hits at the same or better quality in a different collection for cheaper.

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Product Description:
This deluxe collector's edition features two volumes containing more than 100 huge hits spanning his entire career. Volume 1 features songs beginning A - Le, Volume 2, Lo - Y. Includes: Bennie and the Jets * Blue Eyes * Border Song * Candle in the Wind 1997 * Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy * Circle of Life * Crocodile Rock * Daniel * Don't Go Breaking My Heart * In Neon * Little Jeannie * Levon * Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds * Made in England * Nikita * Philadelphia Freedom * Pinball Wizard * Rocket Man * Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word * Tiny Dancer * You Gotta Love Somebody * Your Song * many more! The contents page in both books also states the album on which each song first appeared, and the year.

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