Kawai Piano Prices: Chanukah and Other Hebrew Holiday Songs [Paperback] Review

I am just re-learning piano, and I wanted a good book of Jewish songs that would allow me to impress friends and family with my new found skills.The problem was that the Jewish Fake Books I found were way above my head, and the Jewish children's books were too simple to sound "impressive".I wanted some chords, some challenging 2-hand work, but nothing I couldn't play reasonably with a bit of practice.This book fit the bill quite well.The arrangement of Hatikvah is quite nice---it may sound silly to a practiced pianist, but some of the two-hand work and black keys has taken some practice to get right.However, I have been able to play it again and again, and it is finally sounding quite professional.There are good arrangements of Chanukah, Dayeinu, Have a Little Draydl, Chag Purim, Oh Chanukah, Maoz Tzur and Hava Nagila.Best of all---it is by Alfred.Since I am learning piano with the Alfred All-in-One Adult course, the style and notation are familiar (incidentally, I am about 3/4 of the way through Volume 1 of the 3 volume course).

That being said,there are a ton of Yiddish songs that frankly, I have never heard.I would have rather had some more modern songs like Eli Eli, Erev Shel Shoshanim, or some wedding songs (none of these were included).

I give the book 4 stars---for $8.50, I feel like I got some nice arrangements, so I definitely got my money's worth.About half of the book I will likely never play, but that is likely the case with any piano book.This will encourage me to practice more, and hopefully I can "graduate" to a Fake Book with a more complete lineup of songs in the future.

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Product Description:
25 of the best-known Hebrew and Yiddish melodies arranged for easy piano complete with lyrics and guitar chords. Holiday songs: Chag Purim * Chanukah * Dayeinu * Draydl Song * Maoz Tsur * Oh Chanukah. Israeli songs: Artsa Alinu * Hatikvah * Hava Nagila * Heiveinu Shalom Alaychem. Liturgical melodies: Avinu Malkeinu * Kol Nidre * Mi Chamocha? * Shalom Alaychem * Sh'ma Yisraeil * Yisraeil V'Oraita. Yiddish melodies: Ahz Der Rebbe Elimelech * Biztu Mit Mir Broigez? * Frayloch * Lomir Zich Iberbetn * Oif'n Pripitshik * Ot Azoi Neit A Shnaider * Reb Dovidl * Rozhinkes Mit Mandlen * Tum-Balalaika