Reviews of Carol Leybourn's Arrangements of Piano Scores
Dr. Molly Roseman
Playing an orchestral reduction for any accompanist is a very daunting task, forcing the pianist to “reduce the reduction” without sacrificing the musical quality. The Frustrated Accompanist series by Carol Leybourn has finally filled a void in the accompanying world by providing simplified orchestral reductions of standard string concerti. This series is particularly suited for the busy or less-experienced pianist who is overwhelmed by the difficulty of a typical orchestral reduction.
Leybourn’s orchestral reduction arrangements have taken out the guess work for all accompanists, making it technically accessible to play. The Frustrated Accompanist reductions have been adapted for the intermediate level without sacrificing the important supporting lines provided by the orchestra. The layout of each score is very clear to read and provides helpful fingerings for trickier passages. Suggested cuts and alternate endings are also given which is extremely useful for those instances in which the soloist must pare down performance time. Page turns are particularly easy to execute thanks to the spiral binding and sturdy covers.
The Frustrated Accompanist is a highly recommended series that every string teacher and accompanist should have in their library. Thank you to Ms. Leybourn for this invaluable and innovative resource!
Dr. Molly Roseman
Associate Professor of Piano
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point