Product Description
Over 50 songs from Joel's first 5 albums now revised to include all the songs from Cold Spring Harbor. Songs include: The Entertainer * Honesty * Just The Way You Are * Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) * Say Goodbye To Hollywood * The Stranger* Vienna * and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Finally, a truly "Complete Volume 1" !
Complete is NOW complete!
Even though the "Cold Spring Harbor" album was not the most commercially successful, it has some really good material. In fact, it is one of my favorite Billy Joel albums. Songs like "She's Got a Way", "Why Judy Why", "Turn Around" provide some great lyrical emotion.
But I must say that his BEST classical-style song ever is also included. "Nocturne" is a masterpiece. I was truly disappointed with his "Delusions and Fantasies" album or were those words inverted ("Fantasies and Delusions" ? )
Regardless, the latter mentioned album was Billy's WORST work ever.
"Nocturne" alone, made "Cold Spring Harbor" worth the money to me.
Thus, with the inclusion of the songs from "Cold Spring Harbor", in the "Complete Volume 1" book, the value of the new issue is so much increased.

Great Book
Very pleased with this book.It includes the piano solo for 'scenes from an Italian restaurant'.A good value and great choice for Billy Joel fans.

Almost right on
Pretty much the same as Volume 2
I play Guitar and Keyboards. The only book better is Billy Joel Keyboard Book.If you are a Billy Joel fan these 2 volumes are great.

Super!!
This collection of Billy Joel songs is categorized by album/date and is incredibly easy to follow.It is complete!!The music is for an average to advanced pianist.I could not be happier with the collection.Volume 2 is equally wonderful.The price is more than reasonable.The same amount of money would only buy three songs in sheet music form.This is a GREAT buy!!It will keep a pianist occupied for a long time!

Beware!!! This is not a hardcover book (nor is it complete)!
Billy Joel is an outstanding musician and a wonderful composer.This 2-volume set contains many of his wonderful songs, but was released prior to "River of Dreams", so the songs from that album are not included.The worst part of this edition, however, is that this is advertised as "hardcover", when in fact, these are the same paperback editions of Volumes 1 and 2 available elsewhere....they simply come with a hard slipcase to keep them in.

I feel this is misleading.A "hardcover" book has a "hard cover", not a soft cover which comes with a box to keep them in.Save your money (unless you're a big fan of boxes) and buy the paperback edition. ... Read more

Product Description
15 keyboard transcriptions from the piano man himself, including: And So It Goes * Honesty * Just the Way You Are * My Life * Piano Man * and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Note for note...
as it is in the song.If you want to take the time to learn how to play the songs as Billy plays them then this is the book for you.If you just want to play a bunch of chords and muddle through it then this is no use to you.

The Billy Joel Keyboard Book Note for - Note
If you are serious about Billy Joel's music and you are tired of fakebooks, this product is for you!! This is the real thing!! The transcriptions for piano (even the fills)are made from the original recordings. Also has the melody line and lyrics and chords so you'll be playing like Billy in no time!! I love this book!!

QUestion
Why can't you show a SINGLE page from a song with the layout, just an example, not just the TOC or the cover page, seriously? are you that worried about having a transcription stolen?I am not going to purchase this book bc I can't preview it properly to see if it's for me.

Fun
This is the music just as Billy Joel plays it, so if you're accompanying or want to sing along, it's great. Also includes melody line and chords, but the melody isn't written into the piano part.

They Finally Did It Right
They finally made a piano transcription book that is accurate.I wish all piano transcriptions of popular songs were as good as this.If you are a Billy Joel fan, and if you are a piano player who has always wanted to play these songs the right way, then you've got to get this book.Piano Man, And So It Goes and New York State Of Mind alone are worth the cost of the book. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (18)

I highly recommend
A very good friend recommended this book for my granddaughter. My son recently died, and she felt this book could help her stay connected to her daddy. When I first heard the lullabye along with the book, the tears flowed. There are many different ways this book and words to the song can be used.

Wonderful book, wonderful song
I love this book, the illustrations, and the cd.My daughter loves to look at the book and turn the pages with the music.The colors in the illustrations are just beautiful.

best children's lullaby
This my favorite gift to give to a new baby! Billy Joel soothing voice says it all!

The Best Children's Book Ever
This book and CD combination is perfect in every way.The words, music and illustrations are all beautiful.I bought 3 copies - 1 for my son and two to give away as gifts.My son loves it and so will my friends.Thanks Billy Joel for such a truely special book.

The perfect bedtime story for young girls
As the father of a young girl, one of my greatest joys was putting her to bed at night, most of the time after reading her a story or two. As she lay there with only her head sticking out from under the blankets, I always felt the weight of responsibility. She always looked so vulnerable in those last minutes before the light was turned off, as she trusted me to keep her safe throughout the night.
The bedtime story in this book is an expression of those feelings and an excellent way to verbalize them. If this book had existed when my daughter was an infant, I would have read it to her on a regular basis.
... Read more

Product Description
The definitive biography of a pop giant!

From the groundbreaking Piano Man to Just the Way You Are to Allentown to Uptown Girl and dozens of other chart toppers, Billy Joel’s music has provided the soundtrack to millions of lives. His songs are etched in our memories, and his live shows are breaking sales records everywhere. His albums have sold more than 100 million copies, his singles have sold millions more, and 33 Joel songs have appeared on Billboard’s Top 40 charts since 1974. Here at last is the definitive biography of the brilliant and volatile artist Billy Joel. Interviews with Irwin Mazur, Joel’s first manager, Artie Ripp, Joel’s first producer, plus many others from every part of the musician’s life offer revealing glimpses of a man known for his outsize personal struggles as well as his phenomenal gifts. With dramatic new information on Joel’s legal battles and his substance abuse, plus his live concerts and Broadway show Movin’ Out, Billy Joel: The Life and Times of an Angry Young Man is an exciting, up-to-the-minute look at one of the great musical geniuses of our times. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Billy Joel: The Life and Times of an Angry Young Man
Enjoyed. Cannot wait until Billy Joel authorizes his own book. This book is well researched in terms of Billy's life.

As a Biography Goes..it's Just Ok
Billy Joel is a difficult subject matter to write about. He is very guarded and has surrounded himself with loyal friends, so this book was always going to be a difficult assignment. The book takes you through Joel's life from his early attempts at pop/rock stardom, lounge entertainer and onto successful heights. His financial woes are captured along with his love for the women in his life as well as his many chart successes. The problem here is that there is a lot of 'padding' and not enough in-dept analysis. For example, the author alluded to infidelities, alcoholism and drug usage but did not give concrete evidence or just gave loose anecdotal evidence of situations where this occured. His car crashes have been well documented in national media, so nothing new or interesting in this. The later part of this biography is fast-paced and not that detailed. All in all, it is an ok read. I'm a fan and read it because I like both the man and his music. But for the casual observer, it will probably not deliver what they expect. Maybe, as Mr.Joel himself admits, 'away from the stage, I am just a regular guy', and in that, there is not much to tell anyway.

This didn't read like a tabloid
Billy Joel is a very humorous person. This did not come across in this book, but one can't expect everything.

The book was very well researched and read very easily.

It also did a very good job documenting the hard experience that was necessary for Joel to become the rock star that he is. (This is a signficant contrast to many rock stars that are created as an afterthought-- usually by some marketing executive.)

It was worth every penny of the second hand purchase price-- and worth rereading every now and then.

Good synopsis but not definitive
For me, the period of time from "Turnstiles" to "Nylon Curtain" was the ultimate Billy Joel. He was in his element and his trials and tribulations with his first wife Elizabeth were reflected in his art. Joel is as much tin pan alley as he is a rocker. (Among his many influences were Ray Charles, The Beatles, Procol Harum, Hendrix, Traffic, etc) This book reflects on Joel well but it is not a balanced portrait. I suspect the truth maybe between the two biographies. Joel has been burned so many times that he has a deep mistrust of outsiders and I suppose thats intertwined with his relationships with the opposite sex. Joel has been oft quoted as saying "Why would anyone want to read about me?" He definitely is an interesting enigma wrapped up in a riddle but these books wont peel past those layers. That being said, Bordowitz does a good job of cobbling together the early years and the infamous "suicide" attempt. The level of detail is appropriate up until the "Innocent Man" era. At that point, Bordowitz steps on the gas pedal and we are fast forwarded to about 2004. All things being equal though, this a good attempt but not the last word by any means. I suspect Joel still has the profound ability to create great work in any idiom. His is driven by his passion for those he loves (Listen to "Lullabye" or "Downeaster Alexa") and equal parts insanity ("I go to Extremes") and these are the hallmarks of most great composers. If anything, Joel wears his heart on his sleeve and we have admired him for it.

Interesting Info -- Terribly Written
I've not read other attempts at Billy Joel biographies, so this one definitely contained some interesting facts that I, as a long fan, did not know.It was incredibly difficult, however, to pull those tidbits out from the terrible and often ridiculous prose that is the writing (and editing -- hello typos -- "through" and "thorough" are not the same word!) of this book.The author tries (too hard) to draw parallels where none exist solely for the sake of attempted literary-ness.Commenting on the "McCarthyism" of "Good Night Saigon" (so that he could refer to another song on The Nylon Curtain as having traces of "McCartneyism"-- get it?)?That song is anything but.I especially loved when the author recounted a diatribe Billy made against music industry forces that try to stifle an artist's creativity.Billy apparently said something along the lines of once an artist lets the people who control the money influence the art, then the art begins to stink like a dead horse.The author makes the feeble attempt to say this remark is a passing reference to when Billy's former manager and brother-in-law, Frank Weber, stole money from Billy by, among other things, getting involved in intentionally maiming horses for insurance money.Are you joking?People with money trying to control the artist's decision + dead horse.Um -- clearly the author has never seen The Godfather.Sure, Mr. Bordowitz, that's ALL about an insurance fraud/race horse scam.Good one.Overall, the writing was terrible and VERY repetitive.He frequently used the exact same quote two or three times, sometimes within a span of just a few pages.As I said, where is the editor?I would recommend this book if you want to learn some more details about Billy Joel, but be warned.As a book, it sucks.Big time.(Ultimate irony:Read the last chapter wherein the author recounts how, at one time, Billy had agreed to cooperate with a biography but only if was a respectable author who actually could write.And then the author wonders why it would be that Billy refused to particpate in the writing of this rag.Hmmm.Check the mirror, bub.The writing stinks.Kinda like a dead horse.) ... Read more

Product Description
19 songs that beginners can play, including:All About Soul * And So It Goes * Just The Way You Are * My Life * Piano Man * The River Of Dreams * We Didn't Start The Fire * and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

excellent purchase
This is an excellent"easy piano" selection.The range of selctions goes from very easy to a bit more challenging.You get all of Joel's hits. It's an excellent purchase.

Good start
I was able to learn "Piano Man" in about 2 weeks, most of the other songs are easier to use, but I tell you, "We didn't start the fire" doesn't sound right sans guitar.

If you think Billy's music is pleasing to the ear, you'll entertain yourself for hours learning and performing.

Good Piano Solos
If you are an early intermediate or better pianist who likes Billy Joel's music this may be a great book for you.It contains complete arrangements of the following songs:

And So It Goes, Baby Grand, Honesty, An Innocent Man, Just The Way You Are, Movin' Out (Anthony's Song), My Life, New York State Of Mind, Piano Man, The River Of Dreams, Shameless, She's Always A Woman, She's Got A Way, This Is The Time, Uptown Girl, We Didn't Start The Fire

The songs are arranged as piano solos with no lyrics. So if you are a singer, get something like "Billy Joel - Greatest Hits Vol. 1 & 2" which has many of the same songs.

This is not a transcription book. The emphasis here is on an acceptable solo piano arrangement.While not copying Joel licks etc. they do approximate his style and spirit for each piece as best can be done while supporting the melody and chords in an intermediate arrangement. They are intermediate, but on the easier side. They sound fine played as is. The ones I've played are in the same key as the recording.So what's nice is they provide a good foundation for further embellishment, arranging and/or improvising or even some play along.It would have been handy if chord symbols were included.

I enjoyed what I've played so far, however, if you are really looking to play like Billy get his "Billy Joel - The Keyboard Book".It has actual transcriptions."The Keyboard Book" is a great book but harder to play as piano solo, which the book reviewed here does a good job of.

There are 2 versions of this book one for easy piano, one for intermediate.This review is for the intermediate version.

Billy Joel
Billy Joel is one of the greatest singer/songwriters to ever contribute to the musical world.This is a pretty good cross-section of his music.One wish that I have is to find the music Mr. Joel plays while he is singing;sadly, this isn't it.However, the transcriptions are good.So, if youlike to play piano, and want to play Billy Joel Music, this is a great bookfor you.

A great buy for the adult beginner
I am very pleased with this purchase. Re-learning the piano after a 20 year gap I has been a real pleasure to be able to play recognisable favorites within minutes of sitting down. Some of the arrangements are alittle strange, but this is the book I keep coming back to. ... Read more

Product Description
Matching folio to this pop superstar's smash hit featuring: All About Soul * Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel) * No Man's Land * River of Dreams * and more. ... Read more

Product Description
Guitar chords and lyrics for 60 Billy Joel favorites, including: Allentown * And So It Goes * Don't Ask Me Why * Honesty * It's Still Rock and Roll to Me * Just the Way You Are * Keeping the Faith * Leave a Tender Moment Alone * The Longest Time * My Life * New York State of Mind * Only the Good Die Young * Piano Man * Pressure * She's Always a Woman * Uptown Girl * We Didn't Start the Fire * You May Be Right * and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Guitar songbook
I look forward to trying out this book.It really does not have any musical notes (except for a measure of the song's introduction).The book looks more like a compliation of song tabs.My only real complaint is that the songs easily could have been formatted in a more compact form -- more words on a line.It's annoying to have to turn the pages to play the song! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (14)

Bill deserves better than this crap
Mark Bego can, on the strength of this book, be justifiably regarded as an opportunist with little grasp of english grammar.

This is a poor book in so many ways. Poorly written, poorly edited, a sour, second-hand reading of the supposed facts regarding Billy Joel's life.

As a jounalistic effort, you be forgiven for thinking it was an interim school project by a fifteen year old whose main reference source was Google.

Given Mr. Joel's respect for history, I believe it may be worth holding our collective breath for an autobiography.

Meanwhile, I guess we can look forward to Mr. Bego's inevitable "stories about" Eminem, Lady Ga Ga et al, ad nauseum.

Go for it Marky.

Not bad but horrible editing/mistakes
in chapter 9 Bego states Billy Joel used several jazz giants on 52nd street album such as Freddie Hubbard but on the next page quotes him as a sax player when it clearly was a trumpet solo. How do you miss that when Freddie Hubbard is one of the biggest jazz trumpet giants of all time?????? Doesn't strengthen my thoughts on any "Rockn' Roller" trying to do Jazz..nothing against Billy Joel, I love him and his music and I'm most certain he knows Freddie Hubbard plays trumpet haahaa but come on, I mean if you're going to say it's a "jazzy" album with Zanzibar at the forefront at least get the player's instrument's correct.

Billy Joel Paint By Numbers
While it's nice to have a biography about Billy Joel on the shelves, author Mark Bego leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to not only how he compiled the book from various interviews, but his poor writing style as well.As a diehard Billy Joel fan, it was really weird to see Bego misplace quotes Billy made at the time for the Innocent Man album into the portion of the book regarding The Nylon Curtain album.

Bego also doesn't seem to know squat about the Beatles, calling Abbey Road their "most psychedelic album" at the time, and one that was "filled with backward messages."Any Beatles fan worth their salt can only shake their head at such incorrect "facts."But Bego does the same thing to Billy's own catalog, even going so far as to say the little ad libs at the end of "Say Goodbye To Hollywood" on the Turnstiles album was him talking to his bandmates.Apparently Billy saying "Hey!Where you going?" went completely over Bego's head within the context of the song.

There are also typos galore.It's amazing that this book even made it to print.While reading the interviews with bandmates Liberty, Richie, and Russell do make some interesting reading, Bego's prose surrounding those moments reads like a 6th grader's hastily written biography of the artist instead of someone who's apparently published many books on rock artists.But one look at Bego's picture on the back inner dust flap pretty much says it all: A goofball sitting eating a plate of spaghetti with his shirt unbuttoned to show off his ample chest hair and gold necklaces.Dude, it's not 1978 anymore.

All that said, Billy Joel fans may find a few things worth delving into here that they might not have known previously, but a serious biogprahy or autobiography even needs to be written about Billy after this long.Unfortunately, we'll only have books like Bego's half-hearted attempts to fill the book shelves.A pity.

Bego Begs the Question--You Call Yourself a Writer?
This is the worst book I have ever seen in print. It is obviously cut-and-pasted from a mishmash of online interviews and other unreliable sources. Bego repeats the exact same information and phrases in various chapters, supposedly talking about completely different things.He uses an incredible amount of cliches and his explanations of Billy's songs read as though a five year-old child had written them.There are numerous typos and errors that even a half-witted editor would notice.As if all that isn't bad enough, the second half of the book is basically the Liberty DeVitto whine-fest.Maybe the drummer didn't get paid as much as he thought he should have, but shouldn't he write his own book, rather than taking over someone else's? As a fan of both good writing and Billy Joel, I am very sorry to have wasted my money on this tripe. Bego is not a writer, and his editor should be fired.

A very poorly written book
As a Billy Joel fan, I appreciated the unknown tidbits, such as Billy's attempted suicide and that "Rosalinda's Eyes" was a tribute to his mother.

BUT (and this is a very strong negative) the writing style is awful. As other reviewers have said, Bego consistently repeats himself(using the same adjective 2x in one sentence, rehashing the same theme within the same paragraph or page). In addition, he dedicates a book to a photographer friend, he widely quotes this same friend as if he has firsthand knowledge of Billy, and not surprisingly most of the photos in the book are from the same source. Journalistic integrity? Gone.

Bego provides scant detail into Billy's upbringing (with no childhood/family photos) and regurgitates historical and musical details that do not deepen the reader's understanding of Billy Joel. Does having Watergate explained in detail, or knowing Whitney Houston's height, or having a sentence list more than a dozen of Elvis' song titles drive the narrative forward? I think not.

In my opinion, this under-edited book is solely to be skimmed to ferret out details unfamiliar to the reader. Too bad, I was expecting much more. ... Read more

Product Description
Revised to include all the songs from the album Stormfront. 59 songs, including: Allentown * It's Still Rock and Roll To Me * Keeping The Faith * The Longest Time * Tell Her About It * Uptown Girl * We Didn't Start The Fire * and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Excellent Book!
This and volume 1 are great books to get if you wanna play just like Billy Joel!

Almost right on
I play guitar and keyboards. This book is pretty much right on the way Billy Joel does it.The only book I found a little better was Billy Joel Note by Note

not a good book
pieces of songs aren't included in the book. also some things not played are added into the songs for whatever reason.

Super!!
This collection of Billy Joel songs is categorized by album/date and is incredibly easy to follow.It is complete!!The music is for an average to advanced pianist.I could not be happier with the collection.Volume 1 is equally wonderful.The price is more than reasonable.The same amount of money would only buy three songs in sheet music form.This is a GREAT buy!!It will keep a pianist occupied for a long time!

An Excellent Resource for Musicians
This book is a must have for all popular pianists and musicians.Actually, it's even great for those musicians (like me) who prefer to play classical.A lot of the tunes have beautiful melodies that make excellentrecital pieces(due to Billy Joel's classical background?).For example: Summer Highland Falls.Includes every song from Glass Houses to StormFront.(1980-1989)

Billy Joel is a pretty wild musician; so, the musicis definitely written for the advanced pianist.Anyone who can read music,however, can read the melody line and the chords.This is also anexcellent source for "piano bar" music--it works very well as afake book for people so inclined.For those musicians who love popularmusic, but cannot improvise or read guitar chords, this is the way to playpopular music easily.

The only downside to this book is that, for a fewof the songs, there are complicated repeats and double codas.(I assume toconserve space?) Even so, most songs are well organized and easy to follow. And the ones with repeats are just confusing at first and easy to followone you have played them through.

This book is primarily a solo or solowith accompaniment.It is not the greatest book for playing in a band. The instrumental lines have been transcribed into the piano score.Abetter purchase for musicians playing in a band is The Billy Joel KeyboardBook: Authentic Transcriptions.

This book is one of the wisest musicpurchases I have ever made.It is a great source for all the lyrics, andthe melody line can be played on any instrument.It is well worth theinvestment for any musician! ... Read more

Product Description
A great collection of 21 huge hits from this pop superstar: Allentown * Big Shot * Don't Ask Me Why * It's Still Rock and Roll to Me * Just the Way You Are * The Longest Time * Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) * My Life * New York State of Mind * Only the Good Die Young * Piano Man * Pressure * She's Always a Woman * Tell Her About It * Uptown Girl * You May Be Right * You're Only Human * more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fits Well to Many Billy Joel Songs
This book does an exceptional job of capturing a few of Billy Joel's songs into one instrument.Only for a few songs is this a good book, however.Do not buy this book for the more piano-geared songs like "My Life", "Allentown", or "Piano Man".Those songs should be played from the real transcription from the Billy Joel Keyboard book, unless you hate singing.

Here is the positive stuff about this book:"Goodnight Saigon" - an amazing song, one of my favorite.This book does a great job on it.And it's easy to add little extra strikes to the chords to simulate the guitar strokes."Uptown Girl", "Only the Good Die Young", and "The Longest Time" - great songs that are written well for this book.Albeit, I have to say referring to "The Longest Time" everything's great except I think the first 3 notes should be C-D-C, not C-C-Bb.

Overall, this book is good for true Billy Joel fans that haven't figured out all of his songs by now, and also Billy Joel fans that would rather play all of his music without having to do any singing.

Billy Joel
This book gives you an easy way to play his songs.If you want to play just the simple tunes to the songs then get this book. For those who want the actual transcriptions that you hear on his cds, go for the billy joelkeyboard book.

Not great
Billy's music is so complex, this book is usless, unless you are looking just to know the chords or melody of the song.If you wanna be able to actually play the real songs, go for the Authentic Transcription book. ... Read more

Product Description
Fantasies & Delusions is the next chapter in Billy JoelÕs life-long love affair with the piano. Before the world-renowned "Piano Man" ever discovered pop, he grew up studying classical piano, already feeling the influences of Beethoven, Bach, Chopin, Schubert, Schumann and many others. Although he ran away with the seductress named RockÕnÕRoll as a teenager, 30 years later he returns to where he began to pay tribute to the music that made him fall in love with music in the first place. This matching folio features all 12 pieces from the album, as performed by Richard Joo. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Absolutely Love It!
What drew me to this music was the familiar Schirmer cover on the CD.Though I've liked Billy Joel's music growing up, I never liked it well enough to buy a CD - well, I take that back...I purchased the "River of Dreams" CD and only like the hits - the rest was disappointing.I quickly tossed the CD into the garbage.At any rate, I did purchase "Fantasies and Delusions" in 2002 and, as the title says, absolutely loved it.It was very relaxing and enjoyable to listen to and I quickly began searching to see if the sheet music was available.

I found it on Amazon and that Christmas I asked for the sheet music and couldn't put it down.As many of the reviewers have stated it is written for an accomplished pianist.It's not easy stuff and I did find the music challenging; but, not so much that I couldn't sight-read through most of the pieces.In fact, that's part of what made it enjoyable.It wasn't like a Liszt or Scriabin etude which is way beyond my skills, but more on the level of a Beethoven sonata.

This collection contains many well-crafted pieces - wonderful melodies supported by gorgeous harmonies.The overall style is very 19th-century.The "Aria" ismuch akin to Chopin's nocturnes - LH arpeggios opposite a long, RH melody.The waltzes, again, are very Chopin-esque - just a little bit looser in form.I enjoy playing "Reverie,""Innamorto," and "Delusion."All three of these pieces are beautifully written and provide enough interest that neither the performer nor the listener will be bored - again written in a late-Romantic style.The piece "Sililoquy" is by far the most difficult piece and reminds me of Ravel's "The Boat on the Ocean" from "Miroirs."I haven't spent much time on it - too many arpeggios and "improvisatory" runs.Maybe one day I'll get the gumption to tackle it.

Much attention has been given to his "Invention,"of which I'd like to add my two bits (for what it's worth). It has a Baroque feel to it, but it certainly isn't a fugue in the same sense that Bach wrote his two-part inventions.It sounds like one and looks like one (with episodes and a modulation to the dominant), but when one analyzes the melody note for note, the LH doesn't even play the same motive, real or tonal.Call it what you want, but it's not a true two-part invention.Incidentally, it's the only piece solely credited to Billy Joel - the rest are said to be arranged by Richard Joo.

Though the music isn't written at the level of the great masters, I didn't expect it to be.Like Sting, Billy Joel has ventured into a territory that he pulls off very well.It's not Mozart, but it's not shoddy either.If you can play Beethoven and Chopin, you will have no problem playing these pieces, and hopefully, enjoying them just as much.

An interesting diversion, no pedal markings
If you play classical music, the only reason to purchase this book (and the CD for that matter), is if you want to be able to say, "I'm now going to play a piece by Billy Joel."
Since that may lead to a non-classically oriented audience to become more interested in the rest of your repertoire, that's a valid reason.The pieces are not terrible.And some of the short ones might provide good contrast before something by, say, Bach or Chopin.

The music is obviously not written by a great composer.The themes and developments don't often go anywhere exciting.Although the music seems to be variously inspired by the Baroque to the Romantic Era, he often does not follow the standard music theory rules for putting voices (simultaneously played notes) together that were usually followed by all serious composers from Bach to Brahms to the guy who wrote the background music for Bugs Bunny cartoons.When they didn't follow them they had good reasons. Joel doesn'tThis sometimes results in a more helter-skelter feel when he makes large leaps and an uneven feel when he moves by step.

The sheet music has no introductory explanation like most Alfred Masterwork Editions do.This is particular upsetting when you see that there are no pedal marks in the music, but hear sustained notes on the CD: Richard Joo basically uses the sustain pedal for color the way a trained pianist does with Mozart.Most pieces have no staccato markings at all and articulation indications of any kind are sparse, although dynamic markings are very clear. Tempos are accompanied by metronome numbers. Apparently it is Joel's intention to give the artist room to interpret the piece as he likes in the manner that Romantic Era performers did.Perhaps that accounts for the puzzling "Arranged by Richard Joo" statement at the top of most pieces.

The only piece suitable for an early-intermediate level player would be the pleasant sounding "Invention in C Minor" - one note, usually a 16th, at a time with each hand, changing mostly by small steps from the previous note, and it's a short, 2-page piece of music.Bach would have called this a "Two-part Invention" and it's obviously inspired by Bach: when Richard Joo plays it on the CD he uses Bach's Baroque era style of slightly separating each note (played by snapping each finger down with much less wrist action), particularly the eighths.He also uses the sustain pedal for color which is not Baroque style but not unpleasant either.

The other pieces are all late intermediate to advanced in difficulty.

Something different and challenging at the piano
This collection of music from Billy Joel is indeed, as other reviewers have noted, quite difficult. It is not recommended for a player of less than an intermediate grade. There is a short 'Invention' which is a two voice work reminiscent of Bach or Handel. This particular work would be suitable for a player of moderate skill level.

Most of the music is evocative of Chopin, insofar as there is a number of waltzes, each with rapid flourishes and minor modulations. Joel also veers into French impressionist territory occasionally, using minor-9th chords and tonality that recalls Debussy or Satie. His left hand passages are like something out of a Brahms intermezzo: difficult, arpeggiated and often unstructured, occasionally virtuosic. Given some of the more difficult pieces (if you want to tackle them), listening to the recording would probably help.

The most entertaining pieces to play are two of the easier pieces, though they are by no means easy to master. The last piece - an Irish 'Air' - is a beautiful four-page jaunt that requires a dextrous wrist and a sense of playfulness. Also fun, but perhaps too long, is 'Nunley's Carousel', which should be played so as to mirror a Carousel that starts slowly and builds to a crescendo. This piece is unfortunately marred by one too many minor variations; nevertheless, the chord-heavy finale is fun to punch out.

This is a book worth purchasing for those who enjoy classical music and who also enjoy the works of Billy Joel. These are not simple pieces; indeed, Joel himself is apparently unable to play them to the standard he desires. That's why world-famous pianist Richard Joo plays them on the recording. It may also be why Mr Joo has arranged the pieces. As to what the word 'arranged' means in the context of this song cycle, it is not clear.

A starting point would be to buy the recording. If you like that, buy the book.

Hours of Enjoyment!
Although I do not have the ability to play these pieces at the level of Mr. Joo, I have had many hours of enjoyment working through the book.I started with the invention because I thought it would get me back into the practice habits of days gone by and I was right!Correct fingering and all that...There are sections of extreme difficulty (by my talent level) but there are many works in this book that have drawn me to sit and play my piano for hours at a time; more so than any music since high school(Class of '85). This music is classical in nature and is most suitable for those who are classically trained and who have the patience to work at it a bit. There are many beautiful melodic sections, but there is also a lot of fun! After hearing the cd I HAD to have this book!

At best, a curiosity
This album of Billy Joel's piano compositions reproduces in score the tracks contained on the CD album with the same title, where the selections are performed by Richard Joo. I have not heard the CD, so my review is based on perusing and reading through some of the music myself. Most of it is of significant technical difficulty, far too complex for amateurs who might have previously enjoyed playing through arrangements of Joel's popular hits. Richard Joo must be a competent pianist. It is not clear why he is credited as an "arranger" of many of the pieces.

Judged purely as classical piano music, which publication in this form would seem to be asking the serious musician to do, the works in this volume are very much of a kind: predominantly lyrical and improvisatory in nature, and rambling and discursive in form. There are some striking melodic ideas, whose impact is almost always lessened by excessive repetition and unfocused development. One of the few compositions immune to these strictures is a short "Invention," a charming Bachian pastiche that is only two pages long. This could well be given to advancing piano students as an alternative to the time-honored compositions by the Baroque master. Coincidentally or not, this is one of the few pieces where Joo is not given a co-writing or arranging credit. Otherwise, the music contained in this volume is at best of ephemeral value. My guess is that Joel's musical reputation will continue to prosper through his pop songs and Broadway musicals. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (8)

Great Book
liked the book, its in good condition and received it in a timely manner. Thanks! its on the shelf.

Sweet and sentimental
Born and raised in New York, this song always pulled on my heartstrings. Since Billy Joel, a master story teller, has put this famous song into print for kids, it has even more special meaning. The illustrations are fantastic, from the details of the lights of Times Square to the majesty of the Empire State Builiding, there is barely a corner of the city that is not captured in a colorful, realistic fashion.The pages are fun to look at (the Broadway theatres boast variations of the actual shows) and any native will appreciate the subtle story each page tells. This is great book to introduce a child to New York City, and a special keepsake for grown ups, whether residents or visitors here.

New York State of Mind
I was a little disappointed at first in the book only because I thought there would be more of a story of someone in New York City with the song as a basis. Error on my part since the book was the "song".However, my niece age 5 whom the book was for was delighted and loved it.Each picture I read and described to her (I must admit she did a couple of twirls to the CD playing) was enjoying it and found all the pictures very descripitive with the song.As a New Yorker myself I was able to explain it with a little story of her "Aunt Re Re" in the Big Apple who has over the years been to all those illustrated sites.

A contemporary music classic is now a picture book
"New York State of Mind" has always been one of Billy Joel's most passionately-performed pieces.When witnessed live and in person, the song is a glowing tribute to all East Coasters and specifically to New Yorkers, from one of their own.But even the recording on the Turnstiles album is powerful.It pays homage to the concept of "home."

Joel's lyrics transfer nicely onto the pages of this picture book.The main characters, two small dogs, may remind some folks of the pair from "The Lady and the Tramp," another city story.Izak's illustrations portray the metropolis in fall or early winter, with leaves on the ground and ice skaters at Wollman Rink.Each double-page spread visits a specific location in the city, and each are identified by name.Look closely to find the irony in the signage.Theater-goers are standing in line to see "Movin' Out!" on Broadway.And the ice rink banner reads TROMP instead of TRUMP.Play the accompanying CD (containing the Turnstiles version of the song) while reading the captions, and you'll hear the soulful strains of the saxophone just as a sax player appears on the page.A captivating new book for children and adult fans of NYC and/or Billy Joel, particularly poignant in these post-9/11 days.

Soulful Billy Joel & New York
If you like Billy Joel, you will like this book/CD. I am a big fan of Billy Joel's and have always wanted to visit New York. The book provides some great scenes of New York with labeling of all the featured sites. Makes me want to visit New York even more. It's a little goofy that a little dog is featured on all the pages, but small enough that you can ignore it and silly enough that you can enjoy it. It is a book that my two toddler children and I enjoy every day. They love the colorful pictures, and I love Billy Joel's bluesy, soulful music. ... Read more

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Contents are: Moving Out, The Stranger, Just The Way You Are, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, Vienna, Only The Good Die Young, She's Always a Woman, Get it Right the First Time, Everybody has a dream ... Read more

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Our 72-song matching folio to the new boxed set of four CDs lets fans experience the complete career of Billy Joel, from the '60s through his classical work. Includes: Allentown * And So It Goes * Big Shot * Delusion from Suite for Piano * Goodnight Saigon * It's Still Rock and Roll to Me * Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) * My Life * New York State of Mind * Piano Man * We Didn't Start the Fire * You May Be Right * and more. ... Read more

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This bargain-priced collection features the melody line, lyrics and chords for 56 songs by Billy Joel: Big Shot * I Go to Extremes * Just the Way You Are * The Longest Time * Movin' Out * Piano Man * Tell Her About It * Uptown Girl * and more. ... Read more

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16 of his sentimental favorites, including: And So It Goes * Honesty * Just the Way You Are * New York State of Mind * Shameless * She's Always a Woman * She's Got a Way * and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Billy Joel Ballads
Great for medium listeners of BJ who just want to sit at a piano and sing his songs. If you're an advanced piano player, i highly recommend the Authentic Transcriptions -- exactly as Piano Man plays it himself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Very Basic Biography
I bought this book years ago, in the height of my Billy Joel admiration, and I found it quite enjoyable.It gives lots of info about how he broke into the music business.The writing style is such that it seems that it's geared towards school-age readers, but none-the-less an enjoyable book for any true fan. ... Read more