Books by Margaret Brandman

Harmony Comes Together is designed to equip the student with the necessary skills to write both four-part and three-part classical harmony and to cross the divide betweencontemporary popular, jazz and contemporary classical writing styles with ease and understanding, all the while giving experience in skills required for both classicaland contemporary examination syllabi. This harmony method is the part of an integrated course devised by Margaret Brandman which provides materials for ear-training (audio and workbooks), theory,improvisation, technique and repertoire. Harmony Comes Together Book 1 is best by those who have completed both Margaret Brandman's Contemporary Theory Workbook- Book 2 and the first sectionof Margaret Brandman's Contemporary Chord Workbook- Book One. Key features of this book are: 1) The Gestalt approach - using the gestalt (whole view) of the topic of harmony, students are equipped to see, hear and understand the chords in context.2) An emphasis on the understanding of the cycle of fifths and chord tables 3) The understanding of root progressions which helps the student of harmony make connections between various progressions and the movement of the parts. This also imparts the knowledge of the effect of the progressions: static, weak or strong 4) The use of colour coding and graphics to impart concepts and illustrate ideas5) The use of various types of labelling from both the British System and the American system, so that information in this book can be used with multiple examination syllabi 6) The use of both traditional system of figuring for chords and modern chord symbols to make the link between old and new systems of music notation and harmonicunderstanding. 7) The awareness of sounds in both classical and popular music8) The encouragement for the student to play and listen to the progressionsand to interpret them with modern rhythms ·

Twelve imaginative and tuneful pieces by composer Margaret Brandman, exploring time signatures ranging from 2/4 to 7/4. Beginning with tunes in easy keys,  the set of pieces gradually extends the musical skills required up to the final pieces in grade 6. The collection presents a piece in each major and relative minor key up to two sharps and two flats. Many of the compositions are included as examination set pieces in various Australian examination syllabuses.Each tune is catchy and melodic, using such devices as the fun sound of parallel fifths, the unusual qualities of modes and modal harmonies and some intriguing rhythmic twists. Some pieces are vigorously rhythmic while others are quite ambient in nature, incorporating modern jazz oriented chord sounds such as major sevenths or chords which incorporate the extension degrees of 9th, 11th or 13th.The tunes lay well in hand position and area changes are indicated by 'key fingering', making them not only easy to read, but also facilitating the technical aspects required to play them. The pieces provide supplementary material and consolidation of the areas covered in Books 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B of Brandman’s Contemporary Piano Method.Recordings of the pieces are available on the CD IMAGES. For a detailed description of each piece go to the IMAGES page on www.margaretbrandman.comContents and keys:Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy,  (C Major) Mongolian Knights  ( A Natural Minor - Aeolian Mode) Charlie’s Cheerful Chune (C Major) Sammy’s Sad Soul (A Minor) Celtic Country Dance ( G Major) The Lonesome Bat  (E minor) No.5 is Alive ( F Major) Spider on the Mirror ( D minor) Minnamurra Rainforest Dreaming ( D Major) Sleepy Creepy Ghost Story (B minor) Code B ( Morse Code) (Bb Major) Snow Gums in the Moonlight  ( G minor)