Tansman's Educational Works and Jouons pour Maman

Tansman's first educational work, Pour les enfants (For Children), in four volumes (published 1934), was well-received and became a bestseller, supporting the management of Max Eschig at the time. Following this success, Eschig commissioned Tansman to compose pieces that were decidedly easier, suitable for beginners, leading to the publication of the present work, Jouons pour Maman (Let's Play for Mama), in 1937. Tansman continued to write numerous educational works until his later years. Their substantial quality and quantity deserve renewed attention. As the output of an all-around 20th-century composer who was not exclusively a piano specialist, it can be compared to that of Bartók, Gretchaninov, and Kabalevsky. Tansman's approach, in Bartók's terms, is closer to the accessible series like First Term at the Piano or For Children, rather than the innovative and systematic series like Mikrokosmos. Tansman wrote original melodies without using folk songs, but he achieved sophisticated modernity through the incorporation of jazz and blues elements, as well as distinctive harmonies and rhythms. While the technical systematization is not overly strict, there are many fresh ideas that a composer specializing solely in piano might not conceive. Its high educational value, rich in artistry, remains undiminished even in the 21st century.

This work is the easiest among Tansman's educational pieces for solo piano. It is at the introductory to early-intermediate level (equivalent to mid-Beyer, Méthode Rose, etc.), featuring charming short pieces, each spanning two facing pages. Its clear classical style, diatonic harmony, and the most basic writing (left hand for accompaniment, right hand for melody) make it easily accessible even for learners who have only encountered fundamental teaching materials. Tansman, even in the simplest pieces, does not restrict the five fingers to a single position, but encourages position shifts, thumb-under, and finger-over. Since some composers write teaching materials that emphasize a single position, this must be Tansman's pedagogical approach. Furthermore, each piece being two pages long is considered "long" for this level, which is one of the collection's distinctive features. Although there are many de facto repetitions, they are intentionally written out in full notation rather than using repeat signs. At this stage, it is highly significant to provide students with pieces of a certain length, rather than those that end in an instant, and to encourage them to consider the overall contour to complete a single work. At recitals, parents would likely appreciate hearing pieces that last one or two minutes with content and structure suitable for adult appreciation, rather than pieces that end abruptly in less than a minute. For a long time, the separate sale of individual pieces hindered the widespread adoption of this work, but a collected edition was finally released in 2005. While there may be pros and cons regarding the change in cover illustration, which was designed with universal design in mind, the increased ease of obtaining this work is welcome. Once this work can be played with ease, it is advisable to proceed to the next level, Jouons pour Papa (Let's Play for Papa). In Papa, students can gain a more advanced musicality and learn about polyphony.

• No. 1 Petit air (Little Tune) Modéré (Moderately) 4/4 time, C major
• No. 2 Air bohémien (Bohemian Tune) Assez vif (Quite lively) 2/2 time, A minor
• No. 3 Jeu (Game) Modéré (Moderately) 3/4 time, C major
• No. 4 Orientale (Oriental) Modéré (Moderately) 4/4 time, A minor
• No. 5 Valse (Waltz) Allant (Briskly) 3/4 time, F major
• No. 6 Mélodie (Melody) Modéré (Moderately) 4/4 time, C major
• No. 7 Bourrée (Bourrée) Vif (Lively) 3/4 time, F major
• No. 8 Fanfare (Fanfare) Vif (Lively) 4/4 time, C major
• No. 9 Mélodie arabe (Arabian Melody) Lent (Slowly) 3/4 time, A minor
• No. 10 Menuet (Minuet) Modéré (Moderately) 3/4 time, C major
• No. 11 Polka (Polka) Assez vif (Quite lively) 4/4 time, G major
• No. 12 Air hongrois (Hungarian Tune) Modéré (Moderately) 4/4 time, C major