Dave Brubeck – Two Part Contention
Another one from a book I picked up at Alba Music in Glasgow, with transcripts for Dave Brubecks solo piano album ”Brubeck plays Brubeck”
A Bach inspired jazz two-part contrapuntal intro gets some improv treatment. There was a couple of pages missing from the book, and I’m afraid I’m no jazz pianists, so I just made a cut and skipped ahead.
I can’t find this book online, so I’m not sure where you would source the score.
How Deep Is The Ocean – Bill Evans/Irving Berlin – Brent Edstrom Piano Arrangement
Another wonderfully voiced Brent Edstrom transcription of Bill Evans playing style.
Someday My Prince Will Come – Frank Churchill/Bill Evans – Arr. Brent Edstrom.
Classy little miniature from one of my favourite books, the Jazz Piano Solo’s Volume 19 – Bill Evans, arranged by Brent Edstrom. Thick chord textures, and a fairly devilish solo section.
Somewhere Over The Rainbow – Harold Arlen – Arr. Rupert Austin – Solo Piano
From the excellent transcription set by Youtuber @rupertaustin, this is a flowing, perfectly balanced rendition of the classic Wizard of Oz tune. Great scale and arpeggio practice too.
Joe Hisaishi – Il Porco Rosso – Studio Ghibli
On the current ABRSM Grade 8 syllabus, this is a warm, rich and playful miniature from Joe Hisaishi. I found some effective hand swaps made the Intro, and Bar 4 of Section A far easier to maintain an effective connection to the melody. You can find this annotated in my video.
Chopin – Nocturne No.9 in B major – Op.32 No.1
One of the more accessible Chopin Nocturnes, a slightly less well known major Andante Sostenuto (Sostenuto instructs the player to create a smooth, sustained sound), it is lyrical and relaxing until its coda section, which ends on an unexpected and dramatic turn. Lots of work on upper LH melody lines, a technique commonly used in romantic piano music.
Bortkiewicz – Prelude in F# – Op.40 No.4
Another choice from Sergei Bortkiewicz, this one a lush and amorous F# major prelude. Lots of opportunity for subtle dual voicing work in the right hand, with an unadventurous arpeggiated left hand figuration throughout.
Scriabin – Op.45 No.1 – Fueillet d’album
One of Scriabin’s more accessible miniatures, challenging none the less. Large left hand figurations accompany the right hand in polyrhythms throughout. Ethereal and beautiful music from the master of intangible harmony.
A Time For Love – Johnny Mandel and Paul Francis Webster – Arr. Rupert Austin
A beautiful, smooth, cocktail rendition of the standard ”A Time for Love”. The left hand is a constant stream of large arpeggiated figurations, and many of the right hand patterns take some finesse to execute smoothly. The inner section contains a solo passage in which the RH increases in difficulty somewhat.
Alice in Wonderland – Bill Evans – Arr. Brent Edstrom
One from the Hal Leonard – Brent Edstrom arranged Jazz Piano Solos series, this one from Volume 19 – Bill Evans. Starts off with a richly textured chordal pattern. Once you have mastered the swinging jazz waltz rhythm, focus on the helpfully labelled harmonic patterns contained within the book. Contains a short solo section based on reasonably typical jazz figurations. watch out for the tricky triadic right hand motion at the end of the piece.
Brahms – Opus 76 No.1 – Capriccio in F#m
An emotional and dramatic miniature from Johannes Brahms, flowing and dark. It contains his signature textural difficulties, large arpeggios regularly spanning 2 octaves and a challenging inner section with a Chopin-esque right hand passage of octave movement. Suitable for a brave Grade 8 student, and at ARSM level.
Michael Peacock Piano 