Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course: Greatest Hits Book 2: Piano Book & CD

Playing these pieces brings the joy of familiarity mixed with the pride of executing arrangements that feel both accessible and genuinely musical. The orchestral production and melodic substance of Broadway, Hollywood, and popular recordings translate into piano music that sounds full and expressive, not simplistic.

Adult pianists continuing their studies through Book 2 of Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course who want to sustain motivation through recognizable, satisfying repertoire. This collection also serves returning adult students or late starters who need material that feels immediately rewarding without sacrificing technical growth.

• Listen to the included CD recording before diving into the score; hearing the original arrangement and musical phrasing helps you internalize the song's character before working out the mechanics.
• Balance melody and accompaniment by voicing the top line clearly while keeping left-hand figures rhythmically precise but not heavy, especially in pop and television selections where groove matters.
• Mark phrase endings and breathing points in your score even though this is an instrumental book; treating these songs as vocal music underneath helps shape lyrical, singing phrases at the keyboard.
• Work through each piece slowly enough to secure fingerings and hand position before adding tempo; many of these arrangements have reach demands that need planning, not improvisation.

Slot these pieces into your adult student recitals where they anchor the program with recognizable crowd favorites; audiences respond with real engagement when they hear songs they know, and students gain confidence performing music that resonates emotionally. Use individual selections as performance rewards at the end of lesson units to maintain momentum and studio morale throughout the year.

• Pedal control in sustained ballads and orchestral arrangements
• Rhythmic independence between hands in syncopated pop and television music
• Dynamic shaping and phrase architecture in longer, song-form structures
• Sight-reading fluency with mixed meters and harmonic changes across intermediate-level arrangements
• Interpretation of style markers specific to Broadway, Hollywood, and contemporary popular music