Anthology of Baroque Keyboard Music: Piano Comb Bound Book

Forty-two composers in one volume means students encounter genuine variety without the fragmentation of hunting through single-composer collections. Hinson's ornament realizations and historical notes transform what could be a dry survey into a guided exploration of how keyboard writing evolved across a full century and a half.

This music balances ornamental elegance with genuine structural ambition. Textures range from intimate and contemplative to brilliantly patterned, with harmonic language that rewards careful listening and disciplined voice-leading.

Late-intermediate and early-advanced pianists ready to move beyond simplified repertoire and develop period-appropriate technique and interpretive judgment. Teachers building a structured Baroque curriculum for serious students who need more depth than a single-composer focus provides.

• Study the ornament realizations before learning the score; understanding Hinson's interpretations gives you a solid foundation to make informed choices about articulation and ornamentation.
• Let the comb binding work for you in performance by marking frequently-used pages and allowing the book to stay open without fighting back.
• Approach each composer as a distinct voice rather than treating the collection as a monolith; notice how dance forms, harmonic language, and textural density shift from one piece to the next.
• Use the biographical context to shape interpretation; knowing whether a piece was written for a domestic setting or a court performance influences tempo choices and rubato.

Build a Baroque piano recital around 3-4 contrasting pieces drawn from different composers in the collection, allowing the program to demonstrate the period's range. Use selections as teaching pieces throughout the year, pairing them with historical and stylistic discussions that deepen musicianship alongside technique.

• Baroque ornamentation and articulation conventions
• Voice independence and contrapuntal clarity in two-, three-, and four-part writing
• Stylistic differentiation among dance forms (allemande, courante, gigue, sarabande)
• Historically informed approaches to tempo, phrasing, and rhythmic interpretation
• Recognition of harmonic language and figured bass principles across multiple composers and regions