Capering Clowns - Piano Solo: Piano Solo
6 Original Solos for Intermediate-Level Pianists
By Lynn Freeman Olson
Level: Intermediate
Item: 00-PS-0017589
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Description
Circus! is fondly dedicated to Richard Barstow, the fabulous showman whose magic touch puts the razzle and dazzle into "The Greatest Show on Earth." For many years he has staged, directed and choreographed the Ringling Brothers-Barnum and Bailey Circus with a stunning flair for lavish spectacle. Lynn Freeman Olson now stages the circus in this musical tribute to some of the most challenging feats in the world of entertainment. Included are: Brassy Band * Capering Clowns * The Ballerina of the Silver Thread * Fancy Flying * Ponderous Pachyderms * Liberty Horses. A Federation Festivals 2024-2028 selection.
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
24
SKU:
00-PS-0017589
More about this title
About the Composer: Lynn Freeman Olson
Lynn Freeman Olson built a distinguished career composing accessible yet musically substantive works for young performers. His gift for narrative composition transforms familiar subjects, circuses, holidays, historical moments, into engaging pieces that challenge students without overwhelming them. Olson understood that intermediate players need music that rewards careful practice and invites genuine interpretation, and his catalog consistently delivers both.
Why we love this
Olson's circus suite captures the spectacle without resorting to cheap musical gimmicks. Each movement maintains genuine compositional craft while painting vivid scenes, so students feel they're performing something with real artistic substance, not just novelty entertainment. The six contrasting pieces give you flexibility to program individual movements or present the full suite depending on your concert needs.
What to expect
Each movement pulses with theatrical vitality. You move from the brass-band swagger of opening numbers through delicate, wire-walker suspense, roaring animals, and soaring acrobatic passages. Olson's orchestration is idiomatic to the piano, so the music feels playable while still suggesting the full spectacle of the big top.
Who it's for
Intermediate pianists who enjoy character pieces with genuine dramatic range. This collection works equally well for festival repertoire, recital programming, or supplemental ensemble work for pianists in a band or orchestra program.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the comedic intent with musical precision in Capering Clowns; the humor lands only when the rhythmic patterns land cleanly.
- Listen across all six movements to locate the harmonic and melodic threads Olson weaves throughout. This cohesion deepens the suite's theatrical effect.
- Mark tempo relationships between movements in your score; the contrasts between Brassy Band and The Ballerina of the Silver Thread become more striking when precisely controlled.
How to use it
Capering Clowns pairs perfectly with a spring concert theme celebrating American popular entertainment. You might program individual movements across a recital to showcase diverse styles, or present the full suite as a standalone act. The collection also works as a creative break in a chamber concert, offering humor and contrast between weightier classical selections.
Skills your students will build
- Quick hand position shifts and expanded keyboard awareness
- Rhythmic precision in syncopated, comedic figures
- Dynamic control across a broad range from delicate to brassy
- Character interpretation and theatrical expression at the keyboard
- Stamina through longer, multi-movement works