Classics for the Advancing Pianist: Edward MacDowell, Book 3 Cover Image

Classics for the Advancing Pianist: Edward MacDowell, Book 3: Piano Book

$9.99 USD

Classics for the Advancing Pianist: Edward MacDowell, Book 3: Piano Book

Name: Classics for the Advancing Pianist: Edward MacDowell, Book 3: Piano Book
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-44648
Price: 9.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Early Advanced to Advanced Repertoire

By Edward MacDowell / ed. Nancy Bachus

Level: Early Advanced / Advanced

Item: 00-44648

$9.99

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The Classics for the Advancing Pianist series provides motivating, enjoyable literature of substantial quality for developing keyboard artists. The pieces in the series, ordered in a logical progression from volume to volume, help the performer work within his or her abilities while developing playing and listening skills. This standard teaching repertoire will help build technique and musicianship, as well as offer hours of personal enjoyment. Titles: Arabeske, Op. 39, No. 4 * Étude de Concert, Op. 36 * Praeludium, Op. 10, No. 1 * Rigaudon, Op. 49, No. 2 * Witches' Dance (Hexentanz), Op. 17, No. 2. A Federation Festivals 2024-2028 selection.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Classics for the Advancing Pianist: Edward MacDowell, Book 3: Piano Book comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Series: Classics for the Advancing Pianist

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 44

ISBN10: 1-4706-2700-0

ISBN13: 978-1-4706-2700-3

UPC: 038081506579

SKU: 00-44648

More about this title

About the Composer: Edward MacDowell

Edward MacDowell (1860-1908) was the first American composer to gain international recognition in Europe, studying in Paris and Germany before returning to establish himself as a pianist, educator, and prolific composer. His gift for lyrical melody and harmonic sophistication earned him a dominant position in late Romantic American music, and his pedagogical instincts shaped not only his published works but his teaching at Columbia University, where he influenced generations of American musicians.

MacDowell's piano works occupy a special place in the standard repertoire because they balance technical demand with musical substance. Unlike many salon pieces of his era, his compositions maintain genuine compositional rigor while remaining accessible to serious students. His music appeals to pianists seeking repertoire that builds both technique and interpretive depth without requiring virtuosic bravura.

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Why we love this

These five pieces offer early advanced pianists a chance to engage with genuinely distinguished American Romantic repertoire that serves double duty: they satisfy festival requirements with music of real artistic merit. MacDowell's gift for memorable melody and colorful harmony makes these works rewarding to practice and exciting to perform, and their inclusion on the Federation Festivals list means your students can build recital programs around music that adjudicators recognize and respect.

What to expect

These pieces sweep across the emotional landscape of late Romantic piano writing: ornamental delicacy and mysterious intrigue in the Arabeske and Praeludium; virtuosic sparkle in the Étude de Concert; period-dance character in the Rigaudon; and theatrical excitement in the witchy revels of Hexentanz. MacDowell's melodic gift and harmonic sophistication create a listening experience that feels both intimate and assured.

Who it's for

Early advanced pianists preparing for recitals, competitions, or festival performances will find substantial, rewarding material that challenges technique while remaining firmly grounded in musical coherence. Students who have moved beyond early repertoire but are not yet ready for full-scale Romantic virtuosity will develop confidence in this graceful middle repertoire.

How to get the most out of it

Shape the lyrical phrases in the Arabeske with a singing tone; MacDowell's melodies thrive on vocal line-playing and careful voicing of inner harmonies rather than dramatic dynamic swings.
Approach Witches' Dance with rhythmic clarity and steady hand independence; the piece's demonic character emerges from precise articulation and rhythmic control, not speed alone.
Balance color and definition in the Étude de Concert by attending to the interplay between technical passagework and thematic material; resist the urge to push through technically demanding sections at the expense of phrasing.
Use the Praeludium's harmonic language as a guide to pedal choices; MacDowell's chromaticism and voice-leading reward sensitive pedaling that clarifies rather than muddies the harmonic progression.

How to use it

Program this collection as a showcase of American Romantic artistry in an all-MacDowell recital, or distribute individual pieces throughout a season to give students varied festival entries. The range of character and technical focus means you can pair these works strategically with contemporary or baroque repertoire to create balanced concert programs that span musical periods.

Skills your students will build

Pedaling choices that enhance harmonic color and clarity in Romantic-era chromatic writing
Melodic shaping and vocal line-playing across longer phrases
Hand independence and rhythmic precision in repeated-note and figuration passages
Interpretive balance between lyrical singing quality and technical precision
Understanding of stylistic gesture in period dances (Rigaudon, Hexentanz)