Grand Solos for Piano, Book 4: Piano Book

Bober writes with an ear for what actually engages early intermediate pianists: character pieces with personality, rhythmic variety, and that satisfying moment when a student realizes they can make a real piece sound good. Book 4 delivers pieces in multiple keys and meters without feeling like exercises, and each one has distinct musical identity. This is the kind of collection that students will actually want to practice.

Playful and diverse. One moment you're winding a musical box, the next you're stomping through a Spanish bullfighting scene or caught in a dance craze. There's wit in the titles and substance in the writing; these pieces sound far more accomplished than their technical demands suggest.

Early intermediate pianists ready to move beyond single-key collections into pieces with real compositional variety. Students aged 9 and up who respond well to character pieces and rhythmically engaging material will find something they want to play here.

• Pay attention to the tempo and character markings at the top of each piece; they define the mood as much as the notes do. Scary Movie and Stormy Night rely on your choices about pacing and dynamic shaping to land their effects.
• In the rag and dance pieces (Pine Tree Rag, Whirling Tarantella, Wild Appaloosa), lock in the rhythmic groove first. Let your hands find the feel before polishing the details.
• Antique Music Box and Prelude in F Major reward careful listening to your tone quality and pedal choices. The music is simpler in texture, so every sound choice matters.
• Balance the melody and accompaniment thoughtfully in Boogie Shoes and I Spy. These pieces sit well under the hands when you don't force either layer to dominate.

Each piece stands alone as a solid recital or studio showcase selection, so you can have different students perform from this book without repetition. The variety also makes it ideal for mixed-level studio recitals, where early intermediate students need material with real character and finish. Program a few of these throughout the year to give students fresh repertoire every season.

• Reading and playing in multiple keys with confidence
• Rhythmic precision in syncopated and compound meter contexts
• Character interpretation and tempo rubato appropriate to style
• Pedal control for both color and clarity
• Balancing melody and accompaniment voices
• Sight-reading accuracy across varied textures and tempos