Haunted Heart: Lead Sheet / Fake Book

Schwartz's harmonic language in this standard is sophisticated enough to hold adult musicians' attention while remaining accessible for students developing their jazz vocabulary. The lead sheet format invites the creative interpretation that makes standards so rewarding to perform, whether you're coaching jazz singers, building repertoire for jazz combos, or introducing pianists to accompaniment work.

The emotional territory here is bittersweet and introspective; the melody carries a certain wistfulness that Schwartz's harmony deepens without overwhelming. There's sophistication in the restraint, a quality that rewards careful listening and invites performers to find their own emotional entry point rather than projecting predetermined sentiment.

Jazz pianists and keyboardists developing their standards repertoire, vocalists preparing material for jazz or cabaret performance, and jazz combos seeking core repertoire with real harmonic content. This works equally well for music theory students analyzing pre-bebop harmonic practice.

• Treat the melody as a singing line rather than a keyboard pattern; this shifts the focus from technical display to lyrical intention and makes the underlying harmony land more effectively.
• Explore different voicing densities across the form to maintain listener interest; a sparse texture in the first chorus can build naturally toward fuller harmony later without requiring harmonic changes.
• Pay attention to the contour of the melody against the harmonic movement; Schwartz often places melodic peaks slightly ahead of or behind the expected harmonic cadence, creating forward momentum.

Pair this with other Schwartz standards to create a focused set on American songwriting of the 1930s and 1940s, or use it as a showcase feature for a jazz vocalist or pianist within a mixed repertoire concert. Its single page format makes it ideal for informal performances, student recitals, or as the foundation for a jazz combo arrangement.

• Reading and interpreting lead sheet notation
• Harmonic analysis of diatonic and chromatic movement in song form
• Lyrical phrasing and melodic shaping at the keyboard
• Jazz voicing and accompaniment techniques
• Understanding AABA and standard song form structures