Haunted Heart: E-Z Play Today

This E-Z Play arrangement opens the door to legitimate jazz standards without overwhelming early intermediate pianists. Schwartz's tune has the kind of memorable melody that keeps students engaged across multiple rehearsals, and the simplified voicings let them focus on phrasing and swing feel rather than wrestling with complex left-hand patterns.

A minor key canvas painted with nostalgic longing and introspection. The arrangement captures the wistful, almost cinematic quality that made Schwartz's theater songs so enduring—there's a hint of melancholy beneath the polish, a sense of emotional depth.

Pianists moving beyond basic pop and folk arrangements who are ready for the harmonic language of jazz standards. This works particularly well for students drawn to theatrical and vocal music, and for ensembles preparing cabaret or concert programs that blend classical with jazz repertoire.

• Shape the melody with attention to lyrical contour; even without singing the words, let the phrasing breathe as if someone were singing overhead.
• Treat the harmonic foundation as a conversation rather than accompaniment. Listen to how the chords support and sometimes gently push against the melody.
• Experiment with touch and pedal to let sustain build atmosphere without muddying the harmonic clarity the arrangement provides.

Program this as a solo feature in a standards or jazz-focused concert, or pair it with other Schwartz compositions to showcase a single composer's range. It also serves beautifully as an interlude piece in a theatrical or cabaret show, bridging between larger ensemble numbers.

• Interpreting swing eighth notes and jazz phrasing conventions
• Voicing jazz chords with independence between melody and harmony
• Pedal control in a sustained, atmospheric context
• Reading and performing from lead sheet notation (standard jazz format)