I Used to Play Piano: 40s and 50s Hits: Piano Book

Matz has arranged these standards with genuine affection for the original recordings while keeping the piano writing accessible and genuinely fun to play. Adults returning to the keys respond powerfully to songs they actually remember hearing on the radio or seeing on screen; these arrangements honor those memories without requiring concert-level technical command. The sequencing works hand in hand with the companion refresher course, so you get a cohesive pathway rather than scattered pieces.

Opening this book feels like stepping back into a living room where the piano is finally calling you home. The melodies are ones you've carried in your memory for decades, and Matz's writing lets you play them straightforwardly without the anxiety of deciphering concert transcriptions or struggling through pedagogical exercises that feel disconnected from real music.

Adult pianists rekindling their relationship with the instrument after weeks, months, or years away will find exactly what they need here. These arrangements assume you remember how to read music and have basic technique but may feel rusty on rhythm reading or hand independence; the book's careful sequencing rebuilds confidence through music that matters to you personally.

• Pay attention to the original recordings while learning; Matz's arrangements capture the spirit and era of these songs, and listening builds your sense of style and phrasing.
• Work the hand position and voicing changes methodically before adding tempo; these 40s and 50s arrangements sit well on the piano when the harmony moves smoothly between hands.
• Lean into the character of each piece: "Blue Moon" and "Misty" want a relaxed rubato, while "Great Balls of Fire" and "Rock Around the Clock" thrive on crisp rhythm and forward energy.

Assign pieces from this collection in sequence alongside the I Used to Play Piano: Refresher Course to structure a semester-long or year-long return to playing. Adult students working through these arrangements often find themselves practicing more consistently because the emotional connection to the music overrides the initial hesitation about rebuilding skills.

• Reading and executing rhythmic patterns in swing and jazz-influenced styles
• Hand independence and voice leading in popular song harmonies
• Interpreting dynamic and tempo markings that convey the character of original recordings
• Sustain and phrasing appropriate to different musical moods (ballads versus up-tempo pieces)