In Style, Book 2: Piano Book

Grill moves beyond generic "beginner repertoire" by grounding each piece in a specific historical style and performance tradition. The glossary alone transforms this collection from a set of exercises into a window onto 19th-century compositional forms, letting students understand what makes a nocturne or scherzo distinctive before they play it. For pianists ready to think about interpretation, not just technique, this book bridges the gap between etude collections and authentic period literature.

Each piece invites you into a different mood and formal world: the intimate, reflective character of a nocturne; the spirited dance rhythms of a mazurka; the technical brilliance of a toccata. Collectively, they create a museum of 19th-century miniatures, each one small enough to master quickly but substantial enough to offer real musical satisfaction.

Intermediate pianists ready to move beyond generic etudes and develop familiarity with the stylistic vocabulary of romantic-era masters. This collection suits students who are curious about music history and want to understand not just how to play a piece, but why it was written the way it was.

• Consult the glossary before working on each piece. Understanding the formal and stylistic conventions of the bagatelle or mazurka shapes how you approach phrasing, tempo flexibility, and articulation.
• Pay particular attention to romantic-era rubato and dynamic shaping; these pieces reward subtle expressive choices rather than rigid metronomic playing.
• Memorize as you learn. The description emphasizes easy-to-memorize qualities, so use that to free your hands and focus on the interpretive details that distinguish each style.

Ideal for student recitals where you want performers to showcase both technical progress and growing stylistic awareness. These pieces also work beautifully as diverse filler or transition items between longer works, and they provide natural stepping stones toward the solo piano canon that many intermediate students aspire to play.

• Understanding romantic-period style conventions (bagatelle, mazurka, nocturne, scherzo, toccata, prelude)
• Reading and executing historically informed articulation and rubato
• Memorization techniques for shorter forms
• Dynamic control and voicing in small-scale compositions
• Connecting technical patterns to stylistic expression