It Had to Be You (as featured in "When Harry Met Sally") - Piano Solo: Piano Solo

Sharon Aaronson's arrangements capture the elegance and accessibility that make these standards timeless. The collection sits perfectly at the intermediate-to-early-advanced level, offering pianists genuine musical substance without demanding virtuosic technique. Programming a single piece from this book brings professional-quality repertoire to any recital or competition.

These arrangements evoke the romance and sophistication of mid-century film and theater. Each piece carries warmth and lyrical depth, whether you're playing a Gershwin standard or a reimagined classical movement. The musical language feels both familiar and refined.

Pianists preparing for recitals, festivals, and competitions will find exactly the right repertoire here. Whether you are working toward a jazz-influenced program or seeking sophisticated popular standards, this collection offers material that audiences recognize and musicians respect.

• Shape the melody with rubato. These songs thrive on subtle tempo flexibility, especially during the lyrical passages that mirror the original vocal lines.
• Listen closely to how the harmony moves beneath the tune. Many of these arrangements use reharmonization; let those chord changes breathe rather than rushing through them.
• Balance your left hand carefully. Jazz-inflected pieces benefit from a conversational touch between the hands rather than equal loudness.

Feature this piece as a solo concert selection or pair it with classical repertoire to create programming that spans styles. The title's connection to the film "When Harry Met Sally" works well in themed recitals celebrating popular music in cinema.

• Interpreting jazz harmony and reharmonized melody
• Voice leading and smooth chord transitions
• Stylistic flexibility within popular song forms
• Rubato and lyrical phrasing in a non-classical context
• Balancing melody and accompaniment in different textural settings