J. S. Bach: An Introduction to His Keyboard Music: Piano Book & Online Audio

Scott Price has curated a collection that opens Bach's keyboard language to intermediate pianists without oversimplifying the musical content. The inclusion of ornamentation, articulation, and tempo guidance is invaluable; students often struggle with these elements in Baroque music, and having authoritative guidance in the score itself accelerates their understanding. The pieces chosen represent the range and style of Bach's keyboard writing, making this an excellent survey tool.

Elegant and orderly, yet never austere. These pieces sparkle with clarity; each voice moves with purpose, and the harmonic language speaks with remarkable directness. There's a contemplative quality in the slower movements and a light, almost dance-like character in the menuets and suite movements. Playing Bach at this level rewards precision with music that feels both intellectually satisfying and genuinely beautiful.

Intermediate and late intermediate pianists ready to engage seriously with Baroque keyboard style. Students in a classical piano curriculum will find this collection essential for building fluency with Bach's language and performance conventions. Teachers seeking a well-curated, pedagogically sound introduction to Bach will appreciate the editorial guidance and recorded models.

• Study the ornamentation section at the start of the book before beginning individual pieces. Bach's trills, turns, and grace notes follow specific conventions, and understanding how to execute them cleanly will transform your interpretation.
• Attend to the articulation marked in the score, particularly in melody lines. Bach's keyboard music benefits from gentle articulation that separates notes without creating harshness; use the weight of your finger rather than percussive attack.
• Listen closely to the recorded performances for tempo choices, especially in the shorter preludes and menuets. Baroque tempo varies considerably based on character and meter, and hearing how Price interprets these works will inform your own stylistic decisions.
• Practice the rhythmic patterns separately, particularly in pieces with dotted figures or syncopation. Precision in rhythm is essential to Bach's architecture and will improve overall clarity.

Include a single Bach selection in a recital featuring works from different eras, letting it anchor the Baroque section without requiring a lengthy Bach group. Alternatively, program two contrasting pieces (a prelude and a menuet, for example) to demonstrate the range within Bach's keyboard writing. These pieces also work beautifully in student recitals or informal concert settings where the focus is on musical growth rather than virtuosity.

• Baroque ornamentation: executing trills, turns, and grace notes with historical accuracy
• Voice leading and counterpoint: tracking independent melodic lines and understanding their harmonic function
• Baroque articulation and phrasing: achieving clarity without harshness
• Stylistic tempo and timing: adapting tempo based on meter, character, and harmonic content
• Reading and interpreting period-specific musical notation
• Understanding suite and binary form structures