Sentimental Me: E-Z Play Today

The E-Z Play Today format makes this Rodgers and Hart standard accessible without sacrificing the song's harmonic sophistication. Piano students get to play genuine jazz-era songwriting rather than simplified arrangements, building both musicianship and repertoire awareness in just two pages.

A gentle, nostalgic number that lives up to its title with warm harmonies and a melody that lingers. The song carries the sophistication of 1930s New York songcraft while remaining approachable and genuinely touching.

Piano students working at late elementary through intermediate levels who are ready for real Broadway repertoire. Teachers building units on American songwriting or introducing students to the jazz-influenced harmony of the Golden Age will find this manageable yet authentic.

• Balance the melody clearly against accompaniment textures so the memorable Rodgers tune sits on top without sounding thin.
• Lean into the lyrical quality of the harmonic progressions; these chords have personality that rewards careful voicing choices.
• Allow rubato in the introduction and around cadences to capture the sentimental quality the title promises.

Pair this with other standards from the same era to build a concert set celebrating American popular song. It also works well as a solo piece for a student recital or as an accompaniment option for a vocalist in rehearsal.

• Playing jazz-influenced harmonic progressions (extended chords, chromatic movement)
• Balancing melody and accompaniment in a vocal arrangement
• Stylistic awareness of Broadway and jazz-era idiom
• Two-hand coordination across a moderate range