Something Special, Book 2: Piano Book

Hartsell writes with genuine understanding of what keeps intermediate pianists engaged. These pieces sound contemporary without demanding technical gymnastics, allowing students to focus on musicality, tone production, and interpretation rather than fighting awkward passagework. The collection works equally well for studio recitals, school performances, or simply providing variety in the practice routine.

These pieces inhabit the space between the classical tradition and the modern piano, offering harmonic freshness without abandoning melody or structure. You encounter writing that feels contemporary and inviting, with moments of quiet introspection alongside passages that sparkle with rhythmic energy.

Pianists at the late elementary and early intermediate stage who are ready to move beyond simplified arrangements and into original works that respect their growing musicianship. This collection serves students who benefit from contemporary harmonic language and shorter forms that allow for thoughtful practice and meaningful performance experience.

• Attend to the harmonic color in each piece. Hartsell often uses contemporary sonorities that reward thoughtful voicing and pedal work, so experiment with timing rather than defaulting to mechanical pedal changes.
• Balance clarity with the lyrical quality that defines these pieces. Even when the texture thickens, let the melodic line sing through the middle voices.
• Use the dynamic markings as architectural guides. These pieces gain shape and direction when you honor the published dynamics rather than smoothing everything into a comfort zone.
• Explore the emotional temperature of each work before drilling technical passages. Understanding the mood helps you choose appropriate tempos and prevent mechanical performance.

Place individual pieces strategically throughout a recital to provide textural variety and showcase a student's expanding musical taste. The collection also works well as supplementary material in a studio where students are simultaneously studying classical sonatas or traditional method books; these pieces offer a bridge into contemporary idioms.

• Voicing and pedal technique in contemporary harmonic contexts
• Interpretation of dynamic and emotional nuance in shorter musical forms
• Control of tone color across the keyboard
• Reading and intonating contemporary chord progressions and sonorities
• Phrasing and shaping within lyrical melodic material