Suites, Lessons & Pieces for the Harpsichord, Vol. 4: Other Keyboard, Collections, Book

This collection captures Purcell in his most accessible voice, offering harpsichordists material that ranges from straightforward dance movements to subtle character pieces. The variety within a single volume means students encounter different compositional approaches and formal structures without leaving the same stylistic world, building comprehensive fluency in Baroque keyboard writing. Squire's careful edition provides reliable texts grounded in historical sources.

Purcell's keyboard writing breathes with courtly elegance and understated charm. The minuets move with natural grace, the grounds generate momentum through harmonic repetition, and the character pieces like The Queen's Dolour hint at emotional depth beneath formal restraint. These are pieces that speak directly, without affectation.

Intermediate to advanced harpsichord students seeking authentic Baroque repertoire with genuine pedagogical purpose. Pianists expanding into period keyboard literature will find these pieces rewarding, though understanding harpsichord technique and ornamentation conventions strengthens interpretation.

• Shape the minuets with attention to period ornamentation; Purcell often indicates these through notation, but understanding contemporaneous practice will deepen interpretation.
• Ground the ground bass variations by establishing the harmonic foundation before introducing embellishing figuration above it.
• Balance melodic clarity in the lessons against harmonic support; these pieces work best when both voices speak with equal presence.
• Adjust registration on the harpsichord to suit the character of each piece; a lighter voice suits the Scotch tune differently than the more solemn Queen's Dolour.

Feature individual pieces across multiple concerts to highlight Purcell's range; a minuet or song tune fits naturally into a Baroque instrumental recital, while the grounds work well as solo interludes within larger programming. This collection serves equally well as a comprehensive study resource, with students working through pieces in sequence to develop systematic understanding of late-17th-century keyboard idiom.

• Ornamentation and improvisation within Baroque conventions
• Ground bass harmonic variations and structural coherence
• Stylistic differentiation between dance forms (minuet, rigadoon, march)
• Period-appropriate articulation and phrasing
• Figured bass realization on keyboard