The Baroque Era: An Introduction to the Keyboard Music: Piano Book

You'll discover the sharp wit of English virginal music, the elaborate decoration of French harpsichord suites, the architectural precision of German counterpoint, and the lyrical transparency of Italian keyboard writing. Each national school has its own character, yet moving through them reveals the shared language that made Baroque keyboard music the foundation of all piano technique to come.

Early intermediate through late intermediate pianists who are ready to move beyond Baroque minuets and want exposure to the full range of keyboard styles that defined the era. This works equally well for students preparing for competition repertoire, those building their classical foundation, or pianists exploring music history through performance.

• Study the keyboard instrument notes before you begin. Understanding whether a piece was written for harpsichord, virginal, or clavichord shapes your approach to articulation and touch.
• Use the ornament guidance as a learning tool, not a rulebook. Work through one piece's ornaments systematically so you internalize the patterns for pieces that follow.
• Balance the crisp articulation required in dance forms with the singing quality needed in slower movements. Baroque keyboard music demands both clarity and lyricism.

Draw from this collection for solo recital programs that highlight stylistic contrast, or sequence pieces from different countries within a single concert to show students the breadth of Baroque expression. It also serves as an excellent resource for building a semester of focused study, with the editorial notes providing the context you'd normally research separately.

• Recognizing and executing ornaments appropriate to Italian, English, French, and German compositional styles
• Reading and performing Baroque keyboard counterpoint with clarity and independence of voices
• Interpreting period-appropriate articulation and touch based on the original instrument
• Understanding the relationship between keyboard instrument design and compositional technique
• Sight-reading across multiple Baroque forms (dances, suites, preludes, fugues)