Willard A. Palmer's Favorite Solos, Book 3: Piano Book

Palmer's gift for accessible melody without sacrificing musical substance shines throughout this collection. Eight varied pieces give students genuine recital options at this level rather than filler, and the stylistic range means you'll find pieces that fit nearly any student's taste or programming need.

This collection spans continents and centuries in miniature: a Baroque dance with courtly elegance, a Calypso rhythm that invites rhythmic buoyancy, and character pieces with playful or reflective moments. The writing sits comfortably under the hands while maintaining musical integrity at every turn.

Early intermediate to intermediate pianists seeking substantial recital material with genuine musical character. Teachers building diverse recital programs will find these eight pieces useful for students ready to move beyond foundational repertoire but not yet tackling advanced virtuosity.

• Attend carefully to the articulation and phrasing markings in each piece; Palmer's writing relies on clarity of execution to reveal the character of styles like Baroque and Calypso.
• Balance the rhythmic drive of the rags with a steady hand on tempo; these pieces lose their energy if the pulse wavers or rushes.
• Use the contrasting dynamics Palmer provides to shape each phrase, especially in the slower Prelude and Serenade where musical architecture matters most.
• Practice the ornaments in the Baroque pieces separately at a comfortable tempo before integrating them into the full texture.

Choose individual pieces for studio recitals or school performances; the stylistic variety means multiple students can perform from this book without repetition. The collection also works well as a summer exploration of different idioms before diving into more focused repertoire study in the fall.

• Baroque articulation and ornamentation techniques
• Rhythmic precision in syncopated and ragtime styles
• Dynamic shaping and phrasing across contrasting musical styles
• Finger independence and hand position maintenance across varied textures
• Sight-reading confidence in unfamiliar idioms