Mid Intermediate

"Randazzo," by Dolores White

Alejandro M. Cremaschi — Mon, 05 May 2025 16:03:44 +0000

"Randazzo," by Dolores White Alejandro M. C… Mon, 05/05/2025 - 10:03

Julia Warnock

Dolores White at Oberlin Conservatory.

“Randazzo” is a spirited upper mid-intermediate piece with a wide range of dynamics and characters packed into three pages. The piece is roughly in ABA form, with an energetic A section and a lyrical B section, presenting an opportunity for students to work on character shifts. In the A section, the left hand plays a winding, playful melody while the right hand accompanies it with offbeat, staccato triads which follow the downward contour of the melody. A short but dramatic transition leads to a development-like section in which the original melody is fragmented and expanded upon in new keys. The B section features long, legato phrases in the right hand over a lilting left hand pattern. On the last page, the A section returns and builds to an exciting finish.

The greatest challenges in “Randazzo” include integrity between the hands and fluidity during fast passages. In the first ten measures, the left hand plays staccatos, slurs, and dotted slurs in quick succession while the right hand plays staccato chords, presenting a challenge in coordination. The piece also features quick triad leaps in the right hand, such as those in mm. 11-12. The right hand must move very quickly, sometimes landing on chords with several accidentals. Students can also work on their fluidity in the fast passages, some of which include many accidentals, such as in m. 29 and mm. 32-33. The most difficult passage is the parallel sixteenth notes in mm. 13-14, which can be awkward to play.

Practice strategies

Practice each hand separately in the A section, paying close attention to articulation.
Isolate the triad leaps first seen in mm. 11-12, moving the hand silently between positions to feel the distance before playing out loud.
In mm. 13-14, divide the sixteenth note passage into chunks of two or three notes, blocking each chunk. Also, practicing with dotted rhythms may help to increase the speed.

Dolores White (1932-2023) was an African American composer, teacher, and performer. She was born in Chicago and studied piano and composition at Oberlin Conservatory and the Cleveland Institute of Music. She taught at several institutions and was passionate about African American arts, Afro-Cuban music and dance, and the important role of women in music. She composed both instrumental and vocal works, often with international influences.

Sources

Dolores White: African Diaspora Music Project
Dolores R. White: American Composers Alliance
Image: Oberlin Conservatory Launches Dolores '54 and Donald '57 White Prize

Randazzo, by Dolores White. Julia Warnock, piano.

First page of Randazzo, by Dolores White. Available at Rare and Distinctive Collections, University of Colorado Boulder.

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Hoe Cake, from Three Little Negro Dances. Florence Price

Anonymous — Tue, 07 May 2024 22:28:39 +0000

Hoe Cake, from Three Little Negro Dances. Florence Price Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 05/07/2024 - 16:28

Nadia Rodriguez

Born in 1887, Florence Beatrice Price is recognized as the pioneer of accomplishing many “firsts.” She was a pianist, composer, organist, and educator who broke through monumental barriers as an African American woman in classical music. She wrote hundreds of works including symphonies, concerti, choir works, chamber works, and an extensive amount of advanced and pedagogical compositions for the piano. While her training in music was steeped in European traditions, her music weaves the sounds palettes of African American spirituals, folk dances, and her Southern roots. For a full biography and list of completed works, visit the Florence Price website.

Hoe Cake by Florence Price is a mid-intermediate piece composed in 1933. It is one of three pieces from the dance suite Three Little Negro Dances which encompasses African-American folk styles and dance rhythms. The three dances were later turned into an orchestration titled Suite of Dances in the 1950s.

Hoe cake contains an energetic, syncopated melody played over jolly accompanimental patterns. The animated melody and accompaniment seem to evoke a sunny morning in a lively kitchen while someone bakes a “hoe cake”: a Southern style cake made of cornmeal, water, and salt. The syncopation in the piece lends itself to a carefree and exciting character. The sudden changes in dynamics add to the musical shaping and cheerful characters within the piece. Additionally, the A-B-A structure gives students the opportunity to contrast the sections by exploring different sounds and characters at the piano.

While the piece is in C Major and only two pages long, there are a few challenges the student might come across: difficulty with the legato and staccato articulation patterns between the hands, lining up the syncopated right hand with the open positioned, detached left hand accompaniment patterns, and using appropriate wrist movements to facilitate executing the latter.

Practice strategies for this piece include:

Observe the eighth rests and lean into ties to facilitate the swing in the syncopated rhythms.
First page: Block the left hand intervals to feel where the hand will be jumping throughout the phrases.
Second page: Using a down and up motion in the wrist to execute legato and staccato articulation appropriately.
Practice the hands separately to voice properly (especially in measures 69-76 where the melody jumps to the left hand).
Observe dynamics such as crescendos, sudden diminuendos, and forzandos which add to the shaping and characterization of the piece.

Sources

Opera Philadelphia: Florence Price
Jackson, Barbara Garvey. “Florence Price, Composer.” The Black Perspective in Music 5, no. 1 (1977): 31–43. https://doi.org/10.2307/1214357
Photo: The Perseverance of Florence Price. Modexto Symphony Orchestra

Hoe Cake, by Florence Price. Performed by Nadia Rodríguez.

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Rocking Chair, by Florence Price

Anonymous — Fri, 05 May 2023 17:58:32 +0000

Rocking Chair, by Florence Price Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 05/05/2023 - 11:58

Junran Cao

Rocking Chair, by Florence Price, is a gentle and nostalgic solo piano piece spanning approximately three pages. It effectively captures the sensation of lounging in a rocking chair on a lazy afternoon, while its steady rhythm and simple, lilting melody lend a soothing quality to the composition. With a 6/8 meter, the piece takes on a barcarolle style that evokes a rocking motion. The piece features an ABA - Coda structure. The A section (mm.3-10) begins with E-flat major, accompanied by a rocking rhythmic ostinato in the left hand that reinforces the swinging sensation and mirrors the rhythmic motion of a rocking chair. The right-hand part features a slow, extended melodic line with double notes. After two four-measure phrases (m.11), the accompaniment part switches to the right and. The B section (mm.19-26) modulates to G major and omits the “rocking” ostinato rhythms. Two hands basically move in a contrary motion with the same rhythmic pattern, as if sitting in a rocking chair and slumbering. The A’ section (mm.27-41) returns to the E-flat and then shifts to G-flat major, adding a more nostalgic atmosphere. The piece features mid-intermediate to late-intermediate levels for pedagogical purposes. One of the primary difficulties is playing more than one voice with one hand. The left hand typically includes both a bass line and a more active inner voice, which can feel challenging to execute. Additionally, the inner voice occasionally moves to the right hand, which requires playing double notes. To successfully perform the piece, it is necessary to have a a good sense of the “rocking” rhythms and possess good control when playing legato double notes over long musical phrases.

Practice Strategies:

Divide the double notes into two separate voices, and practice each voice with the accompaniment.
Use the same fingering that you would use when playing both notes together.
Once feeling more confident making long melodic phrases, try practicing all the notes together at a very slow tempo.
Focus on connecting every top note smoothly and playing with a legato touch.

Florence Beatrice Price (1887-1953) is perhaps the best known African American female composer in the US. She was active in the Chicago area, and was the first African-American woman to have a composition played by a major orchestra. For a full biography and information about her works, visit the Florence Price website.

Sources

Rocking Chair, by Florence Price. Performed by Junran Cao.

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Round and Round, from Piano Potpourri. Zenobia Powell Perry

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 23:27:03 +0000

Round and Round, from Piano Potpourri. Zenobia Powell Perry Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 09/15/2021 - 17:27

Elizabeth Smith

Round and Round is a short, 2 minute piece composed in 1990 as part of Zenobia Powell Perry's Piano Potpourri. The piece is written in 6/8, which helps teach students how to internalize and practice in different meters. The motion of the piece emphasizes beats 1 and 3 for the majority of the piece, making it a good fit for a pianist who needs practice in 6/8. There are no dynamic markings in the piece, so the pianist must be creative in coming up with their own to create contrast. The texture of the piece is lean, as it is written mostly in two-voice counterpoint, mostly in d natural minor. The modal color permeating the piece gives it a certain folk flavor, and makes it an attractive option for a mid-intermediate performer who is comfortable reading a wide range of notes.

Homage is published in the anthology Black Women Composers: A Century of Piano Music (1893-1990) edited by Helen Walker Hill and published by Hildegard Publishing.

Zenobia Powell Perry (1908-2004) was an African American composer, professor and civil rights activist. She taught in historically black colleges and universities. Her musical style is described as “music with clear, classic melodies.” She studied piano and violin in her childhood. Her most powerful musical experience was hearing Hazel Harrison (African-American pianist) in a concert.

Sources

Zenobia Powell Perry
Image source: Zenobia Powell Perry - Drizzle Lyrics

Performed by Elizabeth Smith.

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Nocturne. By Avril Coleridge-Taylor

Anonymous — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 16:32:16 +0000

Nocturne. By Avril Coleridge-Taylor Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/18/2021 - 10:32

Reina Krumvieda

Nocturne is 2.5 pages long and was specially composed for, and dedicated to C.F. Colt Esq, copyrighted in 1978 by Avril Coleridge-Taylor and C.F. Colt, Bethersden in Ashford Kent. (Originated and printed by Halstan & Co. Ltd, Amersham, Bucks, England.) Nocturne was composed in response to a complaint that there was very little contemporary harpsichord music for the amateur. This piece follows standard nocturne form, reminiscent of beginner Chopin nocturnes, and the rhythms between the left and right hand line up linearly, with frequent, easy ornaments that start new phrases. This is an excellent piece for any mid-intermediate pianist.

Avril Coleridge-Taylor was born March 8th, 1903 (died December 21, 1998) and was an English pianist and composer. Her father was mixed-race composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, otherwise known as the “African Mahler”; his mother was English and his father was Sierra Leone Creole. Avril was taught composition and piano on scholarship at the Trinity College of Music by Gordon Jacob and Alec Rowley in 1915. She later became the first female conductor of H.M.S. Royal Marines and regularly conducted for the BBC Orchestra and London Symphony Orchestra. During her career, Avril wrote the Ceremonial March to celebrate Ghana’s independence, and toured South Africa during apartheid in 1952, a trip which altered her opinion on racial segregation in favor of people of color.

Sources

Avril Coleridge-Taylor (wikipedia.org)
Avril Coleridge-Taylor (1903-1998)
Image from Avril Coleridge-Taylor (1903-1998)

Performed by David Reid.

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"Jazzed-up Circumstance" by Regina A. Harris Baiocchi

Anonymous — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 01:04:15 +0000

"Jazzed-up Circumstance" by Regina A. Harris Baiocchi Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 11/10/2020 - 18:04

Fuweiyu Li

"Jazzed-up Circumstance" was composed in 1992 and commissioned by the St Elizabeth School – the school which the composer once attended as an elementary student - and for the school’s 8^th graders’ graduation. The composition was dedicated to composer’s nieces, Nique & Pebbles (née Aminah Hanan & Lanzie Howard).

As some might have been able to guess, "Jazzed-up Circumstance" is an arranged jazzy version of Sir Edward Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance Military Marches, Op. 39 No.1. Elgar's piece has been nicknamed “Pomp and Circumstance March” and is played at the graduation ceremonies of most U.S high schools and colleges. "Jazzed-up Circumstance" uses the slow melodic theme from the original march’s trio section as its only melodic material, and results in its more strophic structure in comparison to the other adaptation, which is the duplication of the trio section. To accommodate for the potential abruptness of the more “stripped” Jazz-up Circumstance, the composer wrote two four-measure chordal progressions over the dominant F to serve as intro and closing material. The most noticeable feature of the composition is the extensive use of 7^th chord harmonies and other extension tones.

There are several challenges in "Jazz-up Circumstance." First is the technical handling of the occasional 8th-note melody on top of the thick chords in the right hand: to pedal the piece with clarity, the players must hold the chord with the "stronger" fingers while playing the top line with "weaker" fingers. Young students with smaller hands may not be entirely equipped to play this composition. The thick chords of the right hand also bring nuance to the composition. Since the composer used great voice leading between harmonies, it is possible to identify the chords as the manifestation of multiple voices and bring out some of these voices to create more interest. Despite being jazzy, the rhythmic figures of the composition adhered to the original march’s simple rhythm and sound equally formal. However, the only new rhythmic element of quarter note triplets may be tricky to execute.

Musically, one of its challenges is to create a spacious, broad orchestral sound without harshness, and to manage the big range of dynamics with clarity while balancing the thick chordal texture. I recommend first listening the original version “Pomp and Circumstance March” and its derivative, the British patriotic song Land of Hope and Glory as examples for desired tone quality and sound projection. Then, I recommend singing out the melodies of this composition. It also could be quite helpful to connect personal memories to different sections of this composition to solidify and support interpretation. From the more technical aspects, besides imagining longer phrases/lines, using more arm weight with flatter fingers and slower articulation would allow a rich sound. The wrists need to be firm but not tense during the attack on the key and more relaxed during the release.

Additional note: since for a while it was ambiguous for me, I want to point out that the composer instructed all the left-hand part to be played an octave lower than written except for the spots she indicated loco.

Interestingly, the piece is not included in the composer's website.

��Ĺ��ý the Composer:

Born in 1956, Regina Harris Baiocchi is an American musician, music educator, composer and writer of short stories and poetry. Her musical outputs include blues, chamber music, choral music, concert music, gospel, opera, and what she considers as her tour de force: Farafina.

Regina Baiocchi "is a poet, author, and composer whose music has been performed by Detroit and Chicago Symphony orchestras, US Army Band, and internationally-acclaimed artists. Performances include concerts in Paris, Rome, and Bari, Italy, as part of Festival Incontri Musicali di Musica Sacra, and in Turkey and Unna, Germany at the Women Composers’ Library. Regina has written music for symphony orchestra; a libretto and one-act opera; hand drum concerto; marimba concerto; ballet; chamber music; liturgical and secular music; and vocal and instrumental, including for pipe organ." (3arts.org)

Sources:

"Jazzed-up Circumstance" by Regina A. Harris Baiocchi. Performed by Fuweiyu Li.

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“A Jazz Trifle,” from Piano Potpourri, by Zenobia Powell Perry

Anonymous — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 14:57:15 +0000

“A Jazz Trifle,” from Piano Potpourri, by Zenobia Powell Perry Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 04/26/2020 - 08:57

Boheng Wang

“A Jazz Trifle” is a beautiful, contemplative, two-page slow piece with lots of sophisticated harmonies inspired by Jazz. It is about mid intermediate level. Things that pianists may find challenging in this piece are mainly voicing the chords, using the pedal, and reading and making sense of complex jazzy chords. In order to phrase the melody in the chords, pianist must voice the chords and connect the melody with finger pedaling or foot pedaling. This piece has jazz chord progression in it, as well as some melodies that could be heard in some of the other pieces in this set. There is a mild “gospel” feel to it as well.

Piano Potpourri is a set of piano pieces composed between 1960 and 1990. There are 15 pieces in the set. The levels of the pieces vary from elementary to late advanced. The set has a thick structure and deep emotion overall.

Zenobia Powell Perry (1908-2004) was an African American composer, professor and civil rights activist. She taught in some historically black colleges and universities. Her musical style is described as “music with clear, classic melodies.” She studied piano and violin in her childhood. Her most powerful musical experience was hearing Hazel Harrison (African-American pianist) in a concert.

Sources:

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“Teeta,” from Piano Potpourri, by Zenobia Powell Perry

Anonymous — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 14:56:04 +0000

“Teeta,” from Piano Potpourri, by Zenobia Powell Perry Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 04/26/2020 - 08:56

Boheng Wang

“Teeta” is the 12th piece in the set Piano Potpourri. The title “Teeta” is a name, so this piece is likely to be written for someone specific; we have not found out who Teeta was. It is a 3-page piece that lasts under three minutes. There are three different sections in this piece. The first section starts with a beautiful four-voice chorale. The composer explores a wide dynamic range and interesting harmonic progressions. It is very expressive and lyrical. The transition from section to section is always a surprise in this piece. The second section comes very unexpectedly with a completely different character. The pianist can play around with the articulations, since they are not specified in the score. The harmonic progression in the middle section is also very unexpected; it sounds as if it modulates every few measures and it never lands on a cadence. With a ritardando in the last measure of the second section, it goes straight into the last section, where the theme comes back. The melody sounds the same as the first section but with decorations in the left hand. With a perfect cadence at the end, it sounds like the emotions come to a conclusion at the end.

Sources:

“Teeta,” performed by Boheng Wang

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“Ella Scats a Little Lamb,” from Portraits in Jazz, by Valerie Capers

Anonymous — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 14:54:06 +0000

“Ella Scats a Little Lamb,” from Portraits in Jazz, by Valerie Capers Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 04/26/2020 - 08:54

Reina Krumvieda

“Ella Scats the Little Lamb” is slightly longer than one page long, and is inspired by Ella Fitzgerald’s renowned scat singing. This piece is bright and spirited, and the performer should strive to carefully observe all notated accents, in order to emphasize the scat style. A student would learn more about this particular style, where a singer improvises a melodic line on syllables or sounds, imitating the style of various instrumental performers. It would be helpful to become aurally familiar with Ella Fitzgerald’s work in order to mimic her style, and to be aware that the right hand plays a melodic variation of the tune, “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” The texture of the piece is pretty lean, and the writing puts it at the early intermediate level; however, the rhythm (which features syncopations and off-beat accents) may be challenging for a student not familiar with this type of jazzy writing.

Portraits of Jazz by Valerie Capers is a collection of 12 early intermediate to intermediate jazz style pieces published in 1976 by Aztec Diaz-Tec 800, and Oxford University Press in 1992. These pieces are inspired by or dedicated to a particular jazz musician or singer

Valerie Capers was born in 1935, and was introduced to music through her father’s ties to Fats Waller (American Jazz Pianist), and her brother’s performances in the Mongo Santamaria Band. She received her early education at the New York Institute for the Education of the Blind and graduated from the Juilliard School of Music, with Bachelors and Masters degrees. Capers brings a wide scope of pianistic styles and concepts to her playing, drawing from jazz idols and keyboard masters alike.

Source

Valerie Capers' official website

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“Waltz for Miles,” from Portraits in Jazz, by Valerie Capers

Anonymous — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 14:53:11 +0000

“Waltz for Miles,” from Portraits in Jazz, by Valerie Capers Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 04/26/2020 - 08:53

Lizzie French

“Waltz for Miles” is a mid-intermediate piece from Valerie Caper’s collection Portraits in Jazz. The piece is written in the style of a jazz waltz, and, according to Caper’s notes, is a tribute to the expressive playing of Miles Davis, with a “simple melody [that] floats over warm, impressionistic harmonies.” “It is essential to become aurally familiar with Miles Davis’ work in order to fully capture his influence within Waltz for Miles. The piece requires a sense of flow and direction within a slow waltz tempo. As in many waltzes, the pedal is essential in keeping the bass ringing throughout the measure” (from Reina Krumvieda’s article).

“Waltz for Miles” requires the performer to produce a smooth singing line in the right hand while the left hand plays a chordal accompaniment pattern with some large leaps. This piece would be suitable for a student with smaller hands; while there are many chords that require the student to be able to reach a seventh, there are only a few that span a full octave. The score is detailed, with many pedal markings, articulations, and some layering of voices. The slurs in the top line should be observed; lifting the hand between slurs allows for better phrase-shaping and makes the melody easier to play from a technical standpoint.

Practice strategies:

Practice the singing line on its own and sing along while playing it.
Identify different voices and play them in different combinations, with a special focus on outer voices.
Many of the chords are inspired by jazz harmonies and are more complex than simple triadic harmonies. For students for whom finding the chords is difficult, practicing the harmonies on their own could be helpful.

Portraits of Jazz by Valerie Capers is a collection of 12 early intermediate to intermediate jazz style pieces published in 1976 by Aztec Diaz-Tec 800, and Oxford University Press in 1992. These pieces are inspired by or dedicated to a particular jazz musician or singer

NOTE: This article is partly based on a previous one by Reina Krumvieda (2020), published in this site.

Source

Valerie Capers' official website

Performed by Lizzie French.

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Mid Intermediate

"Randazzo," by Dolores White

Practice strategies

Sources

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