Forty Lessons in the Art of Keyboard Playing and Composition offers practical, studio-tested guidance for improvisers and composers.
This classic guide teaches extempore technique, harmonic development, rhythm, and large-form mastery through clear explanations and hands-on exercises.
The book walks readers through concrete methods for shaping melodies, chords, and accompaniments, with emphasis on creating musical ideas that fit church and secular contexts. It combines theoretical principles with step-by-step practice to help you think creatively at the keyboard and translate inspiration into executed music.
- Learn how to extend verses, preludes, interludes, and postludes to suit different hymns and chants.
- Explore monotones, chord-lines, arpeggios, and rhythm to build expressive, playable textures.
- Develop a practical approach to modulation, harmony, and melodic momentum without losing clarity.
- Practice larger forms and the sonata‑fugue approach with example structures and exercises.
Ideal for piano students, organists, and composers seeking a structured path from basic technique to independent, improvised or composed music.