Purcell Miracles for Piano Edited by Billie Nastelin, pub. Trigram

Item Details

Purcell Miracles

Eleven Easy Solos that Piano Students Love to Play

Selected and Edited by Billie Nastelin

Published by legacy publisher, Trigram Music in 1999.  These piano pieces are easy enough to learn and enjoyable to play for beginners or those who want to take on a 2nd instrument.

The main keyboard instruments in England during Henry Purcell's time were the harpsi-
chord, spinet, and organ. The strings on the harpsichords and spinets were plucked
which produced a short-lived tone. Because of this, performers would add embellish.
ments, in the form of ornaments, to sustain the tones. The prevailing system on tuning
the instruments was very limited, making it impossible to move freely from key to key, let alone having any modulations. The range of the keyboard spanned less than five oc-
taves. And the thumb and fifth fingers were rarely used when performing. These restric.
tions explain why Purcell's music sounds so limited compared to later music.

Purcell did not write much music for the keyboard. What was written was mainly for edu-
cational purposes. Many are from theater tunes and songs truly music of the times.
Simplicity and purity reign, with no melodramatic contrasts or virtuosity displayed.
The damper pedal m u s t be used rarely, if at all, in keeping in character with the music.
The Minuets, March in C, Almond and, and Hornpipe are dances and should be played
rhythmically. There should be clarity, tenderness when needed, and brilliance, especially
in the Preludes. These short selections are in the easy to intermediate levels of difficulty.
Phrasing, fingering, and dynamic markings have been added to assist in the understanding and performance of these works.

Trumpet Tune

Air

Prelude, Suite No. 5

March in C

Hornpipe

Prelude in a monor

Minuet in F

Prelude, Suite No. 4

Almand

Minuet in a minor

Prelude, Suite No, 8