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Songbook Review: Heartwork
Jesse Brown
Cover image of the songbook Heartwork by Jesse Brown
Heartwork
Jesse Brown
2013 / Jesse Brown
55 pages / 14 songs
Review by Kathy Parsons
Heartwork: 14 Advanced Piano Solos is the companion sheet music collection to Jesse Brown’s 2014 solo piano recording by the same name. The Canadian pianist/composer/piano teacher was given financial support by the Saskatchewan Arts Board for the creation of the album. Brown then notated the fourteen pieces himself and all of them were added to the Conservatory Canada Syllabus. Brown is a composer with a rich and varied music background, so it is no wonder that the music reflects a variety of musical styles and genres that include classical, jazz, blues, pop and new age. Although the pieces are referred to as “advanced,” most are not overly difficult. Some have complicated rhythms and a couple are fast and require very nimble fingers, but while they will be somewhat challenging for most pianists, they are not impossible to master. A few pieces have reaches of more than an octave, but pianists with smaller hands can usually roll those chords - or even shorten them if necessary. There is an exceptional range of emotions expressed in the music from dark and sad to lively and whimsical. Pedaling and fingering are up to the individual pianist, but metronome settings are included for each piece. The book is printed in a 9”x12” format on bright white paper. Spacing is roomy and easy to read. The binding of the book is stapled, and I had no problem keeping the book open on my piano even the first time I played it, so it should hold up well to years of playing enjoyment. I have thoroughly enjoyed playing through this book (a couple of times) and look forward to mastering some favorites! The book is available from Debra Wanless Music and you can hear samples from the recording on www.JesseBrown.net. Highly recommended!

The song titles, the keys they are in, and the number of pages are:

Walk With Me - Key of Bb (2 flats) - 4 pages
Prairie Wind - Key of B minor D major (2 sharps) - 3 pages
Away - Key of G major / E minor (1 sharp) - 4 pages
Moonrise - Key of E minor - 4 pages
Un Jour de Pluie - Key of G - 6 pages
Banished - Key of E minor - 4 pages
Morning Bird - Key of Bb - 4 pages
Firelight - Key of D - 4 pages
Harvest - Key of Eb (3 flats) - 3 pages
Special Moon - Key of G minor (2 flats) - 6 pages
Woolly Moose - Key of Ab (4 flats) - 3 pages
Ephrem’s Song - Key of A (3 sharps) - 3 pages
The End - Key of Bb - 3 pages
Sunday Morning - Key of F (1 flat) - 2 pages
December 29, 2016
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