Various: Contemplations  

  
Did you know that Bruckner wrote for the piano? Or that Liszt wrote some pieces that are not fiendishly difficult? "Contemplations" is selection of fascinating pieces for intermediate-level pianists, the first volume in a series entitled Piano Moods. The music is drawn from a wide range of periods and styles, creating intriguing juxtapositions of pieces by well-known and lesser-known composers. Bernstein's tribute to Sondheim rubs shoulders with Erik Satie; Bartók, Benjamin and Bortkiewicz are bedfellows; Mozart and Tchaikovsky are represented alongside their contemporaries Koželuh and Cui. There are some thoroughly accessible new pieces too by contemporary masters. Piano Moods is an exciting new piano series from Boosey & Hawkes. Each volume is devoted to a particular mood. The pieces chosen draw on Boosey & Hawkes' extensive archive of beautiful music as well as lesser-known gems from the past, some of them from surprising sources, and newly composed works.