Flowing streams, expansive rivers, serene seas and turbulent oceans . . . all these have inspired great works by composers throughout the ages (think of Schubert’s Miller and the Brook, Smetana’s The Moldeau, and of course Debussy’s La mer). And the resources of the modern piano have been used to great effect to portray the ebb, flow and rush of water, especially in a masterpiece like Ravel’s Jeux d'eau (Water Games). But even for early intermediate pianists there are pieces that can challenge the player to employ the special sound and technique necessary to bring this watery world to a listener’s ears and imagination. Margaret Goldston composed an impressive body of work for student pianists over her lifetime, from early elementary works that introduce the beginning pianist to the beauty and fun of playing the piano, to challenging and inspiring works that help bring intermediate and late intermediate pianists closer to artistic heights. Goldston’s The Sparkling Brook calls on the early intermediate player to paint a flowing, bubbling, swirling sound picture. Hear it today in a performance by Liam Korchoski.

The Sparkling Brook can be found in Margaret Goldston’s The Virtuosic Performer, Book 1 (Alfred).
Key: C major  ~  Time Signature: 3/4  ~  legato phrasing; smooth, even 8th notes, solid pedaling skills
You can purchase Goldston’s The Virtuosic Performer, Book 1 online at J.W. Pepper, Sheetmusicplus, or at your local music store. And for more information on Margaret Goldston, visit her webpages at her son (and also composer) Christopher Goldston’s website, and at her Composer Page at the Pytheas Center for Contemporary Music.