A recording and guide to the performance of Samuel Barber's complete solo piano works, including the recently published early works

This project explores Samuel Barber’s complete works for solo piano, including his early works published in 2010. The recording, captured on two CDs, represents the first complete collection of Barber’s published piano works and outlines Barber’s maturation from his teenage years to his full development as a world-renowned composer. The document includes a biographical sketch, an overview of his published solo piano works, and a performer’s guide. The performer’s guide examines technical and musical difficulties commonly found throughout his piano output, focusing on three aspects of Barber’s compositional appeal: lyricism, virtuosity, and eclecticism. The goal of this discussion is to aid the student in her exploration of Samuel Barber’s piano music.