Words and music by Sting; Arranged by Elena Fortin
This is an intermediate piano solo arrangement of the beautiful song “Fields of Gold” with words and music composed by Sting.
I have been working on arrangements that have stood the test of time and that I consider to be beautiful and inspirational. It is hard to believe that this piece was released back in 1993 (30 years ago). It was first featured on Sting’s solo album “Ten Summoner’s Tales” and is also beautifully covered by Eva Cassidy.
I remember discovering a cool study area at Ottawa University known as the “Listening Rooms”. Comfy furniture and desks let you do endless hours of studying or reading while being serenaded by various DJs that would play new music. One of the DJs was obsessed with this album–we’d hear it on repeat while we were studying. (I’m pretty sure they put it in the player and forgot about it!) Needless to say, this song imprinted itself on my brain, and now I am revisiting it (thirty years later!!!) with a tender treatment of his lovely ballade.
Having moved to the Sunshine State, I’ve adopted Sting’s Fields of Gold for this wonderful landscape that is bathed in this wonderful golden light–his piece speaks to me in a different way now, but that is the beauty of revisiting music–you can remember the time and place where you heard it for the first time.
About the arrangement
I took liberties with the intro to this piece, using Sting’s chord progression as a framework for a different kind of lead in to the verse and chorus. In the middle section, instead of the “solo” section being a repeat of the verse, I used his chord progressions as a framework for a melody that sometimes stays true to the original, and sometimes wanders in new directions.
The piece is written in the key of D major and has a fairly simple left hand pattern. The rhythm may be tricky for some people–always aim for a smooth flow of eighth notes if possible. The tied notes just add rhythmic interest! Adding pedal to the piece will help with that ethereal sound that is so much a part of the original piece.
As I said above, I also listened to (and loved!) Eva Cassidy’s rendition of “Fields of Gold”. Her version is beautiful, and slightly slower than Sting’s but both are pretty amazing! Use the metronome marking as a guide–you get to decide whether you like it slower or faster!
Video Performance
Purchase Information
Clicking on the link below will bring you to a new site: Sheet Music Plus. This arrangement is under copyright with the ArrangeMe program by Hal Leonard.
Words and music by Benny Andersson, Stig Anderson, and Bjorn Ulvaeus; Arranged by Elena Fortin
It is exciting to see a whole new generation of people being introduced to ABBA, most recently through the “Mamma Mia!” movie franchise.
S.O.S. is one of those catchy tunes that you will find yourself humming–so fun to arrange! Since Benny Andersson is a piano player, ABBA’s music is much easier to arrange than most other pop and rock offerings–piano motifs are already featured in their music.
I have two lovely students that were interested in playing an ABBA medley. Since I cannot arrange medleys under the ArrangeMe agreement, we decided to focus on one song for now: “S. O. S.”
The music of S.O.S. lends itself well to arrangement for piano duet–the rich orchestration of writing for duet partners is fun to experiment with.
About the arrangement
This arrangement is written for piano duet in the standard format (Secondo and Primo each have their own pages, side by side). The duet is aimed at late intermediate / early advanced players. The Primo part is slightly more difficult.
The arrangement has been carefully edited so that the bar numbers line up. This piece has a lively tempo that will challenge the pianists!
For ensemble challenges: there are ritardandos between you and your partner, close writing (which means you will have to mind your rests so your partner can take over certain notes in time), continuing musical motifs between the four hands, besides learning to balance melody and accompaniment!
The secondo player needs to keep a strict rhythm to drive the piece forward. The player will also need to be sensitive to their partner’s difficulties–practice will get you used to how much time your partner may need to complete their more challenging passages!)
The primo player should get used to the secondo part so they can time their entrances correctly! The challenging parts are some small motifs that have quick chords in the right hand, the rapid sixteenth note passages, and the octave work in the right hand that starts on the A flat–for this passage, the player may need to slide off the top black notes in order to get the timing on the quicker sixteenth notes!
Above all, have fun! ABBA’s music is infectious and full of energy. This piece would make a great recital piece or showstopping ending!
Video Performance
Purchase Information
Clicking on the link below will bring you to a new site: Sheet Music Plus. This arrangement is under copyright with the ArrangeMe program by Hal Leonard.
Words and music by Kenneth L. Ascher and Paul Williams; Arranged by Elena Fortin
Most people hear the intro of this piece and immediately picture Kermit the Frog, strumming his banjo and singing this wistful little tune. It is one of the very first music sheets that I went out and bought at our local music store. I was so excited to learn it!
Fast forward many years later and I am so happy to see it entertaining a whole new generation of people. On YouTube, Kermit uploaded a special performance of it in April 2020!
I performed a version of this as a duet with a student at a recital and it was a big hit (we even came up with our own choreography to go along with the piece)! This melody is one of those timeless and iconic pieces that will forever have a special place in my heart.
About the arrangement
My version starts out in the key of A major, and like the original modulates to B flat major. The left hand is arranged in a simple, arpeggiated/broken chord accompaniment that makes the style more pianistic. These smooth, flowing arpeggios accompany most of the piece.
The first verse is left to be fairly simple and lets the melody shine. The second verse is slightly more complex, with more harmony added to the right hand notes, and some fills that build on the melody.
The key change has more movement and signals the last verse done in a very full, orchestra-like sound that takes advantage of the breadth of the piano keyboard. The finish brings us back to a more simple arrangement–back to its’ humble beginnings!
I hope I made Kermit proud!!
Video Performance
Purchase Information
Clicking on the link below will bring you to a new site: Sheet Music Plus. This arrangement is under copyright with the ArrangeMe program by Hal Leonard.
Words and music by Stefani Germanotta, Anthony Rossomando, Andrew Wyatt, and Mark Robson; Arranged by Elena Fortin
This is an advanced intermediate piano solo arrangement of the beautiful song “Shallow” from “A Star is Born”, made famous by Lady Gaga (aka Stefani Germanotta) and Bradley Cooper.
I have been working on arrangements that have stood the test of time and that I consider to be beautiful and inspirational. While this piece is fairly young (it came out in 2018), it’s one of those pieces that give you chills when you hear it. I have never seen the movie, although I have seen various YouTube videos of this being performed by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.
There is something magical in the melody and in the emotion that they convey when they play and perform this song together.
About the arrangement
This arrangement follows the basic structure of the vocal arrangement (intro, verse, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, outro). The arrangement stays fairly plain at first and gradually introduces some alternate melodies and fills. The left hand alternates between gentle arpeggios and areas of strong octaves and chords to build a powerful chorus and bridge section.
The arrangement was written for the early-advanced to advanced pianist. I enjoyed adding to the melodic line to fill it out in the piano solo version–the vocal version has Lady Gaga’s lovely voice to add beauty to the melodic line, but the piano solo version needs a little more!
Video Performance
Purchase Information
Clicking on the link below will bring you to a new site: Sheet Music Plus. This arrangement is under copyright with the ArrangeMe program by Hal Leonard.
Music by Franz Xaver Gruber, Lyrics by Joseph Mohr; Arranged by Elena Fortin
Our family relocated to the South just before Christmas and I was sitting at the piano feeling homesick and missing snow! I love our new place, but it seems really strange to be seeing Christmas decorations going up in December and green everywhere!! I thought I would get in the mood for holiday celebrations by sitting down and playing old Christmas favourites.
Silent Night is one of those beautiful carols where the peace and spirit of the season just settle in your heart. As I sat and played, the arrangement formed itself in my mind and in my fingers. I worked backwards on this arrangement–normally I sit down with an outline of the music in mind and work from there.
This time, I let my fingers wander (luckily I was recording!) and then transcribed my own arrangement.
About the arrangement
This arrangement explores some different harmonies in the intro and the outro. The verse and chorus are repeated four times in this arrangement. The first verse sticks pretty close to the original, with some suspensions and interesting rhythms thrown in to keep it interesting.
The second verse introduces several countermelodies and different right hand harmonies. The third verse is a sweet melody in the treble register of the piano. The final verse is an improvisation based on the harmonic structure of the verse and chorus.
I hope you enjoy this arrangement and that playing and learning it brings you peace and joy during the holiday season.
Video Performance
Purchase Information
Clicking on the link below will bring you to a new site: Sheet Music Plus. Silent Night is in the public domain, but this arrangement is under copyright by Elena Fortin Music.
Words and music by Corey Hart; Arranged by Elena Fortin
“Never Surrender” is a song by Canadian singer/songwriter Corey Hart. It was originally released in June 1985 as a single from his album “Boy in the Box”. The song won a Juno award in 1985 for single of the year. (How could it have been so long ago?!!)
He recently released a new, updated version of the song called Never Surrender (Angels) in 2019 to give a message of hope and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.
I grew up in Canada and Corey Hart was one of those singers that Canadians looked up to. He started a fashion trend (wearing “Sunglasses at Night”), rocked a cool hairdo (spiky, gelled hair!), and hailed from Montreal (my hometown!).
About the arrangement
My 4-page arrangement is written in the key of D major, in 4/4 time. The arrangement is intended for intermediate to early advanced players because of some tricky between-the-hands rhythm, left hand arpeggios, and the challenge of bringing out the melody while maintaining a balance between melody and left hand accompaniment. The piece follows the structure of the original pop song–even throws in the iconic saxophone solo near the end of the song!
Video Performance
Purchase Information
Clicking on the link below will bring you to a new site: Sheet Music Plus. This arrangement is under copyright with the ArrangeMe program by Hal Leonard.
Words and music by Francesco Sartori and Lucio Quarantotto; Arranged by Elena Fortin
This piece was made famous by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman–two classical artists that brought more mainstream listeners to this type of music. The piece has gone on to become something of a signature song for Mr. Bocelli.
The direct translation of “Con te Partirò” is “I’ll Leave with You”. English lyrics were changed to “Time to Say Goodbye”, making it one of those songs that has been used for weddings and funerals.
The piece has been translated into several different languages, and has topped the charts in several countries, been covered by many different performers, been sampled, and has been used in films, sports, and television.
For me, I chose to arrange this song because it has one of those beautiful melodies that is timeless and has staying power.
About the arrangement
This 5 page arrangement is written in the key of D major (2 sharps), with a modulation to the key of A major (3 sharps) towards the end of the song. The piece is a beautiful, expressive one and should be played cantabile (in a singing style). The arrangement explores sweeping arpeggios in the left hand, full chordal textures, rhythm figures of three notes vs. four notes or two notes, and is written in a classical style.
I often hear book authors comment that sometimes the characters in their books do the unexpected. I could say the same about this piece! I intended it to be a romantic-style interpretation, but I had been following news stories that turned the ending assertively in a Tchaikovsky-piano-concerto-like style… The ending is full of power and hope.
Video Performance
Purchase Information
Clicking on the link below will bring you to a new site: Sheet Music Plus. This arrangement is under copyright with the ArrangeMe program by Hal Leonard.
The Chinese Zodiac is a suite of 12 miniature original compositions that evoke the musical characteristics of each animal.
In Chinese culture, we have a rotation of 12 zodiac animals that cycle: each year represents a different animal, each with unique characteristics and attributes!
The cycle of animals happens in this order:
The Rat
The Ox
The Tiger
The Rabbit
The Dragon
The Snake
The Horse
The Goat
The Monkey
The Rooster
The Dog
The Pig
Growing up, it was always fun to look up the zodiac animals, and friends were always asking, “Which animal am I?!”. I enjoyed the challenge of creating music that conveyed characteristics of each animal through sound and music. Sometimes the animal’s movement would introduce an insistent musical idea, sometimes it was the characteristics associated with the animal, and sometimes it was the animal’s zodiac description that gave me ideas.
About the arrangement
This piece is written for the late intermediate to early advanced player. You can perform this suite as individual pieces or as a collective whole. (The full suite takes about 8 min 30 sec to perform!)
Each piece has a few words that describe that zodiac animal’s characteristics to help you set the mood for your performance!
The suite explores different tempos, different keys, rapid finger passages, expressive pieces, grace notes, articulation (staccato, accents, slurs, tenuto, legato), ornaments, challenging rhythms, doubled note passages, glissandos, dexterity on black keys, ragtime, boogie boogie, tremolos, swing rhythm, hand crossovers, and jazzy chords as well as more traditional harmonies.
Video Performance
In the video:
0:11 The Rat (Quick-witted, smart, charming, and persuasive) – fast and scrappy! This piece is written in 3/4 time in the key of C minor. It has varying articulations: staccatos, slurs, tenutos, and short (three-note) trills that start on the main note.
0:33 The Ox (Patient, kind, stubborn, and conservative) – played with heaviness and weight. The key to playing this is to use your arm weight and not force. Think heavy and slow but powerful!
1:20 The Tiger (Authoritative, emotional, courageous, intense) – this piece is slinky! Think of a tiger stalking powerfully through the jungle. Try to follow the dynamics to create waves of power. The music is asking: Will the tiger pounce? Or will the tiger melt away into the jungle?
2:00 The Rabbit (Popular, compassionate, and sincere) – this piece is so fun to play. You are aiming for being quick and nimble! Written in 6/8 time, the left hand has a very characteristic “hop” to it! Try to follow the articulation to really bring that out. The ending is really fun with lots of hops that are changing direction and going all over the piano.
2:26 The Dragon (Energetic, fearless, warm-hearted, and charismatic) – this is the only zodiac animal that is not a “real” animal, so I let my imagination run wild. The left hand grace notes (accaciaturas) are played before the main note: rapidly to imitate dramatic drums. I felt like the Dragon should be a very majestic creature, but at the same time light and nimble in flight (which you will hear in the middle section!)
3:23 The Snake (Charming, gregarious, introverted, generous, and smart) – This piece is in A minor and uses the top of the harmonic scale to make a mysterious, smooth, and sinuous Arabian-nights-like kind of melody. The little grace notes in this one are the opposite of the ones in The Dragon: they are played slowly and languidly, before the main note which should land on the beat! The left hand ostinato pattern should be quiet but present.
4:21 The Horse (Energetic, independent, impatient, and enjoy traveling) – This piece is written in 12/8 time and should be played with precision! The left hand sets up the galloping motif which continues throughout the piece. I pictured a herd of wild horses running with wild abandon. The ending glissando on black keys is really fun to play and mimics the sound of a horse giving a final “neigh!” To play a black key glissando, use the upper part of your second, third, and fourth fingers and run them lightly (palm side down) across the black keys. Your hand will have to be angled towards the right as you swipe down. (Check out the video if you want to see how I do it!)
4:58 The Goat (Mild-mannered, shy, kind, and peace loving) – This piece is written in E flat major in 3/4 time. Writing The Goat was an interesting challenge–I ended up thinking of the goat’s environment and an Alpine melody came to mind!
5:34 The Monkey (Fun, energetic, and active) – The monkey’s mischievousness comes to the forefront with this swinging 4/4 piece. It is rooted in jazz chords, smooth right hand runs, and triplet/swing eighth rhythms that make it very fun to play.
5:57 The Rooster (Independent, practical, hard-working, and observant) – The rooster has a lot of frenetic kind of activity with spiky staccatos that bring hen-pecking to mind. I thought about how the Rooster rules the farm and this translated into a short little boogie-woogie piece, with the odd squawk here and there, and a final strut to the finish!
6:33 The Dog (Patient, diligent,generous, faithful, and kind) – I knew that the Dog had to be a love song! There is nothing more loyal and faithful than my dogs. In fact, I figured I got it right when I was playing through this piece and my dog came to lay her head on my lap while I was playing it! The piece is a 3/4 sweet ballad in D major.
7:22 The Pig (Loving, tolerant, honest, and appreciative of luxury) – What is more luxurious than a slow, bluesy jazz piece that wallows?! It brings to mind the pig’s favourite activity of digging down and having a mud bath! In this piece, the grace notes are drawn out and played slowly, and the melody is always brought out above that of the left hand chords. The left hand chords have lots of common notes–so keep low to the piano so your fingers become “placeholders”. Lots of pedal in this piece helps to keep the left hand smooth (legato)!
Purchase Information
Clicking on the link below will bring you to a new site: Sheet Music Plus. This piece is an original piece and is under copyright by Elena Fortin Music.
Come Thou Fount is a beautiful Christian hymn, written by pastor Robert Robinson in 1758. The tune that I based this arrangement on comes from a John Wyeth melody called “Nettleton”.
Come Thou Fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of God’s unchanging love.
In an interesting back story, (you can read the full story at enjoyingthejourney.org). I learned that Robert Robinson wrote the hymn, and years later when he wandered away from God, a young women (ironically not knowing who he was) quoted from the hymn and shared with him how much of an encouragement it had been to her.
About the arrangement
This arrangement is for the intermediate player and is written in the key of D major. The arrangement is simple, but should be played expressively. The first repetition of the hymn is written with a flowing left hand accompaniment with the right hand in chordal style. In the second repetition, the melody becomes more of a melodic line and flows along with the left hand accompaniment. The third repetition introduces an inner voice countermelody in the right hand. The final verse is more majestic in style.
Video Performance
Purchase Information
Clicking on the link below will bring you to a new site: Sheet Music Plus. This piece is in the public domain–this particular arrangement is under copyright by Elena Fortin Music.
Words and music by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul; Arranged by Elena Fortin
This beautiful piece was sung as a duet by Zac Efron and Zendaya in the movie musical “The Greatest Showman“. As if the duet wasn’t challenging enough, they filmed it while performing a breathtaking aerial act. This is one of my favourite parts of the movie (aside from the fact that finding out Wolverine can sing?!).
About the arrangement
This arrangement is written for the advanced pianist–the left hand has an accompaniment that alternates between arpeggios going all over the piano keyboard, and deep bass notes and full chords. Take the time to figure out a fingering that works for you! I made suggested fingerings in the score, but fingering is always personal–what works for me may not work for you.
Aim to bring out the melody while you play. I usually hum the words in my head when I’m playing! The rhythms in this song are challenging–there are a lot of offbeat rhythms that have to keep moving forward–keep your left hand steady and use it as your metronome!
One of my students was working on the piece and it is a really long one! (My performance is 4 minutes and 12 seconds). In order to make it a little bit shorter, we did a version where you jump from halfway through bar 56 directly to bar 83 to make the performance fit in a smaller time frame.
Video Performance
Purchase Information
Clicking on the link below will bring you to a new site: Sheet Music Plus. This arrangement is under copyright with the ArrangeMe program by Hal Leonard.
