Peaceful Piano Solos Series

Peaceful Piano Solos • Musicals

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

When Hal Leonard’s Peaceful Piano Solos first appeared a few years back, the publisher’s intention seemed to be to create a tasteful but inexpensive collection of 30 popular ambient contemporary pieces from the collective pens of Ludovico Einaudi, Yann Tiersen, Max Richter, et al, tapping into the significant popularity of the genre.

The series subsequently grew to include several volumes, and become a staple found in music shops everywhere. So far we’ve enjoyed Easy, Soundtracks, Classical, Christmas, Jazz, and Pop variations on the theme, and while the cover image has remained consistent, presented in a lovely range of pastel hues, the music within has somewhat branched away from that original concept.

For the latest addition, Peaceful Piano Solos: Musicals, the pastel colours have been replaced with a vivid red cover, and the 30 pieces within include a fair number of climactic curtain-call rousers.

This collection may not be entirely “peaceful”, but I suspect it will nevertheless, and deservedly, be popular…

Peaceful Pop Piano Solos

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

Hal Leonard’s popular Peaceful Piano Solos series has been a deserved success over the last few years. I reviewed the original series here, while Peaceful Christmas Piano Solos was reviewed here, and the recent Peaceful Jazz Piano Solos reviewed here.

Peaceful Pop Piano Solos has just joined this growing series, and makes an obvious and very welcome addition to the existing range. The publishers introduce it thus:

“Relax at the piano with this exceptional collection of satisfying and profoundly beautiful pieces to play.”

Quite a claim, but the book is an easy recommendation for those who have enjoyed previous titles, and to teenage and adult players looking for decent late intermediate arrangements of well known hit songs.

Peaceful Jazz Piano Solos

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

Reviewing Hal Leonard’s popular and keenly-priced Peaceful Piano Solos series last year, I concluded that,

“The Peaceful Piano Solo series is an easy recommendation, delivering a brilliant selection of contemporary favourites in a tastefully presented set of anthologies, with nicely playable editions. All the books are packed with hits from cover to cover, and there’s a book for everyone here.”

The series only becomes more compelling with the arrival of Peaceful Jazz Piano Solos, a collection of 30 standards arranged for early advanced players.

Peaceful Piano Solos • The Series

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

Hal Leonard’s Peaceful Piano Solos series began life in 2018 with an initial title and matching easy piano version, offering the same 30 popular relaxing piano solos.

Peaceful Christmas Piano Solos (which I have already reviewed here) and Peaceful Piano Solos Soundtracks followed the next year. With Peaceful Classical Piano Solos recently joining the range, this seems like a good moment to catch up with the series as a whole.

First, I will introduce each of the books in turn, including their track lists and particular points to note. For information about the Christmas edition, please refer back to my previous review. Later in the review, I will then offer some generic observations about the publications and series as a whole…

Peaceful Christmas Piano Solos

The Christmas Shortlist

Selected and reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

Peaceful Christmas Piano Solos from Hal Leonard offers a collection of 30 seasonal pieces arranged for solo piano. Stick with me to find out what’s included… and whether it’s any good!