This is an arrangement of Glass’ Etude No. 3 that is exciting and great fun to play. I very much like the chromatic and harmonic movement in sections of the piece, and this arrangement captures my favorite sections in a short piece. Unfortunately, due to copyright restrictions I am unable to record the arrangement for you to hear, but I can describe the new portions of the arrangement that I created and how I fit them into the original work. You can purchase the original work from the publisher at
Etude No. 3 Sheet Music | Philip Glass | Piano Solo (sheetmusicdirect.com)
I will refer to the above sheet music by page number and measure count on each page ignoring all repeats. With scissors and tape you can hopefully paste the arrangement together from my notes if you would like to try it.
The arrangement is as follows:
I modified the first line of page one to include an additional B in the right hand alternate chords, and alternating the upper A with a G in the right hand:
Line 2 I replaced with
I kept this repeat. Please note that this is the only repeat I retained from the original work. My pedaling followed the chord changes in the right hand in line 1, and no pedaling on line 2. Crescendo on right hand starting at p through line 1, and then back to p in start of line 2. Line 1 played louder with right hand during the repeat.
I next played the first two measures of line 3 and modified the 3rd measure by adding the B to the right hand chords and replacing the left hand upper A with a G. I skipped the 4th measure of line 3.
I skipped line 4. No repeat.
I next played line 5 (page 1) through line 2 of page 2. I replaced line 3 with the three measures I just described above which replaced line 3 of page 1. No repeat.
I replaced sections 4 and 5 (page 2 line 4 through page 3 line 2 measure 3) with the following:
and proceed with section 6 on page 3. I replaced the final 4 measures of section 6 with the same 3 measures used to replace line 3 of page 1. No repeat. Continue with section 7 and again use the same three measures just used to replace the last 4 measures of section 7. No repeat.
Continue with sections 9 and 10. I replaced sections 11-13 with the following:
Play the first 3 measures of section 14. Continue with
Continue with the first 3 measures on the last line on page 5. Continue with page 6, third line, third measure. Play this measure twice, first time with a middle C added to the right hand chord, and the second time with a Db instead of a C to the right hand chord and a Bb replacing the A in the right hand chording.
Finish with the final 4 measures of the piece, replacing the first chord in the right hand with the first inversion of the chord with an F above middle C added for continuity with the previous chording.
Total playing time is a little over 2 minutes and it’s thrilling to play.
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