Overjoyed: Playing the Piano as an Orchestral Instrument

When making a solo piano arrangement you must do 4 things with 2 hands: Provide the Melody, Harmony, Bass Line, Rhythm. How you divide up these elements between 2 hands can vary. I used 3 different registers on the piano while playing this lovely tune to add variety. Remember, the piano is an orchestral instrument – sometimes the voicings or treatments must differ when exploring certain ranges on the piano! One thing I love about this ‘WONDERful’ composition – Stevie wrote in some surprisingly unexpected chords now & then – The Intro starts in Db, main body of the tune is in Eb, but at climax moves up to key of F, goes up a half step and slides back down (F#, F, E, Bb7) to end back in it’s main key of Eb! That’s the genius of Stevie Wonder.

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