The Beautiful Temptation (La Bella tentazione) is a charming and enchanting piano solo that captures a sense of wonder and delight for the late intermediate pianist. A lyrical melody floats above a simple accompaniment, using both blocked and broken chords to create a warm, resonant sound.
The piece incorporates large interval stretches that add adventure, along with altered dominant seventh chords that provide moments of surprise and color. Finger substitution techniques help facilitate smooth transitions and encourage expressive phrasing.
Perfect for pianists ready to explore musical storytelling and refined technique, this solo embodies a sense of magic and discovery.
—Part of the Tom Gerou Collection at TOMGEROUMUSIC.COM®
The Beautiful Temptations is one of my favorite pieces because of its unique form and very short length. The three opening chords set up an ambiguous tonality, followed by m. 2, which wants to resolve to the key of (g) minor. The deceptive cadence instead resolves to E-flat major, creating more of a precious, sweet surprise. The piece then becomes a duet in parallel motion between the RH and LH voices. The second phrase at m. 11 uses a slow harmonic buildup before landing on what might be (g) minor again, yet returns to the deceptive cadence at m. 19. (I love this moment.) The initial duet is then repeated but quickly evolves, using more harmonic and rhythmic motion. This creates tension that lands on a half cadence, V7 (D7), BUT does not resolve a third time, until the ambiguous opening measures are repeated—this time resolving to (g) minor.
This piece has many voicing and color opportunities within a very condensed form. It is a good study on how harmonic progressions can manipulate the motion of a piece, subtly adding tension and release beneath a pleasant, unassuming melodic duet. The deceptive cadences are the “temptation”—elusive but wonderful.
