Black and Blue

Earl Richard Drehmer

ModernObscurenocturneG minorSlow4/4~4 min
H3
Henle (estimated)
RCM 4ABRSM 3

About this piece

Black and Blue is a melancholic salon piece reminiscent of early jazz-inflected popular music. It features lyrical, bluesy melodic lines floating over a broken-chord accompaniment.

Teacher notes

Use flexible, expressive rubato to capture the sentimental character of the melody.

Technical focus

cantabilepedalingrubato

Mood

melancholicintimate

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Your status

Not in your repertoire

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Free sheet music on IMSLP

Pieces similar to Black and Blue

Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.

Browse all Henle level 3 pieces (Late beginner) →

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Black and Blue by Earl Richard Drehmer?

Black and Blue is rated Henle level 3 of 9 — late beginner repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 4–5. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 4.

What level do I need to play Black and Blue?

You should be comfortable at Henle level 3 — meaning you can already play level 2–3 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.

How long is Black and Blue?

A typical performance of Black and Blue lasts about 4 minutes.

Where can I get free sheet music for Black and Blue?

Black and Blue is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.

What pieces are similar to Black and Blue?

Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Boogy Iz by Earl Richard Drehmer, Camaroon Art by Earl Richard Drehmer, Prelude in E minor, No. 4 by Frédéric Chopin — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.