Color Suite

Sylvia E. Hazlerig

ModernObscuresuiteModerato4/4~6 min

About this piece

Color Suite is an evocative collection of character sketches that explore different tonal 'colors' at the keyboard. The writing is highly idiomatic and emphasizes descriptive, impressionistic textures.

What makes it challenging

At Henle 3 this is a late-beginner piece — comfortable hands-together playing is assumed, and musical shaping starts to matter. The main demands: a true singing tone, with the melody floating above the accompaniment; fine finger independence within the hand; and chord voicing — bringing out one note inside a handful of others.

Teacher notes

Development of a warm, singing tone across various dynamic levels is essential for this suite.

Technical focus

cantabilefinger-independencevoicing

Mood

lyricalelegantgentle

Listen & watch

No video available for this piece.
Too hard right now? Build a path to it

Your status

Not in your repertoire

Sign in to track this piece

Free sheet music on IMSLP

What to play around Color Suite

Similar to Color Suite

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

Easier, same character

A level or two down with the same spirit — ideal if this piece is still out of reach.

The next step up

Where this piece's skills lead: slightly harder works making similar technical demands.

Browse all Henle level 3 pieces (Late beginner) →

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Color Suite by Sylvia E. Hazlerig?

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

What level do I need to play Color Suite?

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 Color Suite?

A typical performance of Color Suite lasts about 6 minutes.

Where can I get free sheet music for Color Suite?

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

What pieces are similar to Color Suite?

Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Circles (1992) Piano solo by Sylvia E. Hazlerig, Circles by Sylvia E. Hazlerig, Arabesque No. 1 by Claude Debussy — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.