Learn To Play Gospel Piano

Old classics are bound to be repeated. This book came in two forms. First, there was The Harkness Piano Method of Evangelistic Hymn Playing. Later, Lillenas re-published the book with a different cover and title, then called Learn To Play Gospel Piano. The content is exactly the same. I should know, I have both of them. The only difference is that in the latter book, the Forward was written by Fred Bock, whereas the Forward in the former was written by the publishers.

The content is a series of essays on different aspects of Hymn improvisation, everything from Technique and Memory Training to The Perils of Jazz. ;o)
There are 54 Lessons altogether in this book that began as a correspondence course for home study. I still enjoy leafing through its pages, playing the examples. Second hand bookstores and the Internet may be your only hope of finding another copy. Originally, this book came with a demonstration record, too. Yes, I have it, courtesy of eBay. No, I do not own a record player, and it's too big to fit into my CD player.

208 Pages. By Robert Harkness. Copyright 1941, 1942, 1943, and 1962. Lillenas Publishing Company.