Solace is subtitled "A Mexican Serenade". Scott Joplin wrote it in 1909, and it's a rarity in his work: instead of the classic rag, a habanera rhythm, the Cuban-born dance, in three of its four sections. You hear more tenderness than brilliance.
⏱4:06 with repeats♪2186 notes🎚Intermediate🎼G major♩72 per quarter🎹C2 → E6🦶pedal marks
The file is 2164 notes over 4:06. The left hand sets up the habanera sway, the right hand sings a supple melody above it. The tempo is that of a ballad: slow, expressive, with a little give. It's the Joplin piece to play when you want a rag that sings rather than one that bounces, next to Elite Syncopations.
The habanera rhythm in the left hand, even and soft
A singing melody, well joined up
Fine shading between the 4 sections
Keeping the sway without making it heavy
The tricky passages
Bar 10 : the right hand shifts position by 15 semitones compared with the previous bar
Bar 20 : 8 notes in a row in the left hand, at about 4.8 notes per second
Bar 30 : the busiest bar, with 22 notes across both hands
Bar 74 : a leap of 24 semitones (over two octaves) in the left hand, in under half a second
Playing Solace on piano with Pianovera
Loop the left hand in Pianovera until the sway comes by itself, then add the melody. Wait mode helps on the passages where both hands work together, before you bring the tempo back.
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About this piece
How long is Solace?
The MIDI file lasts 4:06, with every repeat played in full: 88 bars in 2/4 (148 played with the repeats), 2186 notes, at 72 bpm (quarter notes). Slowed to 60%, it lasts 6:50.
What level do you need to play Solace?
We rate it intermediate in G major, with sustain pedal marks. The left hand stretches up to 40 semitones (chord to roll) and the right hand up to 27 semitones (chord to roll), across 52 semitones of keyboard (C2 to E6), at 8.9 notes per second on average. The first thing to work on: the habanera rhythm in the left hand, even and soft.
What is the hardest passage in Solace?
It is bar 20: 8 notes in a row in the left hand, at about 4.8 notes per second.
What tempo should a beginner practice Solace at?
Aim for 45 bpm (quarter notes), which is 60% of the file's tempo (72).
Is there sheet music for Solace with fingering?
Yes: 1133 fingerings, 88 bars, shown in full above and as a free printable PDF.
