But for the sudden death of the composer's collaborator on this project, organist/pianist Joel Hastings, the present cycle of piano pieces was intended to be an even greater successor to Pann's The Piano's 12 Sides. Instead, the Five Serious Pieces which had been completed now stand as a memorial to a lost friend. These pieces demand a serious skill level, serious attention and focus, and serious devotion to present them effectively. Pianists meeting the challenge will find five greatly different character pieces - at times introspective, charming, humorous, and brutal. For advanced pianists.