Ian Ring

Opus Arcana Ian Ring

This book is the deluxe edition of Opus Arcana, a series of 22 movements for solo piano inspired by the Major Arcana of a tarot deck. Each movement is carefully crafted to evoke the personality and lore of each card, but the composer has also hidden innumerable patterns, symmetries, and motif-based connections throughout the series. The result of over three years of hard work by this accomplished composer and dedicated occultist. It is not necessary to be familiar with the tarot to enjoy and perform these pieces, but the composer suggests that if you really want to delve into the mood and emotion of performance, it is useful to be familiar with the card you are evoking. For that reason, the composer has provided copious notes to accompany each piece so that the performer can learn a bit about the card and what musical elements are notable in each. The difficulty of this series ranges from intermediate to virtuosic; there is something in this collection for every piano student. The easiest ones are approachable by a beginner, whereas the most difficult ones will challenge an advanced student. If you are able to perform a Chopin prelude, then this music will have a similar level of challenge. The deluxe e-book of sheet music also features the cover by Vincent Marcone, along with a foreword written by tarot expert Arthur Lipp-Bonewits, a preface, and copious performance notes by the composer.