The only difference between the covers is the small lettering at the top. But inside it’s a different story, so let’s take a look … Selections from ‘La La Land’īehind the glossy cover, Selections from La La Land includes a title page and then it’s straight to the music. The books themselves are very nicely done, with glossy covers featuring the now-iconic film poster: off-setting the purple skyline with that yellow dress and white shirt was an inspired piece of image making! And while more adventurous players might miss the full-on jazz licks of Herman’s Habit and Summer Montage, these would probably be impossible to condense for easy piano! This represents almost all the main titles from the soundtrack. I will look at each in more detail in a moment, but first note that included titles are identical between both publications, and are as follows: And secondly, Easy Piano ‘La La Land’, in which lyrics are included between the staves of a simplified piano part, with larger print, and chord symbols still included. but two versions of the music.įirstly, there is Selections from ‘La La Land’, which is scored for vocal, piano accompaniment, and with jazz chord notation added above the songline. The results are certainly inspiring – as a student of mine put it, the piano playing is one of the best parts of the film!Īnd now – for those who can’t copy Ryan Gosling by setting aside the time and cost of learning daily by rote – Faber Music bring us the sheet music for the film’s great songs and key moments.įaber Music have published not one. Learn more in this short radio interview from the BBC4 Today programme – it’s fascinating and thought provoking, although we must bear in mind that Gosling was working at the piano for several hours a day, with two-hour-long daily lessons five days a week. It’s a remarkable achievement both for Gosling, and for the teacher who worked with him. One talking point which will particularly interest readers of Pianodao is that lead actor Ryan Gosling learnt to play the piano music for his role (wholly by rote) in just three months before filming, performing it with no stunt double. Damien Chapelle’s La La Land has proved to be one of the most talked-about movies of 2017, garnering 14 Oscar nominations and picking up six, including Best Original Score by Justin Hurwitz, and Best Original Song for City of Stars, composed by Hurwitz with lyricists Benj Hasek & Justin Paul.