Classical Piano Songs To Learn

Bach Minuet In G Major Bwv Anh 116

I grew up learning this Bach piece and always recommend it to a beginner who can find their way around the instrument. Its a piece that can be played slow and lyrical, or light and upbeat. The left hand supports the right-hand melody and alternates the arpeggiated sections.

The B section of the piece is written in the relative E minor. In this section, there are a couple of accidentals to watch out for like D-sharp.

Overall the same rhythmic motives appear from start to finish in this piece. The harmonies also consistently alternate between I and V throughout the piece.

Frederic Chopin March Funbre

The Funeral March, referring to the second movement of Chopins Piano Sonata No. 2, is a famous song played whenever movies and television shows need music that instantly makes people think of morbid settings.

This recognizable melody is indeed slow and heavy, we dare say, melancholic. It mimics the feeling of marching slowly through a street while carrying a casket. However, the morbid connotations aside, Marche Funèbre is certainly one of the best choices for a classical piano song to express a dark and oppressive feeling.

Bach Prelude No 1 In C Major

While I find the Bach inventions to be a great introduction to his music, there are a few Preludes out there that work well. Prelude No. 1 in C major is easy to grasp with the ear, and the fingering is so repetitive that it can be applied throughout the entire work. Its only 2:15 long, so its short and can be learned quickly.

What makes this Prelude easy is the that its all based on triads being produced in the same repetitive sequence. Its also Andante con moto, which gives intermediate players a chance to set their hands for the different harmonic changes.

There are a couple of pitches that go below the staff which is never an easy read for pianists. However, once you understand the pattern of the triads and fingering combination, then you can apply it to the entire piece.

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Diabelli Bagatelle In G Major

This Bagatelle by Diabelli is short, sweet, and a great intro piece for beginning pianists. Its about 40 seconds long, and its written in G major which is simple to read.

The left-hand starts off with quarter notes, playing open thirds starting on G. Those thirds shift to intervals of a 4th on C and G, and then return back for a repeat of the same material.

While that is happening, the right hand is playing a simple melody made up of root position notes. The B section of the piece takes on much of the same style, with seventh chords being introduced in the left hand. Everything cadences on tonic G in both the A and B sections of the piece. Overall this is a short piece, its easy to memorize it, and its simple enough to learn hands together.

Peer Gynt Morning Mood Grieg

You may also want to give this piece a try.

Even though there are portions of Peer Gynt that are challenging, Morning Mood is one of the easiest ones.

It is a great piece for you to learn if you want to learn your basic chords.

The right hand has a steady melody that works up and down the piano, but it repeats regularly, so it doesnt take you long to learn the notes.

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Rondo Alla Turca By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

This famous tune by Mozart, popularly known as the Turkish March, is from his 11th sonata in A major. It was most likely written in 1783 in Vienna. Because Turkish music was quite fashionable for various political reasons at the time, Mozart drew inspiration from contemporary genres when composing this piece.

Although it is not a simple piece for absolute beginners, it is still doable. Dont get too overwhelmed about learning this classic piano composition even if it sounds above the beginner level. You can try to master it by playing it slowly first. Besides, its fun to try something a bit more difficult now and then. It may take a little longer to learn, but the result will definitely be worth your effort!

Bach Minuet In G Major Bwv Anh 114

Minuet in G Major is an ideal piece for the aspiring piano player. This piece can be quickly memorized as it has a lot of repetition. Its use of five-note scales throughout the right-hand makes it intuitive to learn. If you compare and study just the first note of each measure, it can help you train your right-hand where it needs to move during the piece. Here is a video showing how the piece is played on the piano.

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Moonlight Sonata By Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven, an iconic figure of Western music, was a German composer and pianist. He plays a leading role in the transition between Classical and Romantic eras. He is also the author of the concept of the artist, who surpasses personal tragedy, separate from society, in order to achieve his goal, and in that way, he becomes a hero.

Beethovens Moonlight Sonata is the byname of Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2. It was published in 1802, premiered by the composer himself. The name Moonlight Sonata comes from a review by the German Romantic poet Ludwig Rellstab, in which he compares the first movement of the piece to a boat, floating in the moonlight on Switzerlands Lake Lucerne.

The tempo of the first movement is what makes the piece beneficial for beginners. It was written in C# minor in a modified sonata-allegro form, opening with a triplet figuration in the right hand against each octave in the left hand.

Canon In D By Pachelbel

Pachelbel was one of the dominant figures in late 17th-century European Baroque music. Today he is mostly known for his Canon in D, which was originally written for three violins and a ground bass . The piece was composed around 1680-90, but it was published for the first time in the early 20th century. Although the canon was not meant to be played on the piano, this transcription fits perfectly the musical idea of the piece.

The canon is a polyphonic musical work, in which several voices play the same melody, entering in sequence. Pachabels canon engages three voices. There is also an additional voice, the basso continuo. It differs from the other three, which all play the same melody and plays an independent role in the composition. All in all, this is one of my favorite beginner classical piano songs and I definitely recommend giving it a try!

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What A Wonderful World

What A Wonderful World has stood for decades now as one of the greatest songs ever written. Its also one of those simple piano songs that can grow with your ability.

The chords are interesting but standard. You can find many tutorials online that show different ways to play them.

Even if you play the basic chords, it will still sound good. Then, as you get better, you can add more intricate parts to sound even better.

Difficulty: 2/10

Schumann Kinderszenen Movement 1

Movement 1 is a great piece to play on its own, especially for concert encores. This is a playful melody focusing on childhood memories. The movement is a short one-page work, mostly in G major with a quick shift to E minor in the B section.

Most of the piece can be divided into groups of 8 measures, so its easy to digest whats happening and memorize it.

The middle section is in E minor and shifts the melodic material from the right hand into the left hand. Overall the dotted rhythm returns throughout the piece, so once that rhythm is polished the most difficult part is mastered.

Pianists who play this will need to get comfortable taking part of the triplet rhythm in the left hand and transfer that note to the thumb of the right hand. Its very natural to do this with the thumb, making the piece sound smooth overall.

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Piano Classics Every Student Should Learn

Are you looking for some piano classics to learn or to help a student learn? Check out this list of 20 popular piano pieces that every pianist should have on their bucket list.

This list is divided into early and late intermediate pieces. The level numbers are based on the leveling system used in Jane Magraths book, The Pianists Guide To Standard Teaching And Performance Literature. Because there is no standardized leveling system for piano music, these level numbers are used to give you a general idea of the difficulty of each piece, in addition to helping you understand a logical progression in which to learn these pieces.

• Early intermediate pieces encompass levels 3-6 and are suitable for students or adults with a basic background and understanding of piano technique and notation.
• Late intermediate pieces include levels 7-10 and require more advanced technical skills, and a higher level of proficiency reading and playing piano music.

The list includes pieces from all for eras of classical music: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary.

Minuet In F Major By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

A lot of Mozarts music is quite challenging that only advanced piano players can play them well. Fortunately, Mozart also produced a lot of short piano pieces as a child. This gives a tremendous opportunity for beginners like you to play a Mozart composition.

Mozart wrote Minuet in F Major when he was about six years old. However, it is also likely that his father might have composed the piece for young Mozart or could have even made minor changes. It is also likely that Mozart wrote this song for the harpsichord in 1762. This assumption explains the Baroque characteristics you can observe in the piece even if Mozart was a Classical composer. This piano piece was from the book Notebook for Nannerl, who was Mozarts sister.

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Using Tonara To Your Advantage

To make learning classical music even easier, use the Tonara music education app to help you achieve your musical potential. Talk to your teacher about how you can get connected in Tonara Studio to help you track your progress and share your journey with other students.

If you don’t yet have a teacher but are in the market for one, check out all the piano teachers we have to offer within Tonara Connect! We promise you won’t be disappointed. Remember that you can always chat with the teacher before purchasing a package. Within the chat is the best time to share with your potential teacher that you’d like to learn classical music, how much experience you might already have, and where you want to see your piano career go.

Clair De Lune Debussy

Even though there are some people who believe Clair de Lune is an intermediate piece, it is frequently played by people who are just learning the piano.

If you have the patience to learn the chords, you can certainly play the rest of the piece.

Importantly, it is part of a larger work, and the other pieces in the group are more challenging, but you should not hesitate to give Clair de Lune a try.

It is an absolutely beautiful piece that your friends and family members will love.

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Erik Satie Gympnopedie No 1

This was always one of my favorite songs to play, just because it is so recognizable. This piece has been featured in many commercials and movies. Its beautiful, and its relatively short and easy.

The chord structure is repetitive and simple, with the left hand repeating the same pattern for much of the song.

The melody is captivating, moving in steady quarters through most of the piece.

As the song progresses, there are a few interesting chord changes, and the accidentals increase slightly, making the end of the piece perhaps the most challenging part.

Nonetheless, its achievable and sounds wonderful. At around 3:30, the song can be learned to completion, which feels great as a beginning piano player.

Satie: Gymnopdie No 1

No ones quite clear what the word gymnopédie means, but what is certain, is that s Gymnopédies, written in 1888, are some of the most simple and beautiful pieces of all time.

And the great news is that theyre easy to play! Each of them are designed to be played Lent , which will be music to the ears of any beginner pianist

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Cossaise In E Flat Major Woo 86 By Ludwig Van Beethoven

Perhaps, there isnt a single classical music fan who hasnt at least listened to a few Beethoven records in their collection. Beethovens work, like his sonatas, is quite tough. Nevertheless, he still has several short pieces that are accessible to even the most beginner pianist.

For novices, Beethovens Ecossaises compositions are quite approachable. You will, however, require a good grasp of the basics first. This composition, Écossaise in E flat major WoO 86, is one of the first Beethoven works you can try. Its a short, simple piece you may practice before moving on to more difficult piano works.

Saties Gymnopdie No 1

This beautiful piece by Eric Satie is featured in numerous films and TV shows. What makes this an ideal classical piano piece for beginners to start with is its relatively short length, about three minutes long, and its repeating left-hand chord pattern. Start by learning the right-hand melody. When you are ready to learn the left-hand, first practice the low notes in the first beat of each measure to help you see the pattern. Then study the chords that fall on the second beat of each measure. When you are ready to practice with your hands together, a good intermediary step is to play only the first beat of the left-hand while playing the right-hand melody. If you encounter a left-hand chord that is too large to play with one hand, see if you can use the right hand to help you play the top note of the chord. Here is a video of some beautiful paintings you can view while listening to a recording of Saties Gymnopédie No. 1.

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Ode To Joy By Beethoven

Ode to Joy is the name attributed to the renowned melody from Beethovens choral Symphony No. 9, which has been called one of the composers greatest accomplishments. Ode to Joy is actually the name of a poem that Beethoven used as lyrics towards the end of the piece. It has been arranged numerous times for numerous instruments and is a widely recognized melody. It is in the key of C with no accidentals and is written in common or 4/4 time.

Why Play Classical Piano Music

Classical music has a reputation for being stuffy and serious, but its a very diverse genre. If you do enough digging, youre likely to find something you like. Classical music also informs the jazz, blues, and pop genres. Its all connected, and its all very fun to play.

One convenient thing about playing classical pieces is, thanks to copyright expiration, you can access the majority of classical sheet music for free. The International Music Score Library Project has a vast, online database of free classical sheet music.

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Theres A Whole World Of Classical Piano Music For Beginners

There you have it: our picks for the best piano songs for beginners. Now go give them a try! Dont feel intimidated or overwhelmed by classical music just start with the basics: scales, chords, and beginner piano songs such as these. If you keep at it, your fingers will start to find the notes all on their own!

If youre feeling stuck, you can find simplified arrangements for all of these songs in piano books, such as Hal Leonard and Alfreds course books. There is also a wide range of instructional videos on YouTube that can help you master your next favorite classical piece. Although these resources can be helpful, nothing beats havingyour own piano teacher!

Post Author:Liz T. teaches singing, acting, and music lessons online. She is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music with a B.M in Vocal performance and currently performs/teaches all styles of music including Musical Theater, Classical, Jazz, Rock, Pop, R& B, and Country.

Allegretto 1 By Czerny

Car Czerny was an Austrian composer and teacher who composed hundreds of songs and studies for piano. His works provide numerous examples of beginner-level classical music, but this simple Allegretto is a great introduction to classical music especially for young pianists. This piece is in C major with no accidentals in the key signtature and is written in 3/4 time.

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Classical Music Songs For Piano

Would you like to know how to play classical music for piano but dont know which songs to choose? Youve come to the right place! At La Touche Musicale, we have selected our top 18 most played classical music for piano! You can easily learn all these pieces for free on piano with our app dedicated to piano learning, so enjoy it!

Note: all the songs presented in this article are available on the La Touche Musicale piano learning app. So you can learn to play them with ease.

Joris, the author of this article, recommends the following resource: PDF Guide Piano Tutorials: Learn the 10 easiest songs.