If you’re a beginner, you might be interested in learning how to play classical music on the piano. After all, classical music is a living art you most often experience through masterful keyboard pieces.
One way to get started is to learn some easy classical pieces first. And with the vast amount of resources everywhere, you can certainly learn how to play classical piano songs in no time. That said, here are some easy classical pieces you can play on the piano as a beginner.
Top 8 Easy Piano Pieces for Beginners
The following is a list that contains eight easy classical songs that beginners can learn to play on the piano.
1. Écossaise in E flat major WoO 86 by Ludwig Van Beethoven
Perhaps, there isn’t a single classical music fan who hasn’t at least listened to a few Beethoven records in their collection. Beethoven’s 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, Beethoven’s 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. It’s a short, simple piece you may practice before moving on to more difficult piano works.
2. Minuet in G Minor, Anh. 115 by Johann Sebastian Bach
Bach, like Beethoven, has some simple piano pieces that beginners can play. The piece “Minuet in G Minor, Anh. 115″ was found in a book called “Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach.” Anna was Bach’s wife who diligently compiled music by composers from the 17th and 18th centuries so she can learn how to play the piano.
For a long time, people have thought that Bach wrote this beautiful piece. However, recent research reveals that it was Christian Petzold who composed it. In his day, Petzold was a well-known composer and organist, but very little of his music has survived to this day. Alas, people around the world still know Petzold’s composition as Bach’s Minuet in G. In any case, it’s a charming little piece you can easily play.
3. Fantasia in G Minor by G.P. Telemann
You probably don’t hear about Telemann as much as you do about Bach or the other big names in Baroque music. In his prime, Telemann was quite well-known. He was a prolific songwriter who produced over 3,000 works throughout his lifetime. Although he is a Baroque composer chronologically, his work influenced the development of the Classical style.
This piano piece is a fantasia, which is a musical style that is more or less formless. There are no strict guidelines in its format, and its style was formed out of the art of improvisation or making music up as you go. As a short and simple work, “Fantasia in G Minor” is a great piece of music you can play as a beginner.
4. Sonatina in C major, op. 36 no. 1 by Muzio Clementi
Clementi was one of the first composers to champion the piano and write for it. He was a major enthusiast of pianos, even owning a piano manufacturing business, and created a lot of music for teaching and learning on the instrument.
“Sonatina in C major, op. 36, no. 1,” by Clementi, is a lively Classical-era composition with quick scale and chord patterns. This well-known piece is the first of Clementi’s six classic sonatinas. It’s also the simplest, which is why you can play it as a novice. Although it may be one of his beginner-level pieces, this piece will still challenge you. This work is excellent for honing your technique and it can be your stepping stone to more challenging piano pieces. Try it out and see how rewarding it is to learn and play.
5. Minuet in F Major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
A lot of Mozart’s 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 Mozart’s sister.
6. Rondo Alla Turca (Turkish March) 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. Don’t 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, it’s 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!
7. German Dance in D major, Hob IX:22, no. 2 and no. 3 by Franz Joseph Haydn
Haydn was often overshadowed by Beethoven and Mozart, but much of his music is relatively accessible to beginners. You can start with Haydn’s German Dances, which are among his easiest works to play. These are lighthearted pieces that can serve as ideal preparation for more challenging Classical-era music.
You’ll note that Hadyn’s music is more cheerful than Beethoven’s or Mozart’s. His compositions are more playful, whereas Beethoven and Mozart’s music is often moody. He also employs an entirely different approach to harmony and harmonic progression than either of the two. You can be easily charmed by his own unique approach to piano music, which is why you’re going to enjoy playing through some of his work.
8. The Sick Doll by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
“The Sick Doll,” is from Tchaikovsky’s Children’s Album, op. 39. It was inspired by Robert Schumann’s similar collection of piano pieces for children called Album for the Young. Composed in 1878, Tchaikovsky’s collection contains 24 pieces. The difficulty of these works ranges from early intermediate to advanced intermediate. If you perform all the short piano pieces on this album from beginning to end, it would take roughly 30 minutes.
“The Sick Doll” is probably one of the easiest you can play, so it’s an excellent starting point for beginners who want to play Tchaikovsky’s works. If you listen closely, you’ll notice this piece is incredibly melancholy and dark, and many piano players easily connect with the music’s emotion as they play it.
Final Words
Now that you know several easy classical piano pieces, hopefully, you can keep practicing as you move along the more difficult and masterful ones. Just remember to practice with a lot of different compositions. If you get stuck with the same piece, you may get frustrated without making much progress. Most importantly, enjoy the journey! Playing piano music is a very rewarding experience, and you’ll want to keep practicing to get better and better each day.