My five favourite classical piano pieces you can start instead of a beginner book

Last month I started a new teenage student who wanted to learn to play piano, but didn’t really want to start with a beginner book. They knew they had to start with the basics of sight-reading and rhythm, but didn’t want to start with Old MacDonald Had A Farm. They asked, did they have to start with a beginner book? Or could they start with something else?

I’m a pretty big fan of aligning myself with my students’ aspirations and letting their practical goals direct my plans for teaching. Because this student wanted to learn to play classical, I saw no reason why not to start there. After all, they can learn the basics of notation and rhythm just as easily as a beginner book, if the song is selected carefully.

Not all classical music is complicated. In fact, some classical music is deliberately simple and minimalist. The beauty of some pieces is found in how it’s able to convey huge amounts of emotion in considerably few notes. Perfect for beginners!

In today’s post, I’d like to share my favourite classical pieces that a beginner can learn instead of starting a beginner methods book. By learning to convey big emotions with minimal notes, I can provide the early wins that are so motivating for new students!

Pachelbel - Canon in D

This is probably the most recognized classical piece of all time, and for good reason! It’s a sweet yet triumphant piece that is regularly played at weddings and other celebrations.

I like this song for beginners because the piece is so repetitive — the whole song builds on the same thematic phrases, adding just a little each time until it reaches peak emotion.

I like this song for beginners because the piece is so repetive. The left hand repeats the same theme throughout the song, and the right hand adds just a little each line, improving the player’s skill almost without them realizing it.

The song has only two sharps, which means that the majority of the song is played on the white keys, which is good for a beginner. Also, I like that the melody moves in steps, rather than skips, which helps a beginner learn their way around a staff and keyboard more easily.

Because this song was originally composed for strings, not piano, every version of sheet music is an adaptation of the original. This is a good thing! That means arrangements for many different skill levels are available, from early beginner to advanced. The version I like for absolute beginners is this one.

Satie - Gnossienne No. 3

You may not be familiar with this haunting piece, as it’s considered post-modern and is a little more abstract than then previous recommendation. But few songs are as beautiful and as rewarding to learn.

The first thing you’ll notice is that the song is pretty slow — the tempo is marked Lent — but that doesn’t water it down! Rather, the slow pace enhances its dreamlike quality.

I like this song for beginners because it uses a lot of repetition in both hands, so the patterns are easy to learn, and it applies these patterns around the piano, which provides the player with a greater sense of familiarity across the keyboard. It’s incredibly rewarding to learn how much expression you can evoke by playing the same phrases, in slightly different ways!

Another interesting thing about this song is that it has no time signature! The idea is that the song could be played more freely, focusing on the melody rather than strict adherence to the rhythm. Again, I like this for beginners because it lets them focus on their burgeoning musicality :)

Bach - Prelude in C Major (The Well-Tempered Clavier)

Moving back into familiar classical territory, this is probably one of Bach’s most well-known piano pieces, but few know that Bach actually wrote this song for piano beginners! This makes his Prelude in C Major a perfect introduction to his incredible body of work and to features of classical music such as counterpoint.

Although the notation in this song looks more complicated than my earlier suggested pieces, the rhythm is simple, steady, and repeated throughout the song. I like this song for beginners because the hands form common chords, repeated in a pattern that is easy to remember yet beautiful and satisfying to play.

Of the songs listed here, this one uses the most white keys, for anyone who’s wondering. There are a few sharps and flats scattered around the piece, but again because so much repetition is used, once you learn these notes you’ll be able to play the whole line easily if you just follow the pattern.

I like to use this song to introduce the concept of chord progressions. Once you know what C, F, and G chords look like, you’ll find them everywhere in this piece, making it that much easier to learn :)

Chopin - Prelude in E Minor

If you feel like plunging the depths of human emotion, look no further! Although this achingly sorrowful piece by Chopin is not his most widely known, it is revered by pianists worldwide as one of his most brilliant. Learn this piece, and you will understand why Chopin is known as “the poet of the piano.”

The brilliance of this song is due to how effectively he conveys a wide range of emotions in so few notes. The left hand plays gentle, repetitive chords that are easy for a beginner to learn. Rather than moving around the piano, the left hand largely stay in the same position, falling down the piano just a single note at a time. It’s unbelievable what an emotional punch this packs until you try it yourself!

Similarly, the melody in the right hand consists of just a single note at a time that barely moves at all. It steps just a note up or down through the majority of the piece until the emotional peak at the end. In terms of beginner pieces, it’s hard to find a classical piano song with as little to manage technically as this one.

But don’t let the simplicity of this piece fool you into thinking it’s simplistic. It takes effort and commitment to infuse the emotional sincerity required to play this piece well. The minimalism of this song embodies the lethargy that overtakes a person after a heartbreak — do you have what it takes to communicate that feeling on piano? Play too robotically, and the magic will be lost.

Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata

Back to more familiar musical territory, this is probably my most requested song by students and audiences alike! It has several sharps in its key signature, so I wouldn’t start with this one if you’re a complete beginner. Try one of the earlier suggestions first.

But when you’re ready to tackle more black keys, you’re likely to have a very good time learning this piece because once you learn the broken chords, they are very enjoyable, and even hypnotic, to play!

One thing I like about this song for beginners is that the left hand is easier to play than the right hand. You don’t get that very often in classical music! The left hand mostly consists of octaves, played and held while the right hand takes care of the melody. This is a welcome relief to many beginner piano players, who are often right-handed and intimidated by notes in their left hand.

I also like that this song uses “themes”, which are musical phrases that are repeated throughout the piece. This is typical of the style of Beethoven’s musical era, and is great for beginners because it helps them navigate around the piano by finding familiar melodies.

Last thoughts

If you’ve read through this list, you’ve probably noticed a few recurring themes. For beginners, I like songs that 1) have simple notation, 2) are meant to be played slowly, and 3) use repetition so there aren’t too many new notes to learn. I think this list of requirements is really important to set you off with some “early wins” on your musical journey.

I hope this list of suggestions shows you that this doesn’t mean you need to learn “baby music” when you’re first starting out. There are many beloved classical pieces whose beauty and brilliance lies in its simplicity.

These are my favourite five, but there is so much more amazing piano music for you to discover! I encourage you to research and find some favourites of your own. Now that you’ve read a little about evaluating music for beginners, you’re in much better shape to review and select your own :) Best of luck!