Playing piano music comes with some great benefits, from teaching patience and coordination to making you smarter. But it can be tough to know where to start with so many options.
Luckily, many classical piano songs can be played at a variety of levels. So as your skill increases, you can upgrade to more complex versions of the same piece.
We've put together a great starter list of 15 piano songs below to help you figure out the basics.
Bach - Prelude 1 in C Minor
When people speak of Bach, they say it's never too late or too early to start learning his work. Prelude in C Minor is a fantastic piece for a beginner.
It teaches arpeggiation of chords, phrasing, and chord structure. This piece depends on control, so as you become more skilled you'll actually hear your progress on this one piece. That makes it a great benchmark.
Beethoven - Fur Elise
This might be one of the most classic starter piano tunes. Fur Elise is a pretty simple melody that's easy to pick up even for beginners.
It's also very recognizable, so it could be the first tune you bust out to get some appreciative nods. Even the tricky parts of the piece can be picked up easily with a little practice, so it's also a good piece to measure progression.
Debussy - Clair de Lune
Clair de Lune is a straightforward and relatively slow piece but always sounds impressive. It's a great piece for teaching a few key piano habits. You won't want to go too heavy on the keys, and you need to stay fluid to pull off the irregular harmonies. These are both great fundamentals that you'll need in the future.
You won't want to go too heavy on the keys, and you need to stay fluid to pull off the irregular harmonies. These are both great fundamentals that you'll need in the future.
Joplin - The Entertainer
This ragtime piece one of the most famous classic piano songs of the modern era. The finger work and bouncy ragtime sound make it stand out among the Beethoven and the Bach, so it's good for the wow factor that goes beyond the traditional sound of the finger work and bouncy ragtime sound make it stand out among the Beethoven and the Bach, so it's good for the wow factor that goes beyond the traditional sound of classical piano music.
Tiersen - Comptine d'Un Autre Été
Tiersen's piece is one of the most recognizable classical piano songs of the 21st Century. From the soundtrack of French film Amélie, it's a moving piece with a simple yet poignant melody.
Perhaps more than any other piece on this list, this composition demands real heart to play - so it's an emotional challenge along with a technical one.
Beethoven - Ode To Joy
There's a reason a lot of piano lessons start with this tune. It's super simple melody and fingerwork makes it easy to learn. But listeners will appreciate the familiar tune and it makes for an excellent practice piece.
Schubert - Ave Maria
This piece is recognizable and often adapted, such as in Disney's Fantasia.
It sounds impressive despite being friendly to piano newbies. It's great practice both for arpeggios as well as chords. It's also a very moving ballad in its own right.
Beethoven - Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Another solid beginner tune, Eine Kleine Nachtmusic was originally composed for a chamber ensemble. It can be easily distilled down to a solo piano piece, however.
While it may be challenging at first, the lessons you'll learn about hand independence will help you for years to come.
Grieg - Arietta
Arietta is a short piece and not technically complex. But it's a beautiful tearjerker. It might be a challenge for a true beginner, but the low technical demands will quickly take you from clumsy to perfect.
This piece also captures some wonderful resolving harmonies, so it provides another tentpole of the piano playing experience even in the early going.
Chicago - All That Jazz
Another great tune for breaking away from the traditional classical piano songs. This jazzy number sounds a lot fancier than it plays, with a very fun bridge.
It might take some practice, but it's not out of reach of a beginner who wants to put in the work to add an energizing, upbeat number to their arsenal.
Unknown - Korobeiniki
This Russian folk number is a lot more famous in the West as the Tetris Theme tune. It's fun, instantly recognizable, and accessible for beginners.
The easy, catchy melody makes memorizing the tune that much easier. This tune is also designed to be played at an increasing tempo, so you can learn it as slowly as you like and slowly speed up as you grow more confident - it'll sound great either way!
Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake
Keeping with the Russian theme, here's another tune that almost anyone could hum to. This dramatic and mature romantic anthem has a melody that's easy to memorize.
It provides a lot of chord practice, too. This is a crowd-pleaser that you'll be excited to show off.
MacDowell - To A Wild Rose
Not all classical piano songs have to come from the old world, as evidenced by this piece of Americana. MacDowell's biographer wrote that this piece should be played by children, who would keep it simple.
That's both great advice and a recommendation for its use as a beginner piano piece.
Chopin - Prelude in E Minor
This is a simple, slow melody. It relies heavily on the chords without being too demanding, so it's good for a beginner.
The slow pace gives learners a breath to figure out where their fingers need to be next. This is another very emotional piece, so once you've got the technical side down you'll start to feel the emotion come out in the music.
Strauss - The Blue Danube
The Blue Danube is one of the most iconic classical piano songs around - the one waltz that everyone remembers! It's not as complicated as it sounds. It can be slowed down for learning while still retaining its identity.
Classical Piano Songs Are Everywhere
Budding pianists can find inspiration anywhere. Everything from classical composers to movie and TV soundtracks will give you ideas on what to tackle next.These are just a few great starter pieces, but once you've mastered these, you'll find new challenges wherever you look!
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