[Beginner] Recommended for adult piano beginners! Beautiful & stylish piano pieces
The piano’s clear, shimmering tone that soothes our hearts.
Now that we’re adults, many people are rediscovering its appeal and thinking, “I don’t just want to listen—I want to play it myself!” More and more are starting lessons: those who found practice a chore and piano lessons a burden as children, but now, as adults, want to practice again and learn to play.
In this article, we introduce beautiful and stylish piano pieces recommended for adult beginners and for those returning after a break.
From classical to Western pop, Japanese songs, video game music, and film scores, we’ve curated a wide selection to help you find a favorite piece.
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[Beginner] Recommended for adult piano novices! Beautiful & stylish piano pieces (41–50)
Barcarolle No. 12 in E-flat major, Op. 105-2Gabriel Fauré
Composed in 1921, this piano piece features a flowing 6/8 rhythm and the warm sonority of E-flat major.
It evokes a gentle lyricism and profound spirituality.
Its graceful melodic lines are interwoven with the refined harmonies characteristic of French music, leaving a pleasant resonance.
While one can enjoy the subtlety of the harmonic progressions and modulations, the piece remains playable with fundamental technique.
It is recommended for those who wish to engage deeply with music in a quiet setting or savor the delicate expressions of French musical style.
It is sometimes selected for music university examinations and competitions, making it valuable from an educational standpoint as well.
[Beginner] Recommended for adult piano beginners! Beautiful & stylish piano pieces (51–60)
Three Sonatas for Children, Op. 11, No. 2: “3. Evening Song” Op. 118b-3Robert Schumann
A piece whose gentle character wraps the calm of the evening in piano melodies.
Composed in 1853 by Schumann as an educational work for his own children, it is technically approachable and well-suited for beginners.
Its leisurely tempo carries a soothing sense of comfort.
Ideal for cultivating delicate expressiveness, it’s recommended for those who value the beauty of tone.
Written with home performance in mind, its warmth makes it perfect for practicing in a relaxed atmosphere.
As an introductory piece that offers a glimpse of Schumann’s poetic sensibility, it’s well worth the challenge.
Morning Songs No. 1: In a calm tempoRobert Schumann
Beginning at a gentle tempo, this piece opens the piano solo collection Songs of the Morning, composed by Robert Schumann in October 1853, near the end of his life.
It exudes a serene, introspective atmosphere, characterized by a chorale-like theme and a transparent texture.
Though dissonances are interwoven, the warm resonance of D major deeply touches the heart.
In the final section, the main melody appears as a stretto, creating depth and tension.
The difficulty level is manageable even for beginners, making it ideal for those who wish to express the quiet and hope of morning.
Why not play it at a relaxed pace, savoring Schumann’s poetic world and rich emotional expression?
7 Ländler WoO 11 No. 4Ludwig van Beethoven
This is a bright, lively dance in triple meter that delightfully captures the rustic dances once enjoyed by Austrian peasants.
Though only about a minute long, the piece is peppered with Beethoven’s characteristic harmonic ingenuity and rhythmic variety, keeping the listener engaged throughout.
Composed in 1799, it offers a glimpse into Vienna’s dance culture of the time, with an appealingly gentle atmosphere and approachable melodies.
While making full use of the piano’s expressive range, it achieves a high level of artistry within its simplicity.
Frequently performed at piano recitals and competitions, it conveys its joy to listeners when played with a keen sense of rhythm and a bright, spirited feeling.
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46: I. MorningEdvard Grieg
Just hearing the opening melody is enough for most people to feel, “Ah, morning has come.” It’s often used as background music for morning-related scenes on TV and elsewhere, so even if you don’t know the composer or the source, as a Japanese listener you can’t help but picture a refreshing morning.
This piece, Morning, is one of the movements from Peer Gynt, a suite by the Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg.
The suite originated when Grieg was commissioned to write incidental music for staging Henrik Ibsen’s play Peer Gynt.
Its fresh, beautiful melody is perfect for morning and seems likely to rouse you pleasantly even on a hot summer day.
As an aside, in the context of the incidental music, Morning actually plays when the protagonist finds himself in a truly miserable situation.
Knowing the play’s story and what the creator intended to express in this piece might change the familiar image you have of Morning.
Merry Christmas Mr.LawrenceSakamoto Ryuichi
In March 2023, Ryuichi Sakamoto—known as “the Professor”—passed away, following in the footsteps of his longtime YMO ally Yukihiro Takahashi, who had died that January.
As “Sakamoto of the World,” he created countless masterpieces—from pop to film scores to experimental works—that have been acclaimed globally.
His pieces are also hugely popular as solo piano works, with many cover videos uploaded to YouTube.
Among them, the main theme from Merry Christmas, Mr.
Lawrence stands out with exceptional popularity; many people who have just started learning piano probably want to try it at least once.
Sakamoto, who studied classical music and knew music theory inside out yet never confined himself to it, created melodies that feel somehow nostalgic and, no matter when you listen, offer a fresh sense of wonder.
The piece is essentially built around a main theme that repeats in varied forms, and reproducing its atmosphere demands considerable technique and sensitivity.
Because it’s so popular, there are many beginner-friendly scores available, including those introduced in this article, so starting with those would be a good idea.
Try playing with an awareness of the images and narrative you personally feel from the music.
French Suite No. 1, BWV 812 – Menuet IJ.S.Bach
Among the dance forms of the Baroque era, this elegant piece in triple meter was composed around 1722–1725 and is also included in the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach.
While its melody is simple and approachable, it also contains contrapuntal elements, and imagining the refined timbre resonating in a church helps bring out its character in performance.
Because the technical difficulty of this work is relatively low, it is recommended for those who have only recently started playing the piano or who are drawn to Baroque music.
In classical music, where tone color, expression, and dynamics are emphasized, try practicing long tones and exploring a beautiful sound as you play.