[Beginner] Also great for piano recitals! Classical pieces that look cool when you can play them
Many people who want to learn to play the piano probably think that those admired classical pieces are impossible until you can already play to some extent.
For those people, we’ve picked out beginner-friendly classical pieces that will look cool when you can play them! While flashy and dynamic piano works often demand advanced technique, the pieces we’re introducing here are all masterpieces within easy reach for beginners, letting you enjoy short yet impressive phrases.
We’re also including famous pieces arranged for beginners, so whether you’re looking for a recital piece for your child or you’ve started learning piano as an adult, be sure to check them out!
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- [Beginner] Recommended for adult piano beginners! Beautiful & stylish piano pieces
- [For 6-year-olds] A curated selection of standout pieces for piano recitals!
- [Piano Recital] Recommended for Boys! A Curated Selection of Cool, Impressive, and Popular Pieces
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[Beginner] Also recommended for piano recitals! Cool classical pieces to play (11–20)
ScherzinoGeorg Philipp Telemann
Born in 1681, Georg Philipp Telemann was an eminent figure who enjoyed immense popularity in Germany and France, especially in the first half of the 18th century, and is also known as one of the most prolific composers in the history of classical music.
He lived to the age of 86, which was remarkably long for the time, and his connections with Handel and Bach are also well known.
Telemann’s works are widely cherished in Japan as well, and this time we will focus on his Scherzino, notable for its cheerful, lively atmosphere and the characteristic feature of both the right and left hands carrying the melody.
Beginners may find the independence of the two hands and the detailed fingerings a bit perplexing, but there is nothing technically difficult, and it should be quite manageable.
Take care with the touch of the left hand when repeating the same notes in the middle section, and aim to keep the expression light and graceful.
Adorable TarantellaStreabbog
Technically you may still be a bit inexperienced, but you want to play a dynamic piece that uses both hands fully—this is exactly the piece I recommend to early-stage players: “The Pretty Tarantella.” Composed by Jean-Louis Gobbaerts, better known by his stage name Streabbog, this “Pretty Tarantella” is a fairly intense and passionate work built around a fast, driving 6/8 meter, and it’s often performed at piano recitals.
Considering that the “tarantella” is a dance from Naples, Italy, a passionate performance is essential even with its simple structure.
The left hand features a very simple accompaniment, so practice repeatedly to avoid wrong notes while paying close attention to the dynamics in the active right hand.
Magic TreeWilliam Gillock
William Gillock, active in the 20th century, was a piano teacher and a composer who left many works in the field of music education.
His piano pieces, praised for melodic beauty to the extent that he has been called the “Schubert of the music education world,” do not require highly advanced technique, and are therefore popular among beginner to intermediate pianists.
The piece introduced here, The Magic Tree, is characterized by an anacrusis—the phrase that appears before the first barline—and, with the left hand carrying the melody in the first half, it serves as excellent practice for the left hand.
There are also many moments that may feel challenging unless you have a certain familiarity with the piano, such as the switch in the middle section where the melody moves to the right hand.
However, if you can master this piece, it might open the path to becoming an intermediate-level player!
Jungle FeverCatherine Rollin
Jungle Fever by American composer Catherine Rollin, who has published many piano pieces for beginners and children, is one of the pieces in the piano collection Beanie Zoo, which features works inspired by animals.
Its lively rhythm and rock-flavored style make it a perfect choice for recitals, exciting not only the performer but also the audience.
The left-hand accompaniment can be played by learning just three positions, so even players not yet comfortable with hands-together playing will find it an approachable piece to try.
a band of Roma (Gypsies)Franz Behr
Gypsy Horde by German composer Franz Behr—who is said to have left as many as 600 short pieces—is a highly effective showpiece, featuring a light, brilliant melody and accompaniment.
It’s excellent practice not only for mastering fast passages, but also for developing a wide expressive range, thanks to the dramatic change in character in the middle section.
To let the beautiful, wistful melody resonate clearly, balancing the volume with the accompaniment is crucial.
Keep the left-hand accompaniment as quiet and light as possible so it doesn’t drown out the right hand’s quick-moving melodic line.
Burgmüller’s 25 Progressive Pieces: “Arabesque”Johann Burgmüller
The composer and pianist Johann Burgmüller, born in Germany and who spent most of his life in Paris, France, is quite well-known in Japan, not least because his 25 Easy and Progressive Studies have been adopted as a piano method book.
Among them, No.
2, “Arabesque,” is especially famous, and it’s a piece I’d love beginner-level players—those who’ve been playing with both hands for a little while—to tackle.
The left hand features chordal patterns with a march-like rhythm, while the right hand has smooth phrases; in the middle section, the left hand introduces more intricate fingerwork as well.
It may feel difficult at first, but if you can play it with expressive dynamics and drama, it will surely raise your level as a pianist!
[Beginner] Also great for piano recitals! Cool classical pieces to impress if you can play them (21–30)
Midnight Fire FestivalHirayoshi Takeshu
This is a solo piano piece by the passionate Japanese composer Tokiyuki Hirayoshi, evoking scenes of blazing flames.
Its dynamic, intense sonorities and meticulously crafted articulation are beautifully balanced, depicting sparks of fire soaring into the night sky.
The unique irregular meters create a compelling sense of motion, while rhythm patterns reminiscent of Spanish dance elevate the listener’s spirit.
Selected as a required piece for the 2024 PTNA Piano Competition, it is increasingly recognized as a work that supports technical development for piano learners.
Though cast in a minor key, it conveys a vigorous energy without darkness, offering a refreshing exhilaration—like a dance of the heart—when heard on a hot summer night.