[Violin] Recommended practice pieces for violin beginners. Famous pieces you’ll want to try playing.
Even as adults, many of us still dream of one day playing the violin with elegance.
When you finally take the plunge, buy a violin, and get ready to play, choosing the right practice pieces becomes very important.
If you don’t find the music engaging, you won’t keep up with practice; but if it’s too difficult, you might give up quickly.
In this article, we’ve put together a list of pieces that are perfect for beginner violin practice.
We’ve included not only classical masterpieces, but also popular tunes that are favorites for violin performance.
These are all well-known songs, and there are plenty of beginner-friendly arrangements available, so you can feel confident starting out.
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[Violin] Recommended Practice Pieces for Violin Beginners: Famous Pieces You’ll Want to Play (41–50)
From Zigeunerweisen ‘Sonata in D minor’Francesco Maria Veracini
A famous violin piece that has been beloved for many years and often appears as an assignment for recitals.
Its melody unfolds in a beautiful, elegant minor key.
Because a variety of notes—such as slurs and double stops—appear within a relatively fast tempo, it’s important to play each element carefully and precisely.
waltzJohannes Brahms
A graceful, moving melody, woven as beautifully as a gently flowing river, soothes and enchants the listener’s heart.
In the latter half of the piece, be sure to observe the crescendo carefully as the volume gradually increases.
HumoresqueAntonín Dvořák
It’s a piece distinguished by its lively melody, composed by Antonín Dvořák, a Czech Romantic composer.
Written in the summer of 1894, the work was inspired during Dvořák’s stay in America.
Although originally composed for piano, the violin arrangement is also popular, and it is often chosen as a string-part practice piece for student orchestras.
The work carries warmth and nostalgia, and you can feel the joy of performing it.
It’s a charming piece that enriches listeners’ hearts, making it perfect for violin practice.
The arrangement by the violinist Fritz Kreisler is also well known.
The Girl from IpanemaAntonio Carlos Jobim
The Girl from Ipanema is a bossa nova composed by Brazil’s Antônio Carlos Jobim in 1962.
It is said to be one of the most-covered popular songs after the Beatles’ “Yesterday,” and it is the most famous piece in the bossa nova repertoire.
Sorrow of LoveFritz Kreisler
It’s a piece so famous that renowned violinists often choose it for their recitals.
It’s relatively easy even for beginners and particularly demands basic skills.
Perhaps because the composer, Kreisler, was himself a violinist, the scales bring out the full charm of the instrument.
Ode to JoyLudwig van Beethoven
Pieces by the classical master Beethoven are also recommended for beginning violin practice.
One of Beethoven’s representative works, the famous melody sung in his Symphony No.
9, is characterized by simple yet highly expressive phrases.
It’s appealing in that it naturally helps you acquire basic bowing motions and left-hand finger placement.
Completed in 1824, this piece celebrates love for humanity and joy, and its familiar melody can be motivating during practice.
It’s an ideal selection for those who want to refine their violin technique.
Gavotte (composed by Ambroise)Ambroise Thomas
Among gavottes, this one is on the longer side.
It features beautiful slur passages reminiscent of trills, making it a great choice as an etude.
It’s also ideal for practicing staccato.
The ending is distinctive, with charming pizzicato arpeggios.
SerenadeFranz Schubert
The melody itself is somewhat subdued, but it has a characteristically Schubert-like, gently expressive tone.
However, if you just play exactly what’s written on the page, the performance tends to become plain and expressionless, so practice while deepening your understanding of the piece to bring out a sense of sorrow.
From the chorus ‘Judas Maccabaeus’Georg Friedrich Händel
It’s such a famous melody that you could say every classical musician knows it.
Its relaxed tempo is perfect for showcasing the violin’s characteristics and timbre.
Once you get used to playing it, it’s also good practice to add vibrato to the long, sustained notes.
MusetteJ.S.Bach
There are many works by Johann Sebastian Bach that are recommended even for beginners.
This piece from the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach is characterized by the warm timbre of the Baroque era.
Its bright melody, which makes listeners feel happy, is quintessentially Bach.
First published in 1725, this work is ideal for learning basic bow control and left-hand movement.
It’s a piece that lets you improve your skills while having fun, making it perfect for those just starting the violin.
If you long for an elegant tone, why not give it a try?