# The first piece(s) you learned



## Lukecash12

So, what did you learn first? As strange as it sounds, the first pieces that I learned for the piano were Chopin's fantasie impromptu and Mendelssohn's songs without words. The fantasie impromptu doesn't seem like beginner's material at all, but I actually started with the organ before I moved on to the piano. I wasn't very successful at all with Chopin, because of course I hadn't yet been acquainted with the action and tension of a piano's keys. So Mendelssohn seemed more inviting. But it posed it's own challenges. Stuff like his consolation and venetian gondolas was easy enough, but some others like the passion and lost happiness still posed some trouble.

As for the organ, I started out playing some Franck and Bach. Just simple things I could play in church. Nothing more complex than a chorale by Bach (which is already complex enough). I can see now that this had an impact on which of Bach's cantatas were my favorite later on, because of the nostalgia from chorale melodies.


----------



## Ravndal

The first piece i learned was a piano version of Rossini - Se il mio nome saper voi bramate (The Barber of Seville)

I played it with my girlfriend at the time, who was an opera singer. so we played it together. was fun 
we also played didos lament, and a song by poulenc i cant remember the name of.


----------



## millionrainbows

Chopin's Prelude in E minor; then some Bach for beginners. I was 20 yrs. old


----------



## Ravndal

i started when i was 20 as well ^^


----------



## Sonata

What beginner Bach pieces are recommended for a newbie?


----------



## jani

Sonata said:


> What beginner Bach pieces are recommended for a newbie?


I played this when i played ( I learned half of it).
I mean the prelude part not the fugue.


----------



## PetrB

Sonata said:


> What beginner Bach pieces are recommended for a newbie?


The collected 'beginner's pieces' are in a few various editions -- most are from the "Musical notebook for Anna Magdalena"
The Schirmer edition "Beginner's Bach" includes a number of those, one movement from a French or English suite (cannot recall which), the Solfeggietto, by Bach fils, Carl Philip Emmanuel, etc.


----------



## Lukecash12

millionrainbows said:


> Chopin's Prelude in E minor; then some Bach for beginners. I was 20 yrs. old


Ah, the prelude in E minor. My Papa would play that fairly often, so I had always wanted to learn it, and it ended up being one of the first Chopin pieces I had success with.


----------



## PetrB

Age five and a half / six were a long time ago...
The first piece, then, and the books from which I was learning in that first year. 
(...and, folks, 'first' is by its nature both prime and singular 

Bartok ~ Microkosmos, Book I (of VI); No. 1 - The first piece I learned, which was also the simultaneous 'gateway' into reading, counting and playing. _[BTW -- These are brilliant and musical pedagogical pieces. Recommend then to all as 'beginner' 0 mark, or to any struggling with reading, theory. They are that replete.]_

Then in that same year, soon after a number of pieces, in sequence from The Mikroksomos, pieces from...
Johanne Sebastian Bach ~ Beginner's Bach, Schirmer Edition

Octavio Pinto ~ "Run Run" from his 'Scenas Infantis'

Schumann ~ Pieces from 'Album für die Jugend' -- certainly 'the happy farmer,' 'Knicht Ruprecht' as assigned. I was so fascinated with these I read through them all, recalling an especial fascination with 'Fremder Mann.'


----------



## aleazk

I think it was the first prelude of Bach's WTC I. Then I moved quickly to other Bach's pieces, like the Italian Concerto (first and second movement), some Inventions, etc. lol, I played a lot of Bach. The first "difficult" piece I played at a decent level was a Polonaise by Chopin, Op. 26, No.1. I remember that I was quite excited with all those pieces, and with piano playing in general. Now I'm in a "flat" moment, I rarely play new pieces, since I rarely play the piano!. . I think that I'm going to, slowly, abandon an active role in music in favor of a passive one, i.e., only music listening.


----------



## Sonata

aleazk said:


> I think that I'm going to, slowly, abandon an active role in music in favor of a passive one, i.e., only music listening.


We're moving in opposite directions....after years of listening, I'm finally learning to play myself, albeit very slowly. Still, I'm at 90% listening, 10% playing or even more. Once I get a teacher next year that will shift a bit. But teachers and pianos cost money unfortunately!


----------



## Lukecash12

Sonata said:


> We're moving in opposite directions....after years of listening, I'm finally learning to play myself, albeit very slowly. Still, I'm at 90% listening, 10% playing or even more. Once I get a teacher next year that will shift a bit. But teachers and pianos cost money unfortunately!


That depends on your area. For example, I bought a Nelson upright built in the 60's for $50, tuned it myself, and it's still a fine instrument. And I found it in a penny saver ad.


----------



## clavichorder

The first complete piece I had memorized that is still there today, was an easy arrangement from the series, "First Fun With Classics." 'Waves of the Danube' by Joseph Ivanici or something like that. There was also an arrangement of the tune in the final sections William Tell overture, but I struggled with it because it was an exercise in repeated notes. The other early piece I still know is my own simple arrangement of the 2nd mvt. of Haydn Symphony 101, "The Clock." There was also an early Ecossaise by Beethoven that may have been the first unaltered piece I ever learned.

Jump ahead to age 17 from those ages of about 8-10, and the first piece I learned was Bach Invention 13 in A minor. That was more of a technical leap. Before ever having heard it, I picked it from a compilation of baroque music based on sight alone, as I could see there was a consistency to its rhythm and texture while having it still be (more than)sufficiently complex and technically challenging. I attempted Maple Leaf Rag as well, but lost sight of my progress as I was struggling to remember its thicker chords and modulation sections.


----------



## Mesa

jani said:


> I played this when i played ( I learned half of it).
> I mean the prelude part not the fugue.


My first piece too! I played it hundreds of times. I'm sure i could play it perfectly whilst blindfolded, drunk and under attack from furious swans in the back of a speeding transit van.


----------



## Nivmizzet

Fur Elise, by ludvig van beethoven.


----------



## kv466

Bach - two part invention bwv775 in d-minor


----------



## Ramako

I started with the _Moonlight Sonata_ (first movement) and _Alla Turca_, at least those are the first pieces I remember, probably more than ten years ago now.

I remember having good fun with those pieces  I'm not sure whether the people around me did though :lol:


----------



## clavichorder

kv466 said:


> Bach - two part invention bwv775 in d-minor


I absolutely love to play that piece. That left hand trill still puzzles me how to pull off though. In general though, I am a speed demon.


----------



## Stephanie Martin

Wow! I'm surprised that so many people who commented here actually began with Classical pieces. I started at eight years old on the Alfred library series. It was wonderful--it really taught me the fundamentals of theory, etc but appealed to my little kid brain with the colorful illustrations and things like that.


----------



## spradlig

Two of the first "real" (piano) pieces I learned to play were Joplin's _The Entertainer_ and Debussy's _Arabesque #1_. Joplin and Debussy were my two favorite composers for a while. Before that I played only pieces from instructional books, which weren't very good as music, and I disliked the piano lessons that my parents made me take. After I started playing "real music", I enjoyed playing the piano much more.


----------



## Krummhorn

Für Elise, Beethoven - age 6 ... I shudder whenever I hear it ...


----------



## CyrilWashbrook

Can't remember. At a guess, it was probably "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"...


----------



## hreichgott

You all started with some pretty advanced music. I started with the Suzuki Twinkles myself. Mississippi hot dog, mississippi hot dog...


----------



## Lukecash12

hreichgott said:


> You all started with some pretty advanced music. I started with the Suzuki Twinkles myself. Mississippi hot dog, mississippi hot dog...


The thing is, I didn't start on a keyboard instrument so I could already read and memorize music fairly well.


----------



## rhage

Holy moly. Most of you started learning some difficult "first" pieces! The first piece I think I learned, that actually had a recognizable melody, was Mary Had a Little Lamb. I believe it was like 8 bars and two lines, and the staff, notes, etc. were HUGE. _That_ was a lot of "black" on a page


----------



## echo

first piece I took pride in was a very simple Jesu Joy of Man's desiring, at about 7 -- basically taught me 99% of everything i know --- hold the jokes please

it was similar to this


----------



## jimeonji

I can't say I remember the very first pieces I learned as I was around 5, though I do remember one piece was about 4 measures of alternating quarter notes between C# and D#. 

Later on, I played lots of Clementi and Kuhlau sonatinas (they have special places in my heart); Fur Elise, of course, and the minuet in G; the easier Chopin preludes (like that B minor); and a couple of Bach inventions.


----------



## Kaan

Max Richter's H in New England is a good candidate. And was the first piece for me


----------



## PierreN

The first two pieces I learned in first grade piano were Schumann op.68 no.5, Stückchen,





and Shostakovich, The Bear, from 6 Children's Pieces,


----------



## breakup

I was probably learning the stock pieces from the Thompson series instruction books, then I discovered 'Moonlight Sonata', the 1st movement, but my piano teacher said it was too hard for me. I kept asking her questions about it, and finally she said to bring the music along and she'd help me with it. Later I learned 'Fur Elise', on my own. 

One time on one of my visits to my first wife's home I sat down at their piano and played 'Fur Elise' from memory, and her younger sister (about 13 at the time) looked at me when I finished and said "I hate you" and stormed off. Apparently she was taking piano lessons and working on playing that piece. 

On my first date with my second wife we had gone roller skating, and then went to a lounge to listen to a road band. when they took a break, we got up to walk around and stretch our legs. I found a piano under a staircase, we sat down and I played the 1st movement of 'Moonlight Sonata', I hadn't said anything about playing the piano to her. That was 39 years ago, so I think she liked it. 

More recently my younger daughter had seen the movie series 'Twilight' and in the one movie one of the characters played 'Clare de Lune' and my daughter kept asking me to play what I knew of it for her. That was my incentive to learn to play the piece.


----------



## musicrom

Hard to say. When I was pretty young, I learned the melody to Ode to Joy, which of course required only 1 finger to accomplish. 

I took piano lessons for less than 2 years, and I can't remember what was the first legitimate piece I learned. All of that music was either arranged or written specifically for children/beginners. Perhaps Tchaikovsky's Old French Song was the first that I remember/can count.

A couple years after finishing my lessons though, I continued practicing more just for fun, and the first piece I learned was Fur Elise. Followed by the first movement of the Moonlight Sonata and Rondo alla Turca. Now I'm working mostly on the Pathétique Sonata.


----------



## tdc

The first piece I actually learned and memorized was a Minuet from Bartok's Mikrokosmos Book II.


----------



## breakup

musicrom said:


> Hard to say. When I was pretty young, I learned the melody to Ode to Joy, which of course required only 1 finger to accomplish.


I just helped my grandson pick out that melody on the piano. But I was showing him how to use all 4 fingers and the thumb.


----------



## Yoshi

I remember the first piece I tried to learn on my own was beethoven's ode to joy and other little tunes by ear and then für elise by copying the keys lighting up on the screen on my electronic keyboard.


----------



## Rehydration

I started lessons after I turned five, and while I started with Alfred's Basic Course, I wound up learning Ode to Joy on my first day from an FJH library book. Those were my favorite books ever before I started John Thompson (started with book 2 though, so I cheated a little bit)!



clavichorder said:


> I absolutely love to play [the Bach two-part invention in D minor]. That left hand trill still puzzles me how to pull off though. In general though, I am a speed demon.


I just learned this piece in my tenth year of playing. For both trills I use my thumb and middle finger. You have to have a loose wrist; act as if you are turning a doorknob, and START SLOWLY! I cannot believe how quickly my trills improved after I learned the proper technique.

If you happen to own the Schirmer edition of the two and three-parters, don't pay attention to the fingerings. They suck.


----------



## isorhythm

Some garbage for children.

The first real piece I learned was Bach's 2-part invention no. 8 in F.


----------



## Il_Penseroso

Chopin: Mazurka Op.7 No.3 in F minor. Still one of my gems!


----------



## perempe

can I try no. 2 of Six Pieces for Piano, Op. 118 (Brahms)? (I stopped many years ago.)


----------



## worov

I remember correctly, it must be this one :






A delightful piece. I still play it today.


----------



## Pugg

John Field: nocturnes, still playing them


----------



## Il_Penseroso

Chopin Mazurka Op.7 No.3 in F minor


----------



## Cosmos

If I remember right, the first "legit" classical pieces I learned to play, for piano, were some of Clementi's Sonatinas, Chopin's Prelude in Ab Major, and Beethoven's Piano Sonata no.20 [I remember this one was such a challenge]

Still can't read sheet music, trying not to give up the talent, but haven't made enough time for myself


----------



## Sol Invictus

First piece I'm learning is Gymnopedie No. 1. It has a dead simple rhythm, it's slow and not long. Still need to work on the dynamics and playing the left and right hand parts together.


----------



## shostythesnowman

The first real piece I learned was Minuet in G major by J. S. Bach (or Christian Petzold).


----------



## pcnog11

Minute in G from JS Bach.


----------



## zinc701

I remember as if it were yesterday:

Here we go
Here we go
To a birthday party.

I can still play it. In C major.


----------



## quietfire

I honestly do not remember. I think it was some silly children's piece. I wish my piano teacher taught me Bach instead.


----------



## Pugg

quietfire said:


> I honestly do not remember. I think it was some silly children's piece. I wish my piano teacher taught me Bach instead.


But you kept on studying, if I may be so bold by asking ?


----------



## quietfire

Pugg said:


> But you kept on studying, if I may be so bold by asking ?


Studying piano? Yes of course, music has always been a big part of my life. But not always with a teacher. I stopped when I went to university (I was a science major). I have only recently gone back to taking piano lessons, so have quite a lot to catch up on. Though I do enjoy doing it with a fresh start, with Bach.


----------



## Pugg

quietfire said:


> Studying piano? Yes of course, music has always been a big part of my life. But not always with a teacher. I stopped when I went to university (I was a science major). I have only recently gone back to taking piano lessons, so have quite a lot to catch up on. Though I do enjoy doing it with a fresh start, with Bach.


That's the spirit, thanks for you reply.


----------



## polaci

I have just learned Mikroskosmos I/1 (C D EE F E D - E F G F E D CC)


----------



## Pugg

polaci said:


> I have just learned Mikroskosmos I/1 (C D EE F E D - E F G F E D CC)


Was it forced upon you or free choice?


----------



## polaci

Maybe not free choice, but my choice.
I had bought the music sheet 25 years ago, and last week I have bought a supplemental piano.
I am learning from
- Mikrokosmos
- Kurtág: Games for Piano
- Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook
- Other materials from my teacher


----------



## StraussCalman

Waltz & Chorus of soldiers ("Faust", C.Gounod), Moonlight Sonata 1st movement.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Chop Sticks............................


----------



## malvinrisan

quietfire said:


> I honestly do not remember. I think it was some silly children's piece. I wish my piano teacher taught me Bach instead.


Maybe you would be more tired of Bach, if you had been pushed to play it a lot. That's how it was for me anyways.


----------



## malvinrisan

I learned Bach WTC 1 Prelude No. 1. Then i learned Clair de Lune from a 50 part tutorial online, In like 2 Weeks. Then i spent 2 years on this boring piece (Twinkle Twinkle Variations by Mozart), Czerny Exercises and some other pieces i never could get started on, and quit piano cus it was so slow.  Maybe i'll pick it up again someday.

Anyone had something similar happen to them where they burned out?


----------



## danj

The Entertainer.... :angel:


----------



## Bettina

malvinrisan said:


> I learned Bach WTC 1 Prelude No. 1. Then i learned Clair de Lune from a 50 part tutorial online, In like 2 Weeks. Then i spent 2 years on this boring piece (Twinkle Twinkle Variations by Mozart), Czerny Exercises and some other pieces i never could get started on, and quit piano cus it was so slow.  Maybe i'll pick it up again someday.
> 
> Anyone had something similar happen to them where they burned out?


It might have worked better if you'd been taking lessons. It sounds like you were teaching yourself from videos, and that can be discouraging and confusing. (Of course, as a piano teacher, I'm rather biased about this...if everyone learned from online tutorials, I'd be unemployed!) :lol:


----------



## Pugg

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> Chop Sticks............................


On the piano or the guitar?


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Pugg said:


> On the piano or the guitar?


Piano, that why I decided that the Guitar is for me.........


----------



## classicalexburns

The first piece I played in 'full' on trumpet was 'Ode to Joy' when I was about 11 years old


----------



## Animal the Drummer

The earliest piece I remember learning (on the piano) was an arrangement of the tune from what I now know to be the slow movement of Haydn's "Surprise" symphony - without the surprise!


----------



## malvinrisan

Bettina said:


> It might have worked better if you'd been taking lessons. It sounds like you were teaching yourself from videos, and that can be discouraging and confusing. (Of course, as a piano teacher, I'm rather biased about this...if everyone learned from online tutorials, I'd be unemployed!) :lol:


I had a teacher for 2 years. Maybe my teacher was fine, but i burned out anyways.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

malvinrisan said:


> I had a teacher for 2 years. Maybe my teacher was fine, but i burned out anyways.


Gee I didn't realise chop sticks was so hard......


----------



## malvinrisan

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> Gee I didn't realise chop sticks was so hard......


Why are you replying to me?


----------



## Pugg

I found a copy from Ah, vous dirai-je maman from Mozart.
My goodness that took me back a while.


----------



## bachmanity

I have no idea what I learned on piano as a kid... no real pieces of music, I definitely never developed a repertoire.

On guitar, I basically started by playing through a Beatles fake book, learned bits of pop songs and metal songs, then moved on to learning to comp and improvise on jazz standards. So again... never really developed a repertoire.

Now that I've started playing piano again, I want to actually memorize and perform full pieces, starting with the Anna Magdalena notebook and then hopefully Bach's two part inventions. So right now the "first" piece of music I learned was the Minuet in G Major, of course.


----------



## Jacred

bachmanity said:


> I have no idea what I learned on piano as a kid... no real pieces of music, I definitely never developed a repertoire.
> 
> On guitar, I basically started by playing through a Beatles fake book, learned bits of pop songs and metal songs, then moved on to learning to comp and improvise on jazz standards. So again... never really developed a repertoire.
> 
> Now that I've started playing piano again, I want to actually memorize and perform full pieces, starting with the Anna Magdalena notebook and then hopefully Bach's two part inventions. So right now the "first" piece of music I learned was the *Minuet in G Major*, of course.


Me too, on the piano and the guitar. And the flute....oh wait, nevermind, that was the "Ode to Joy" tune.


----------

