Every pianist begins their journey with easy and simple piano pieces. These short pieces of instrumental compositions make it possible to perfect one area at a time. Once you excel at them, you should be able to create complete piano songs easily.
Well, as a classical music piano enthusiast, you must have come across the popular pieces of the legendary Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The advanced-level pianist has produced a lot of remarkable classical pieces. However, the level of difficulty varies greatly from piece to piece.
This is why we’ve dedicated this article to learning more about easy Mozart piano pieces. After a thorough reading, you will know Mozart’s work, the 7 easiest piano pieces, and methods to easily play Mozart’s piano!
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is one of the greatest classical composers in world history. The gifted musician was born in the Salzburg region of the Holy Roman Empire. Ever since birth, he demonstrated exceptional piano music composing abilities.
By the age of 5, he mastered keyboard and violin music-making. He also toured Europe, performing classical music in front of the kings and queens. At that time, he mostly composed short piano pieces written by his father.
It wasn’t until later that he began composing himself. By the age of 17, people considered him an advanced pianist. He worked in the Salzburg court and earned great fame. However, the restlessness and undying desire for better positions encouraged him to continue finding opportunities.
Although Mozart died at 35, his unique composition of symphonies has remained the benchmark for even the most advanced piano students. He was a versatile composer who created music in every genre. You can find opera, chamber music, symphony, and much more from him. Besides classical music, he also created masses of religious music.
Mozart piano songs contain great emotional reach and technical sophistication. This is why recreating his piano songs is difficult for even the most advanced piano students. But, it doesn’t mean you cannot ever play like Mozart.
The classical composer did leave behind several easy piano pieces to practice and perfect. Below, we have divided these pieces into two categories; Nannerl Music Book and Viennese Sonatinas. Let’s dive in!
Nannerl was Mozart’s older sister who practiced piano composition from an early age. That being said, their father helped her compile a beginner piano songbook. At the time, Mozart was 5 years old and already composing great easy piano pieces.
Hence, some of Mozart’s pieces also got included in the songbook. Beginner pianists can try the following Mozart pieces from the Nannerl Music Book:
Minuet in F Major, K2: Grade 1
Allegro in B-flat Major, K3: Grade 1
Allegro in F Major, K1c: Grade 2
Minuet in G Major, K1e: Grade 2
Menuetto I in C Major, K6: Grade 2
Please note that all of the piano pieces in the Nannerl Music Book are of Henle level 1 and 2 (grade 1 to 5 in RCM rankings). Anyone with a few months’ experience should be able to play them easily.
The Viennese Sonatinas are slightly more advanced than the ones in the Nannerl Music Book. These piano pieces have a grade of 5 to 8 in the RCM ranking system, and the level of difficulty increases with each bar. That being said, the beginning individual movements of these sonatinas are pretty easy.
Most intermediate students can perform them without worries. But, the complete sonatinas contain the 3rd and 4th movements that raise the difficulty level. You might have to gain more experience to play them fully (grade 7 to 8).
The easiest piano pieces from Viennese Sonatinas are as follows:
Viennese Sonatina in C Major, No. 1, 2nd movement: Grade 5
Viennese Sonatina in C Major, No. 6, 4th movement: Grade 6
Trying out Mozart’s musical compositions is undoubtedly the trickiest challenge. Even as an intermediate or advanced student, you might struggle to get the movements and melody right.
So, we’ve also researched the easiest piano pieces for higher-level pianists below.
A sonata refers to a solo piano piece that typically comprises three to four movements. Mozart created countless sonatas during his lifetime. Thus, the genre and level of difficulty vary greatly from sonata to sonata.
Most of these are present in the range of grade 8 to ARCT (RCM system) and level 5 to 7 (Henle system). The easiest of them include:
Sonata in C Major, K545: Grade 8 RCM, Grade 6 ABRSM, Henle level 4/5
Sonata F Major, K280: Grade 10 RCM, Henle level 5
Sonata C major, K309 (284b): Grade 10 RCM, DipABRSM, Henle level 5
Sonata E-flat Major, K282 (189g): Grade 10 RCM, Henle level 5
Fantasias are musical compositions that don’t follow any form or inspiration. These are free-style pieces, which are open to improvisations.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart produced four fantasias during his lifetime. However, you can only try three fantasias as an advanced pianist. The difficulty level reaches grade 10 (RCM ranking) and level 5 to 6 (Henle system). These fantasias include the following:
Fantasia in D minor, K397: Henle level 5/6
Fantasia in C minor, K475: RCM grade 10, Henle level 6, ABRSM LRSM
Fantasia in C minor, K396: RCM grade 10
Rondos are complex instrumental compositions. These feature an initial statement that gets repeated after a particular section of melody. There’s often contrasting material in between these restatements.
Mozart wrote a total of three rondos, two of which are easy-to-play by most advanced pianists. Although RCM grades both of them 10, Henle’s system puts one at level 5 and the other at 6. These easy rondo pieces are:
Rondo in D Major, K485: Henle level 5, RCM grade 10
Rondo in Am, K511: Henle level 6, ABRSM LRSM, RCM grade 10
Variation is a formal piano technique where the material gets repeated in an altered form. Mozart created around sixteen variations for the piano that are complex like his other musical compositions. Their difficulty level ranges from level 5 to 6 in the Henle system.
The RCM ranking doesn’t include them, but they could have received the 10th grade. Nonetheless, the easiest variation by Mozart is:
Theme and Variations, K460: Henle level 4/5
Perfecting the classical piano style skills of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart might be difficult, but it’s not impossible. You can begin playing Mozart’s easy piano pieces and work your way up to his more advanced compositions. Remember to spend a lot of time practicing a single piece before moving on to the next.
Some students often get hasty when exploring works of legendary figures like Mozart and Beethoven. The quick progression from one piano piece to another may muddle up your understanding of intricate techniques and rules. So, stay patient and focus on short, easy piano pieces before trying complete compositions!
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart has composed several beautiful piano pieces. But, his all-time most beautiful piece is the Sonata No.1. Of the three Sonata movements, it’s considered the most famous. The complete piano piece takes 20 minutes to play.
Contrary to popular belief, Mozart did produce countless short piano pieces in his lifetime. One of his shortest piano pieces is Marche Funèbre del Signor Maestro Contrapunto (K453a). It was a funeral march written as a joke to encourage student Barbara Ployer.
Although Ms. Ployer was a good pianist, she didn’t enjoy counterpoint music lessons with Mozart. So, he created this short piece in which Mr. Counterpoint leaves forever, and she doesn’t have to take lessons anymore. Mozart wrote it on a manuscript paper and scribbled Ms. Ployer’s portrait along the margin.
Years after his death, the manuscript paper was found in Ms. Ployer’s scrapbook. The piano piece has 16-bars and a beautiful melody. However, it’s not very famous.
There are numerous easy songs to play for beginner pianists. You can try Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Happy Birthday, and Jingle Bells. But, if you want to try a classical piano song, then the easiest piece for beginners is Moonlight Sonata by Ludwig Van Beethoven.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was undeniably one of the best classical composers of all time. He has left behind a valuable library of musical classics. So, if you plan to become an advanced pianist, mastering his piano sonatas and songs is a must!
Above, we discussed all the easy Mozart piano pieces in detail. Hopefully, you now have found the perfect one to practice and play. Please feel free to let us know your thoughts in the comments section!
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