need help finding pieces!

[falling4ever3]

I have been playing the piano for less than a year and really need help finding pieces within my skill level, besides jingle bells and mary had a little lamb. Can anybody help me? Bach's No.1 Prelude in C is a good example of the type of music I am looking for, I have looked at some of his others, are they all seem too hard. I would appreciate any advice, thanks  

[Xelles]

The Entertainer by Joplin is a good one to mess around with, and a very common piece that most people know.

[thomas_williams]

Check out Bach's Notebook for Anna Magdalena, some of Burgmueller's 25 Progressive pieces, Bartok's For Children-- these are pretty easy.  And maybe check out some of Bach's Two-Part Inventions-- these are universally used as teaching pieces.  The first one I ever mastered was No. 8 in F Major-- a bit tricky to get through for the first time, but easier with a little work.

[bernhard]

In addition to what has already been suggested, here are a few gems that you should be able to tackle, roughly in chronological order (some more difficult than others):

Scarlatti: Sonata K 32 (see also this thread for more Scarlatti suggestions: http://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=repo;action=display;num=1077145772)

J. S. Bach – Little preludes (there are some really amazing music here. My favourites amongst the easiest ones are BWV 939, BWV 999 and  BWV 927)

Attwood – Sonatina no. 1 in G (The easiest sonatina of them all and yet very effective)

Mozart: Sonata K545

Haydn: Sonata Hob XVI/8, Sonata Hob XVI/9

Clementi: Sonatinas op. 36 (there are six of similar difficulty); Grand Waltz (very easy, yet impressive)

Amy Beach – Children’s Carnival (in spite of the name, these are wonderful pieces, easy and yet of great musical quality. Of the eight pieces in this collection my favourites are Promenade, Pierrot and Pierrette, Harlequin and Secrets)

Ellmenreich – Spinning song (op. 14 no. 4)

Chopin: Preludes no. 4, 6, 7 and 20, Waltz in A minor (op. posth)

Schumann Album for the young, op. 68 (48 pieces of great musical depth varying from the very easy to advanced).

Tchaikovsky: Reverie (op. 39 no. 21)

Granados: Dedication (op. 1 no. 1)

Grieg – Lyric pieces (See this thread for a complete list with grades: http://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=teac;action=display;num=1061212155)

Macdowell – To a wild rose

Prokofiev: Pieces for children op. 65 (12 pieces. My favourites are no. 4 “Tarantelle” and no. 12 “Sur le pres la lune se promene”)

Satie  - 3 gymnopedies (no. 1 is the most well known)

Shostakovitch: Schirmer publishes a great collection of Shostakovitch easier pieces called “Easy Pieces for the Piano”. Excellent material sounding far more difficult than it actually is. My favourites are Lyrical waltz, Lullaby and Spanish dance. Try also his collection “Dances of the dolls” (My favourites are “Hurdy Gurdy” and “Dance”)

Andre Previn: Impressions (20 short pieces. My favourites are no. 5 “By a quiet stream”, no. 10 “Perpetual motion” and no. 17 “Mimicry”)

Felix Swinstead :In the Bay

Richard Rodney Bennet – Diversions (7 pieces some very easy. My favourite in no.2 which is slightly reminiscent of Debussy’s Arabesque no. 1)

Gliere: Song op. 34 no. 9  (beautiful piece in modern counterpoint, not as difficult as it looks)

This should get you started.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.