'Easy' pieces on the side?

[rtheunissen]

What are some 'easier' but still really enjoyable pieces to learn on the side (while learning a larger/more difficult piece) to keep practice interesting? I was thinking of pieces like "Von Fremden Ländern und Menschen", some of the easier-sounding impromptus by Sibelius (which are all great in my opinion) and maybe some of the easier Chopin preludes. Does anyone have some suggestions?

[lelle]

All of Kinderszenen, which Von Fremden Ländern und Menschen" is the first piece in, is one of my go to things to play when I want to play something like that. Beethoven's 11 bagatelles Op. 119 is also a good choice.

[musikalischer_wirbelwind_280]

I think you may also like some of the lighter pieces in either of these:

[flyusx]

Stanchinsky's Song Without Words is a simple but beautiful one. #2 is my favourite.

[lelle]

Stanchinsky's Song Without Words is a simple but beautiful one. #2 is my favourite.

Cool, I had never heard those before. Where did you discover them?

[pcaraganis]

I agree about Kinderszenen. If you like Schumann you could also check out no. 30 in Album für die Jugend, or certain pieces from Waldszenen (e.g. no. 1, no. 3).

[pcaraganis]

really there are a million Schumann pieces that fit the bill...

[shashasha]

Try out Arvo Part - Fur Alina and Erik Svenn Turr’s (spelling?) Piano Sonata. The later sounds somewhat new age but you get a lot out of what you put in.

I also like to sightread through Mozart, slower movements such as Traumerei, Schubert Moment Musicaux, Debussy Preludes and Chopin Waltzes/Nocturnes. 

[bwl_13]

I wasn't contributing to this thread since I figured Bach inventions would be the first to be mentioned, but I guess not so let me do it. Bach inventions...

Seriously though, these pieces aren't too demanding but have a really nice charm to them. The 2 part and 3 part inventions are great depending on your level. They're also nice for analysis and teaching voice leading principles.

[lelle]

I wasn't contributing to this thread since I figured Bach inventions would be the first to be mentioned, but I guess not so let me do it. Bach inventions...

Seriously though, these pieces aren't too demanding but have a really nice charm to them. The 2 part and 3 part inventions are great depending on your level. They're also nice for analysis and teaching voice leading principles.

I find some of the 2 part inventions quite tricky actually. Some tongue-twister fingering solutions to get some of them working. They're not super hard but certainly not easy either

[musikalischer_wirbelwind_280]

I wasn't contributing to this thread since I figured Bach inventions would be the first to be mentioned, but I guess not so let me do it. Bach inventions...

Seriously though, these pieces aren't too demanding but have a really nice charm to them. The 2 part and 3 part inventions are great depending on your level. They're also nice for analysis and teaching voice leading principles.

I guess the OP's suggestions made me lean much more in favor of stuff from beyond the 18th century  .

However, and as much as I've always enjoyed playing Johann Sebastian's "Inventions" (they are hot stuff, to be sure), I rather agree with lelle on the fact that they can be a bit trickier than appears at first glance, and perhaps a tad above the technical level of what the OP was asking for. But if that's not the case, I guess the first, third and fifth of the two-part ones could be good choices.

[bwl_13]

I guess the OP's suggestions made me lean much more in favor of stuff from beyond the 18th century  .

However, and as much as I've always enjoyed playing Johann Sebastian's "Inventions" (they are hot stuff, to be sure), I rather agree with lelle on the fact that they can be a bit trickier than appears at first glance, and perhaps a tad above the technical level of what the OP was asking for. But if that's not the case, I guess the first, third and fifth of the two-part ones could be good choices.

Fair enough. I sort of skimmed what OP was asking for. They can be a bit tricky but it depends. I've played 7 or 8 of the inventions I think and they're all around the same level, though 1 and 4 were the easiest for me.

The three part inventions are a fair bit trickier though, definitely beyond the level requested.

[ar-pharazon]

One of my favorite "on the side" pieces is Debussy's The Snow is Dancing. It is a beautiful piece and it is not that difficult to learn. 

[anacrusis]

One of my favorite "on the side" pieces is Debussy's The Snow is Dancing. It is a beautiful piece and it is not that difficult to learn.

Welcome to the forum! That one is indeed a really nice piece. I love this recording from Gieseking: