Throughout its diverse eras, composers and genres, classical music has bequeathed us with unique melodies easily recognisable and cherished by the public. Such melodies were originally composed for big orchestras, and, in some cases, for individual instruments or smaller-scale ensembles.

This book comprises forty well-known classical melodies transcribed for piano, and aspires to offer young pianists the opportunity to delight in these themes performed either by a soloist or a duet. Right from the very start of their education, young musicians can thus avail themselves of pieces of extraordinary aesthetic value taken from the world classical repertoire. This book constitutes the first part of a publication to be concluded in two volumes.

The transcriptions here are underlain by their simplicity as well as an emphasis on detail both in terms of technical skill and interpretation. Initially aiming to meet the educational needs of beginners, this little classical anthology can also spark an interest amongst more advanced pianists who can take pleasure in it through its simple (yet not simplistic), compact form. The book is divided in two parts.

The first part mainly features a collection of compositions from the pre-classical, classical and romantic periods, whereas the second part comprises pieces of a rather impressionistic or descriptive nature (programmatic music). The degree of difficulty of these transcriptions is evidently lower in the first part and higher in the second. As to their sequence, this has been brought forth in such a way as to follow the given degree of difficulty but also register a natural flow in terms of style and tonality.

Contents

Part A
Canario / J. v. der Hofe
Old German Dance / M. Praetorius
Lullaby / J. Brahms
Ode to Joy / L. v. Beethoven
Theme from Piano Sonata K331 / W. A. Mozart
Greensleaves / Traditional
Spring / A. Vivaldi
Minuet / J. S. Bach
Musette / J. S. Bach
Theme from Symphony Nr. 40 / W. A. Mozart
Theme from Polovetsian Dances / A. Borodin
Royal March of the Lion / C. Saint-Saëns
Dance / J. B. Lully
Bear Dance / R. Schumann
Für Elise / L. v. Beethoven
Theme from Piano Trio No 2 / F. Schubert
Minuet / L. Boccherini
Rondo Alla Turka / W. A. Mozart
Theme from Swan Lake / P. I. Tchaikovsky
In the Hall of the Mountain King / E. Grieg

PartT B
Morning / E. Grieg
From the New World / A. Dvorzak
The Duck / S. Prokofiev
Pastorale / L. v. Beethoven
The Happy Farmer / R. Schumann
Peter’s Little Stroll / S. Prokofiev
The Cat / S. Prokofiev
Turkish March / L. v. Beethoven
The Swan / C. Saint-Saëns
Aquarium / C. Saint-Saëns
March of the Toys / V. Herbert
Bell ringing / E. Grieg
Promenade / M. Mussorgsky
Serenade / F. J. Haydn
Clair de lune / C. Debussy
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy / P. I. Tchaikovsky
Violin Concerto in E minor / F. Mendelssohn
Dance of the Little Swans / P. I. Tchaikovsky
March / P. I. Tchaikovsky
Russian Dance / P. I. Tchaikovsky