This Moldau piano music arrangement captures a little of the grandeur of the theme, one of the most beautiful -- and irresistible -- melodies in Romantic orchestral literature.
Even if you don't listen to much classical music, you are likely to have heard this piece if you have ever taken a music literature class.
Please scroll down the page to find the links to the PDFs for this piano music.
These two printable piano music arrangements are my versions 3 and 4 of the melody of The Moldau.
It helps if kids already know the rhythm of the melody (see the easy versions 1 and 2 on the Beginner Piano page), but it isn't necessary.
This is such a beautiful, contagious piece of music. Most particularly with the broken chord pattern that mimics the sound of rushing, flowing water in the original piece, it is irresistible in its forward movement.
In spite of the pretty melody line, I couldn't get some kids excited about polishing the first level of this piece until I added words to it.
Yes, the words of the two verses may seem a trifle obvious ("It's a river! Flowing through ancient Bohemia!") but the mention of castles, mermaids, and old legends are just enough to engage the imagination of children and hook them into the intricacies of the melody twists.
Putting right hand together with a moving left hand is a big step -- it doesn't really happen in the Faber method books until Level 2B - 3. Up until then, it's pretty much one hand at a time.
Practice it like a duet
This easier left hand version below might be a good in-between compromise until students can coordinate the two hands. It is well for them to be acquainted with the A and Bb chords.
"The Moldau" is actually the German name for the river Vltava, memorialized by Smetana, a composer from Czechoslovakia (the Czech Republic, now).
I like to introduce pianists to classical literature early on, because even if they've learned only only an easy version of a piece, they are more likely to want to listen to "difficult" or "serious" music later on if they have that moment of "Aha! -- I KNOW this music!"
I do have a much longer, fuller piano arrangement that includes the change to the major key. It is also much harder, but very exciting!
The links to the Moldau piano music:
Download free printable The Moldau piano music harder version
Download easier left hand version
See all arrangements of this beautiful piece
The easiest arrangements:
For more complicated versions of this music for beginning piano:
and my favorite,
Basic piano chords in the keys of C & G, showing root position chords and all inversions from the root chord - plus a diatonic scale - all with lettered notes!
Free Christmas sheet music "We Three Kings" - Now 6 Arrangements! From VERY EASY to intermediate, there is an arrangement suitable for your student here!
Wassail, Wassail All Over the Town, now with an EASY & FUN duet arrangement for early beginners! This is a rousing, irresistible song for the Yuletide!
Free Christmas Songs: Deck the Halls, with a new easy-to-read lead sheet! For piano, guitar, & lead instruments. Kids enjoy this energetic Christmas carol!
Thanksgiving song lyrics & sheet music for Over the River & Through the Woods, an old-fashioned song kids will love to play & sing! EASY solos & duets.
Piano Party! I decided it was time for my students to get together for some low-stress performances, some cookies, punch & company! Kids need FUN!
Thanksgiving song for school, church, or your own pleasure! Now with a new EASY version for piano, 2 NEW piano arrangements, plus voice & other instruments.
Hark the Herald Angels Sing - an easy Middle C piano arrangement, pretty elementary & intermediate versions, & a guitar tab arrangement too!
Classical piano sheet music - Fun, one-page intros! Check out the newest addition - Burgmuller's "Arabesque", with its easy scale-wise melody!
Toreador: Piano sheet music of this famous opera music! These energetic arrangements are EASIER than they sound.
All the first-year material I give my beginner students.
Piano keyboard sheets, scales, chords, note-reading exercises, and over 256 pages of music!
This beautiful song book for piano & voice "Esther, For Such a Time as This", available as a digital download, tells the riveting story of the time when Jews in ancient Persia faced a foe named Haman, and how a brave young queen risked her life to save her people.
A good choice for a singing story-teller, an operatic group, a short theater production, or a class of children!
This book is also available from Amazon as a paperback.
This book is available as a digital download from this site. Visit this page to see some free examples from the book.
It is also available from Amazon as a paperback!
This is the perfect easy start for little pianists.
And when they start reading white-key notes on the staff, this is a fun easy resource to say each week, "Choose a new black-key song at home this week and figure it out to show me next lesson!" They will be spending more time at the piano.
A perfect read aloud storybook
for little boys or girls.
The Adventures of Tonsta highlight the travels of a very young boy with a good heart, who goes about helping folk in trouble.
With a red cap on his head and a sack of tools slung over his shoulder, Tonsta seems to meet people in distress wherever he goes.
Lots of trolls in this book - including one who gives him a Christmas gift!
Hi, I'm Dana! (Say that like "Anna".) I'm the owner of Music-for-Music-Teachers.com, and a newer site, SingTheBibleStory.com.
Like some of you, I've been playing the piano since early childhood, and have added a few other instruments along the way, plus an interest in arranging and composing music.
You can find out more about me and the reason for this website at my About Me page.