The Moldau for Beginning Piano, Solo & Duet

The Moldau theme, now with an easy broken chord secondo part.  This piece is one of the most beautiful -- and famous -- 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.

In the following video, the most famous part of the Moldau theme enters at exactly 1:00:

In spite of the pretty melody line, I sometimes couldn't get kids real excited about polishing the first level of this piece until I added words to it.

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 melodic twists.

Here is my very easiest version of this melody, using notes that beginners should be very familiar with:

Please scroll down the page to find the links for downloading The Moldau.

And here is the new Secondo part.  It is VERY SIMILAR to the secondo part of Greensleeves:

The trickiest issue in this seemingly easy song

The TIMING. Unlike Common Time (4/4 or C), 3/4 time seems to feel UNNATURAL to many kids, and takes extra attention to count.

I have found over and over again that what looks like a very easy song turns out to be rather difficult, solely because of the 3 beats a measure. Or 6/8 time -- even harder!

Prepare them for the counting

Therefore, I prepare kids psychologically when I give them a piece in 3/4 timing:

"This may look easy, but it's going to be harder than you think, because of the 3 beats a measure. It may take a little extra time to get the rhythm down, but I think you are ready for it!"

And we count -- first, usually, in the lap or on the piano lid, each hand tapping its part, as we count aloud.  Drumsticks (pens) are even better.

Make the assignment seem achievable

I might even give them just half the song at first, making a little check mark to show them how far I'd like them to go.

Perhaps I'll say, "Just go to the check-mark this week. You can explore farther if you really want to, but you don't have to."

This removes a great deal of pressure for some kids, who don't feel safe moving ahead too quickly.

Now add the beauty of the harmony...

After getting quite comfortable with the melody and the rhythm, the next step is to add harmony.

The left hand here is easy at first, and immediately beautiful, with the fullness of the Am chord. But then the LH has what may be unfamiliar notes, and sharps!

Therefore, I suggest treating this piece as a duet at first; the student plays the RH, the teacher plays the LH. Then switch when they have gotten used to the sounds of the harmony. 

You can also print them out one of the "note-reading worksheets" so the two of you can spend some time figuring out what each note is...

So what is "The Moldau"?

"The Moldau" (pronounce it "MOHL-dow," like "old cow") is actually the German name for the river memorialized by Smetana, a composer from Czechoslovakia (the Czech Republic, now).

Apparently the river Vltava flows through both Germany and what was once Bohemia (C.R.), and naturally, the world of music being what it is, it was the German name that stuck. (Think of Edvard Grieg's Norwegian songs, still sung mostly in German.)

Introducing young students to the classics

I like to introduce pianists to classical literature early on.

Even if they've learned 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!"

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The PDF links to the piano music:

Download free easy beginner sheet music The Moldau in Middle C position

Download Secondo duet part for The Moldau

Download free easy solo version with harmony