Bach Minuet in G
Free Classical Piano Music
Now with beginner versions as well as the original music!
The Bach Minuet in G is a well-recognized piece that kids enjoy playing.
A new arrangement for beginners
I have found that "famous piano music" is a real draw for piano students, even the ones who can only play Mary Had a Little Lamb!
Here is the melody only, set an octave below the original, right in the Middle C area that many students are learning in their beginning method books!
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Thumbs are placed side-by-side
In this arrangement, I have fingering suggestions which allow for the left hand finger 4 to play the F#, which occurs twice in the left hand.
If the thumbs were on Middle C - and your student was consistent with the fingering - then they would have to play that black key with pinky finger, number 5! Always uncomfortable for beginners.
The same arrangement, with chord symbols
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Chords for a duet... or student-led solo!
Use this sheet if you want to imitate the original harmonies in this piece for a little duet.
Additionally, you can bet that one of your students, having mastered the melody, will figure out how to play the melody ALL IN ONE HAND, and then start adding chords!
This happens a lot with my students, and it's funny, because if I STARTED them with the melody all in one hand, they would likely choose not to try this piece, and others. Too intimidating.
But on their own, they will often start experimenting with the chords, and end up with a nice solo version.
The elementary-level music, just a bit simplified
Give your students past the beginning stages page one of this free classical piano music to start with; the first version here has a much easier left hand part than the original.
Here is the first part of the Minuet - there are actually TWO pages (see below). Note that the final phrase has an altered left hand, to make it easier for beginners to play:
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Page one of the original, with no ornamentation
Playing the octave stretches in the left hand greatly adds to the difficulty of putting this piece together!
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
The original minuet in full
I have written out some of the common ornaments:
Page two!
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
Who really wrote this little piece?
This famous piece is from the charming Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach. But it was probably not written by Johann Sebastian Bach at all!
A Wikipedia entry says,
"Most of the entries in the 1725 notebook were made by Anna Magdalena herself, with others written in the hand of Johann Sebastian, some by sons Johann Christian and Carl Philipp Emanuel, and a few by family friends such as Johann Gottfried Bernhard and Johann Gottfried Heinrich.
Other composers contributed to the notebook
Although the 1725 notebook does contain work composed by Johann Sebastian Bach, it also includes works by many other composers. The authorship of several pieces is identified in the notebook itself, while that of others was established by researchers. The composers of still others, including several popular songs of the time, remain unknown.
"The Minuet in G major is a keyboard piece included in the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach and often attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach, but it is now usually attributed to Christian Petzold. However, even today it is still quite unknown who composed this piece, partly because it was copied anonymously into the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach."
The links to the Bach Minuet, easy Middle C arrangements:
Download the minuet arranged at Middle C for beginners
Download the Bach melody arranged for beginners with chord symbols
Links to the regular arrangements:
Download easy arrangement of Bach Minuet in G
Download page 1 of Minuet in G from Notebook for Anna Magdalena (not simplified)
Download complete free classical piano music Bach Minuet in G
Dianna:
Your website is a light in the darkness. THANK YOU for all you do in helping to spread the love of music. It matters!
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Kerri:
What a great selection of beginner music!
My young student will be thrilled to be able to play songs she "knows!" Thank-you!
Charlotte:
Thanks for providing such a comprehensive music teaching program with all the relevant tools.
It will make it easy to introduce my 8 g-children and others to music. You are truly a blessing.
Debbie, Nashville, TN:
I have been looking for a very, very long time for a website like this! WOW! I have been teaching for over 20 years and it's nice to have a resource such as this!
About the Author
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.
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