When you picture yourself playing piano, before you have even started to learn how to play the instrument, you may imagine yourself being able to play the most beautiful piano pieces. Certain songs and composers have a reputation for writing stunning songs.
The piano is also one of the most expressive instruments, with its wide range and powerful ability to impact peoples’ emotions. This means there are so many beautiful songs to play on piano whether you love rock music, pop music, or classical.
From movie soundtracks, through to solo piano pieces, each song on our list has the ability to move people with a sense of beauty, peace, or even sadness. We’ve included some of the most beautiful piano songs to learn, including those that can be played by a beginner pianist as well as some more advanced piano music.
How we chose the most beautiful piano pieces
Beauty is subjective, so it is not easy to select the most beautiful piano pieces. However, we believe that we know a beautiful song when we hear one!
We chose songs that have a reputation of moving people and impacting them, whether through a melancholic melody or an emotive set of piano chords.
When choosing the songs to go on our list, we haven’t worried too much about the genre or the style, whether it has been written by a modern band or a classical composer. Beautiful songs on piano can come in the form of a soundtrack, a pop song, or a complex classical piece.
You can start learning these songs today when you sign up for Skoove via our website or app. We take a simple, feedback-based approach to playing and there is a seven day free trial for you to see how you get on with the app before paying for long-term access.
Beautiful piano songs for beginners
There’s good news for beginner pianists. A lot of the time, it is the simple melodies that are the most powerful, and this means that when you are learning how to play piano there are some amazing and iconic songs to learn.
Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah
Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen is one of the best-known popular songs of its time. This was composed and released back in 1984, and has since been performed by many famous musicians. The lyrics have been debated and are often the subject of some controversy, but nobody can deny the stunning and emotive sound of the song.
When you think of easy beautiful piano songs you might be surprised this is on the list, but it can be simplified to a relatively easy way of playing, and the slow tempo keeps the finger positions simple, too.
Tips on playing the song
- Learn the bass notes on the left hand first, these are simple and you may eventually want to play full chords
- The song is written in C major
- The melody is pretty simple on the right hand, but it has more to it than the bass section, spend more time mastering this
Bill Withers – Lean On Me
“Lean On Me” is another song that has a beautiful message to it. This gorgeous piece of popular music is one of the most simple melodies you can learn on the piano. It also makes for a wonderful singalong as almost everyone knows the words, especially in the chorus.
Tips on playing the song
- The song is in 4/4 time signature
- When playing the melody on two hands, the note lengths are the same, making it one of the most beautiful easy piano songs
- You can eventually progress from a one-finger melody to playing triad chords throughout the song
Beethoven – Symphony Number Five
Okay, the whole symphony is not easy to learn, but there is a simplified version of the sheet music that makes it easier for a budding musician to learn the dramatic and beautiful piece that is known to music lovers all over the world.
Tips on playing this song
- This is a little faster than some of the other songs, with quicker hand movements, you may wish to learn it slowly first
- Timing is what gives this song its drama, make sure you have understood time signatures to play the song properly
- Listen to the way left and right hand notes change together first, before switching to play different patterns
- The right hand has sixteenth and eighth notes in the melody, get used to playing these quick notes
Beautiful intermediate piano pieces
If you consider yourself a bit more than a beginner, this opens up even more of the most beautiful songs on piano that you can learn using slightly more advanced techniques. Skoove’s course has lots of beautiful intermediate piano pieces for you to try your hand at once you’ve advanced from the beautiful beginner piano songs.
Franz Liszt – Liebestraum No. 3
This example of one of the most beautiful intermediate piano pieces translates literally to “love dream” and we couldn’t think of a more apt title. The perfect song to learn for that special someone, this is the third of Liszt’s Liebestraum songs and one of the most important songs of the romantic period.
Tips on playing this song
- It is in 3/4 timing, and it may help you to think of this as waltz timing, counting “1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3” as you play.
- The left hand is playing arpeggios, it may help to master this first.
- The song is in the key of A-flat major
The Beatles – Yesterday
A very famous McCartney Beatles song, and one of the most beautiful sad piano songs out there, with very somber lyrics.
Yesterday is one of the most-covered pieces of music ever. It’s relatively slow, but it is more of an intermediate piece, and playing the melody on your right hand might be a challenge if you’re new to the piano.
Tips on playing this song
- The song is in 4/4 time signature
- If you want to sing the vocal melody, you can replace the melody on your right hand with the chords
- The left hand bass line is very simple, learn this first before mastering the rest
Yiruma – A River Flows in You
The composition is characterized by its gentle, flowing melody, which evokes a sense of tranquility and introspection. The emotive and delicate playing style of Yiruma enhances the song’s ability to touch the hearts of listeners, transcending language and cultural barriers.
Despite being an instrumental piece without lyrics, A River Flows in You piano sheet music manages to convey a profound sense of emotion and nostalgia. Many listeners find themselves captivated by its soothing and melodic nature, often using the song to accompany moments of reflection, relaxation, or even as a backdrop to emotional scenes in movies and television shows.
Tips on playing this song
- The song is in 4/4 time signature
- Practice parallel and contrary motion separately: Master each motion individually before combining them in your melody and chord progressions
Beautiful Piano Pieces For Advanced Players
If you are looking to play the most beautiful piano pieces of all time and you aren’t bothered about the level of ability required, then these songs could be for you. If you’re at the level where you are playing for an audience instead of just for a bit of fun, then you should be able to pick up these pieces of music with relative ease.
Beethoven – Moonlight Sonata
Another gorgeous piece from piano history. The part of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata that most people are familiar with is actually the first movement, and this is the section covered in the Skoove lesson. The sheet music for the second movement and third movement is available too, but these sections are not as well known.
Among all beautiful songs to learn on piano this is one of the most iconic, with its gentle melody and palpable emotion. Beethoven was known for his moving compositions, and this is one of the reasons why he is a household name even in the 21st century.
Tips on playing this song
- It is in 12/8 timing, make sure you understand what this time signature means first
- The arpeggiated left hand section is tricky without the correct fingering and posture, ensure you have this mastered
- It’s a longer melody than some of the others on the list, break it into parts if that makes it easier for you
John Legend – All Of Me
All Of Me is one of the most beautiful contemporary piano songs, from an artist who is synonymous with piano and soulful vocals. This song is advanced, but the beauty and emotion is clear to be heard, it’s worth putting the time and effort in.
This is also a great option if you’re a singer, a lot of the songs on this list are solo piano songs, but this can benefit from your vocal accompaniment too, just as was intended when the song was composed. We may not all sing like John Legend, but there’s no harm in trying to sing along.
Tips on playing this song
- The song is in 4/4
- The melody moves very quickly, be sure you keep your posture and have practiced playing quickly, with shorter note measures
- Split it into sections to learn, to make it easier for yourself
Debussy – Clair De Lune
There are few songs that define a composer’s career like Clair De Lune has for Debussy. Used as a soundtrack on a number of different movies, the song is romantic and full of soul. It’s also a challenge to learn, even for some of the more advanced players, with its iconic intro and dreamy melody.
Tips on playing this song
- The song is in 6/8 timing
- It is a long song and it moves quickly, learn it in chunks
- The song should have dynamics and movement in it, don’t hammer the keys hard
- Don’t take this on unless you are a pretty confident pianist already (there are plenty of beautiful but easy piano songs instead)
Adding some beautiful pieces to your repertoire
When you learn how to play the piano you want to unlock a variety of different styles, and add pieces for every occasion. You want to be able to play happy and upbeat tunes when the occasion calls for it, as well as the expressive, beautiful, even sad songs when the occasion calls for it. Every kind of piece should add something to your ability level and your repertoire.
We’ve selected nine moving pieces here, and the good news is that anybody, with any ability level, can start to play emotional and beautiful pieces in no time, due to the fact that there are some simple beginner songs among the most beautiful options.
