Sonatina in C major, first movement

About this piece

A sonatina is a short sonata, and this is one of the first that piano students learn. Listen for the opening tune: it comes back near the end, an octave lower. Count two half-note beats in each bar (cut time) and keep the scales even.

What it practices

• scales and broken chords
• cut time (2/2)
• sonata form
• a broken-chord left hand in places

Where the notes come from

Mutopia Project edition (Brian D. Rude, from the G. Schirmer Sonatina Album, 1893; public domain), compared with this file note by note by our checking script. That edition prints no dynamics in this movement, only the word Spiritoso. Date from Wikipedia.

How to practice with it

1. Listen first. Press Play and follow the moving line with your eyes. The lit notes and keys show what sounds right now: blue is the right hand, orange the left.
2. Slow it down. Use − and + to set the tempo. 60% is a good place to start.
3. One hand at a time. Choose Right or Left, learn that hand, then put them together.
4. Wait for me. Turn it on and press Start. The lit keys show what to play, and the music waits until you play them, on the screen, on your computer keyboard or on a MIDI keyboard.
5. Loop the hard part. Turn on Loop, pick the bars, and play them a few times in a row.

Click a bar in the music to start from there. Space plays and pauses. The computer keys A S D F G H J K play C D E F G A B C (press ⌨ Computer keys under the music to see them on the piano).