I have inherited some of my Dad's piano music and am trying to inspire myself to practice (as I don't feel like it). Well... I have a complete set of Mozart's and Beethoven's Sonatas and I have the complete set of Bach's Preludes and fugues....(I think I'll have all of Chopin's Nocturnes ... haven't picked all the music up).
Well I have passed my Grade 5...
Where might I be able to start? What might I be able to play? (I can play one movement of the Moonlight Sonata... learnt that last year....)
I am supposed to be learning some of Chopin's Preludes... just I want to play my dad's music not what I am supposed to be playing!!!!!

What a lovely thing to inherit!

Do the Mozart and Beethoven sonatas have slow movements that you can play?

Pathetique has a manageable slow movement - v famous also.

And it's nice!

Look at Mozart K545 - yes, it's the one that everybody knows, but achievable by anyone of about Grade V standard. The third movement has been a Grade V piece in the past (I played it for my Grade V - the only piano exam piece where I've scored, ahem, under 20 ) With Bach, the obvious well-known place to start is the C major prelude from Book 1 of the WTC; as for Beethoven, the first movement of Op. 49/1 was a Grade V piece a few years ago.

These are only suggestions, but have fun exploring them.

Although K330 is an exam piece for Grade 8, I think at Grade 5, it's manageable technically I think. I can play it although I can't quite get certain parts in the 1st and 3rd movement yet *grin*. I stopped at Grade 3 but am at about Grade 5 now I think. Try the 2nd movement from K330. It's playable!

Thank you for the suggestions... please keep them coming. I've had a go at the K545... that's manageable I think... there was even a spider squashed on the page of k545... reminded me of Dad's house!!!
I am really not interested in playing what my teacher has set me... I hope she'll let me play some of Dad's music when I restart lessons... I actually want to play his old music right now which I'm quite pleased about as I haven't wanted to play the piano at all all summer.
There is loads of music at my dad's house... He was a concert pianist in his early 20's. I have only picked up the bigger books... so I'll be asking you more question when I get all the music (I'm the only child who plays the piano... my daughter plays too....).

Edexcel's list might help you out here. It's a grading of many pieces, a lot of which I'd imagine would be in your father's collection . Should give you a starting point to see which will be easier to tackle. Glad you've found your motivation to practise again after a rough time, I suspect your teacher will be cooperative with your desires if you explain the situation; especially if you're quite flexible about which of those pieces you want to play .

Thank you AP... that list is really useful... it can help me identify the easier pieces...

Tee hee... I just looked in my notebook and the Mozart K545 I was supposed to be learning this summer!!!!!!
Just goes to show how much notice I took in my last lesson!!!!

Had my first piano lesson back and my teacher was lovely and said I could do what I wanted for a term... and then she recommended I began Grade 6 stuff after Christmas. She even said I didn't have to worry too much about scales this term (she usually makes us practice scales ALL the time). It's the first time she said I could decide what I wanted to play, which is quite liberating.
My Dad was supposed to be doing a recital this Saturday. He was practicing for it. I think he was going to do some Grieg and he was definitely practicing some Chopin just before he died.
I am glad I am practicing again... I'm enjoying the first movement of K545

Glad she's being supportive, and it's great that you're able to use your music to help you through such a tough time. Hope your enjoyment continues .

You may be able to manage the two Beethoven Sonatas Op 49 No 1 and Op 49 No 2 (particularly No 2)

I agree with Mozart K545. You should also try the first movement of the F Major K332. I still find it astonishing that I played this for Grade 4 (LCM) in about 1958/59, but its on the Grade 8 Syllabus now.

Pathetique Op13 second movemnt has been suggested but its nearer to Grade 7.

Try Bach Book 1 preludes 5 and 6 as well (Maybe not to full speed, but the notes are easy enough) as the easy no 1

Sounds to me like your father died rather suddenly and unexpectedly (if he was preparing for a recital) - hope you'll accept my sympathy, and that you'll get through what can be a very difficult time.

Edward