A prelude, a nocturne, and an étude are all short pieces for piano. Each name tells you something about the piece: what it is for, what mood it has, or where it came from. This page explains fifteen names that turn up in piano books and on concert programs.
The names at a glance
| Name | The word means | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Prelude | Played before | A short piece built on one idea |
| Étude | Study | A piece that trains one skill |
| Nocturne | Night piece | A slow, dreamy tune over a rolling left hand |
| Bagatelle | A trifle | A short, light piece |
| Impromptu | On the spur of the moment | A piece that sounds made up on the spot |
| Invention | A clever idea | Two lines that copy each other |
| Sonatina | Little sonata | A short sonata for students |
| Scherzo | Joke | Quick and playful |
| Ballade | A story in verse | A longer piece that seems to tell a tale |
| Rhapsody | A free outpouring | Free in form, with strong changes of mood |
| Intermezzo | In between | A short, thoughtful piece |
| Berceuse | Lullaby | A rocking cradle song |
| Barcarolle | Boat song | A swaying song of the boatmen of Venice |
| Toccata | Touched | Fast and showy |
| Song without words | A song for piano alone |
Prelude
A prelude once came before another piece. Bach wrote 48 preludes, each paired with a fugue. Later, a prelude became a short piece on its own. Chopin wrote 24, one in each key.
Hear: Prelude in C major, by Bach, and the “Raindrop” Prelude, by Chopin. Read what is a fugue?
Étude
An étude is a study. Each one works on a single skill, such as fast scales, wide leaps, or a singing tone. Carl Czerny wrote hundreds for students. Chopin turned the étude into concert music.
Hear: “Arabesque,” by Burgmüller, and the “Black Key” Étude, by Chopin, in which the right hand plays almost nothing but black keys.
Nocturne
A nocturne is a night piece. The right hand sings a slow tune, and the left hand rolls gentle chords under it. The Irish composer John Field wrote the first ones. Chopin wrote 21.
Hear: Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 9, No. 2, by Chopin. Read Chopin for kids.
Bagatelle
A bagatelle is a short, light piece. The best-known one is “Für Elise,” by Beethoven. Read who was Elise?
Impromptu
An impromptu sounds as if the player made it up on the spot. It was written down with care all the same.
Hear: Impromptu in E-flat major, by Schubert. Read Schubert for kids.
Invention
Bach wrote 15 two-part inventions for his students. Each hand has one line, and the two lines copy and answer each other.
Hear: Invention No. 1 in C major, by Bach.
Sonatina
A sonatina is a small sonata with two or three short movements. Read what is a sonata?
Hear: Sonatina in C major, Op. 36, No. 1, by Clementi.
Scherzo
“Scherzo” is the Italian word for a joke. A scherzo is quick, and it is full of surprises.
Hear: Scherzo No. 2, by Chopin.
Ballade and rhapsody
Both are longer and freer. A ballade seems to tell a story, with calm parts and stormy parts. A rhapsody jumps from mood to mood.
Hear: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, by Liszt. Read Liszt for kids.
Berceuse and barcarolle
A berceuse is a lullaby. The left hand rocks back and forth the whole time. A barcarolle is a boat song, and it sways in six.
Hear: Berceuse, by Chopin, and “June,” a barcarolle from The Seasons, by Tchaikovsky.
Song without words
Mendelssohn wrote 48 short piano pieces that he called Songs Without Words. The right hand sings the tune that a voice would sing.
Hear: “Spring Song,” by Mendelssohn. Read Mendelssohn for kids.
Pieces with picture titles
Some short pieces have a title that paints a scene. Schumann wrote sets of these for and about children: Scenes from Childhood and Album for the Young. Tchaikovsky wrote an Album for the Young too.
Hear: “The Wild Horseman” and “The Happy Farmer,” by Schumann. Read Robert Schumann for kids. See the guides to Scenes from Childhood and Album for the Young. For studies with titles, read Burgmüller for kids.
Dances
Many short piano pieces are dances: the minuet, the waltz, the mazurka, and the polonaise. Read dances in classical music.
Things to do together
Guess the kind. Play a nocturne and an étude. Ask which is the night piece and which is the study.
What does it train? Play an étude. Ask your child what the pianist’s hands have to do again and again.
Find them in the book. Look through your child’s piano book for the names on this page.
Name your own. Your child makes up a short tune and chooses a name for it from the table.
Night and day. Play a nocturne at bedtime and a scherzo at breakfast.
Print and play
Use a listening journal page for each piece. For pieces to learn, read easy classical piano pieces for beginners and composers in piano lesson books.
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This article is part of Music theory for parents: what your child is learning and how to help.
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Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.