In May
In May, by the German teaching composer Franz Behr, is a First piece (Octotune grade 2 of 8) in C major and 3/4. The right hand keeps one five-finger position, C to G an octave above middle C, and the left hand keeps a steady beat of single notes.
At a glance
| Composer | F. Behr |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Starter pieces: grade 2 of 8 |
| Key | Key signature: no sharps or flats |
| Time | 3/4 |
| Tempo | 60 quarter-note beats a minute, as the app starts it (it can go slower) |
| Length | 32 measures, about 1:36 |
| Hands | both hands |
| Right hand | C5 to G5 |
| Left hand | B3 to A4 |
| On the path | Unit 8, Outward, Kids, Way up and way down |
It reaches past the staff: see ledger lines explained.
Levels in the app
| Version | Grade | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| In May | 2 of 8 | Melody, Melody and bass, Full |
Practice notes
Franz Behr (1837–1898) wrote hundreds of short pieces for young pianists, and In May is a lovely example: a cheerful little waltz in C major and 3/4, and often a learner's first "real" piano piece rather than a song.
Why it is a good first piece
- The right hand never moves. It sits in a five-finger position from the C an octave above middle C (in the treble staff's third space) up to high G, just above the staff: one finger per key. The tune opens by stepping down the chord, G E C.
- The left hand keeps the beat. It plays one note at a time, a steady quarter note on every beat, in the middle of the keyboard around middle C.
- No sharps or flats.
What to watch
- The left hand's steady quarters. Keep them even and quieter than the tune, like a gentle "1 2 3".
- Long notes in the tune. Several last a whole measure (a dotted half). Hold them for three.
- Reading high G. The top of the tune sits on the space above the treble staff. Read it from the staff's top line, F.
Practice plan
- The tune alone, using Octotune's Melody level.
- The left hand alone, counting "1 2 3".
- Together, with the Melody and bass level first (one left-hand note a measure), then in full.
In the path: Unit 8 for grown-ups, as the first real piano piece (the tune, then the tune with its bass), and the Kids unit Way up, way down, where the tune is the last song of the path.
Questions
Is Behr's In May easy?
Yes. It is one of the easiest real piano pieces in Octotune's library, grade 2 of 8. The right hand stays in one five-finger position and the left hand plays single quarter notes.
Credits and license
- Music: F. Behr
- Typeset by John Mamoun for the Mutopia Project
- License: Public Domain
- Source and printable sheet music: the Mutopia Project’s page for this piece