Are you in the process of learning the clarinet? In this article, we present a selection of the 10 best songs that you can play as a clarinet beginner. From Schubert to Mozart and Tchaikovsky you will find the most famous names in music history - in whose footsteps you can follow even with little playing experience. Thanks to Tomplay clarinet sheet music, you can play the part of the clarinet accompanied by a Play Along from the rest of the orchestra! 

We'll help you improve your playing: With our interactive fingering chart tool for the clarinet, you can select any note and play it on an on-screen instrument - so you can see exactly how the notes are being played on your instrument. To do this, download the fingering table as a PDF, in which you can read all of the fingerings together at a glance. The best thing about it: The fingering chart tool and the PDF are absolutely free! Try out for yourself our clarinet fingering chart.

One of the oldest instruments in music history

The roots of the clarinet go back to antiquity, even to ancient Egypt. Scientific evidence shows that even around 2700 BC. there were instruments that were quite similar to the clarinet as we know it today; at that time they were still reed flutes. A lot has happened since then. The clarinet has now become an integral part of many different genres and has already brought to life a number of melodies that are undoubtedly some of the greatest achievements in music history.

Around 1700, the Nuremberg instrument maker Johannes Christoph Denner began to modify the chalumeau, which was very popular at the time, in order to expand the range; the chalumeau, which was similar to the tenor recorder, only played low notes well. Denner first added an additional flap to the instrument for overblowing. Over the next centuries, the instrument continued to develop, adding cushions and additional finger holes and keys - until the clarinet emerged from it.

With such a long and eclectic history, it's no surprise that the clarinet has often been implicated in some of the most significant moments in music. Their sound can be found in compositions by Schubert, Mozart, Charpentier, and many other well-known artists. And yet the clarinet offers beginners songs that, despite their importance, can be learned quickly.

You can find out which songs these are in this article. We have put together a selection of the 10 best clarinet beginner songs so that you can immerse yourself in the enchanting sounds of your instrument!

And if you are in the mood for more easy clarinet songs, then discover our entire sheet music catalog:

▶️️ Discover our Tomplay clarinet sheet music catalog

1. Ave Maria

▶️️ Play the clarinet beginner sheet music of Ave Maria

The timeless classic Ave Maria combines a number of components that have contributed to his immortality: Charles Gounod composed the piece in 1852 and was inspired by Bach's Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 846, to which he added the text of the Catholic prayer Ave Maria.

Many musicians have already used Bach's works for their own compositions. However, Gounod created a piece from it that is celebrated to this day as one of the most important and popular works of the classical period. He masterfully uses the prelude to accompany his touching melody, which adds to the prayer a whole new deeply emotional level.

The original version of the piece would be composed for voice and piano. However, there are now countless arrangements for almost every instrument - proof of the significance of Ave Maria. The unmistakable melody can thus also be realized on the clarinet, even for beginners!

Discover our interactive sheet music of Ave Maria for clarinet beginners and play this important work at an easy level of difficulty on your clarinet!

2. Adagio

▶️️ Play the clarinet beginner sheet music of Adagio

Slow, calm - and yet a force of emotions: Adagio in G minor is based on fragments of Tomaso Albinoni's compositions for strings and organ, which were published in 1958 by Remo Giazotto. It is undoubtedly one of the most famous works of the classical period.

The piece can generally be divided into three parts: the eight-bar introduction, followed by the melancholy melody of the high strings, and the finale made up of solo violin and the tremendous power of the string ensemble. With a performance of 7-12 minutes, the listener experiences a range of emotions that make the work a truly unique experience.

The work has contributed enormously to the fact that Albinoni is still so intensively occupied today. For a long time, it seemed as if the baroque composer had been unjustly forgotten. So help ensure that the sounds of his life's work still lives on today!

Play the simple clarinet notes by Adagio in a level of difficulty for absolute beginners and enjoy this emotional work!

3. Schwanengesang D.957 – N° 4 Ständchen

▶️️ Play the clarinet beginner sheet music of Schwanengesang D.957 – N° 4 Ständchen

From August to October 1828, Franz Schubert wrote a collection of songs that set poems by Ludwig Rellstab, Heinrich Heine, and Johann Gabriel Seidl to music. Since it was Schubert's last major composition, the cycle was given the name Schwanengesang (swan song).

Swan song is generally understood to mean the last work by an artist. Schubert died just weeks after completing the cycle. Shortly before his death, too, he managed to use his melodies to compose lively pieces that still affect all listeners to this day.

N ° 4 Ständchen is based on a poem by Ludwig Rellstab. The love, which it’s about, is brought to life perfectly by Schubert's sounds. Both artists complement each other in their emotions - the result is a classic that no instrumentalist should miss!

Discover our interactive sheet music for clarinet beginners and play Schwanengesang D.957 - N ° 4 Ständchen now!

4. Requiem, K. 626

▶️️ Play the clarinet beginner sheet music of Requiem, K. 626

The Requiem in D minor is one of the most popular and yet most controversial works by Mozart. It is his last composition - but since he died in 1791 before he could complete it, only about two-thirds were actually by him. The piece was completed by Joseph Eybler and Franz Xaver on behalf of his widow Constanze Mozart.

In the meantime, the myths are piling up about the genesis of the work and the quality of the subsequent additions, many aspects of which have not yet been clarified. One thing is certain, however: In spite of everything, Requiem truly deserves to be one of the most highly valued works by the legendary composer.

The key of the piece deepens the deeply gloomy, emotional, and mythical atmosphere. With a total performance of around an hour, the orchestra takes every listener on a unique journey that bids a fitting farewell to the life of the celebrated composer.

Mozart is one of the most important players in music history. So grab your instrument and honor him by playing his last work on your instrument in his honor! Discover Tomplay's interactive sheet music and play Requiem, K. 626 on your clarinet.

5. Swan Lake - Dance of the Little Swans

▶️️ Play the clarinet beginner sheet music of Swan Lake - Dance of the Little Swans

Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake premiered at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow as early as 1877. Since then, it has consistently held itself as one of the composer's most famous and beloved works. It is also part of the standard repertoire of almost every ballet company in the world.

The plot, which can be divided into four acts in most versions, tells the story of young Odette; a princess turned into a swan by an evil wizard. Swan Lake is full of magic and love - but especially the Dance of the Little Swans in act 2 always seems to be very popular with the audience.

Tchaikovsky's composition tells the enchanting plot with equally enchanting melodies, from whose spell there is no escape. Despite the abundance of magic that is in every sound, Swan Lake - The Dance of the Little Swans is also suitable for absolute beginners.

Discover now one of the most important ballets of all time and play the simple clarinet notes from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake - The Dance of the Little Swans at a suitable level of difficulty!

6. Swan Lake

▶️️ Play the clarinet beginner sheet music of Swan Lake

Tchaikovsky had composed a little ballet for his sister's children as early as 1871, in which the swans already appeared as a leitmotif. In 1875 the Moscow Bolshoi Theater commissioned his first major ballet.

Despite the size that came with the commission, the piece has retained its childlike magic. Because even if the plot subtly deals with serious issues, the listener can't help but feel enchanted by the sounds like a child.

Try it yourself! Grab your clarinet and enjoy Swan Lake. Thanks to Tomplay's interactive sheet music, you can now learn Tchaikovsky's piece yourself even as a complete beginner on the clarinet.

7. Te Deum, H.146 - Prelude

▶️️ Play the clarinet beginner sheet music of Te Deum, H.146 - Präludium

Marc-Antoine Charpentier composed a total of six Te Deum during his lifetime - but only four of them have survived. The rest is gone forever. So it is even more gratifying that today we have the chance to enjoy the Te Deum, H.146.

The work is probably the most famous of the French composer. The key of D major ensures that the work has a deeply cheerful character that is full of joie de vivre. Even Bach's contemporaries described the work as a warlike piece full of energy.

It owes much of its popularity to the eight-bar prelude, which is now used as the signature tune of Eurovision. Charpentier composed the piece as a grand motet, a special form of the mottete, as early as the end of the 17th century.

Play the unmistakable prelude from Te Deum, H.146 in D major, now with the interactive sheet music by Tomplay on your clarinet!

8. Liederkreis, Opus 39 - N° 8 In der Fremde

▶️️ Play the clarinet beginner sheet music of Liederkreis, Opus 39 - N° 8 In der Fremde

One of the greatest cycles of the 19th century: Robert Schumann created with his Liederkreis, Opus 39, an unforgettable work of a total of twelve poems set to music, which is now counted among the greatest achievements of the Romantic era and almost perfectly captures the essence of the era.

The song In der Fremde opens the cycle of which every single piece is celebrated nowadays. As the text of the poem, the melody in F# minor takes the listener on a mystical journey full of depth, in which the spirit of romanticism can be perfectly recognized.

1840 is considered Schumann's Liederjahr - it was the year of his important career in which he composed the most pieces. And yet the Liederkreis, Opus 39, proves that despite the abundance of works he produced, he did not have to sacrifice any dedication. Every song is a unique experience.

Discover the clarinet beginner sheet music from In der Fremde and now play the classic on your instrument at a simple level of difficulty and accompanied by a recording by the orchestra.

9. Hallelujah (Klezmer)

▶️️ Play the clarinet beginner sheet music of Hallelujah (Klezmer)

Klezmer describes an Ashkenazi Jewish folk music tradition that has existed for several centuries. It is characterized by its unique melodies that are reminiscent of the human voice.

Initially, the term klezmer was used to refer to the musicians who played the style, but now it is the genre itself that bears the name. It is rich in dances and ritual melodies that offer a deep insight into part of Jewish culture.

We have a classic ready for you: With the interactive sheet music by Tomplay, you can now play Hallelujah in the style of Klezmer on your clarinet in a level of difficulty of your choice. Discover a new culture through your instrument!

10. Alphabet

▶️️ Play the clarinet beginner sheet music of Alphabet

Mozart's Alphabet often refers to his piano work Twelve Variations in C major on the song “ah, vous dirai-je, Maman”, which he composed towards the end of 1782 for the pianist Josepha Barbara von Auernhammer. In his piece, Mozart plays twelve variations of the eponymous melody of the French original.

It is also the cornerstone of such well-known songs as Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, or Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann. In addition, pretty much everyone has the melody in their head as soon as one should be looking for the right letter in the alphabet.

The well-known melody is often one of the first pieces that an instrumentalist of any kind appropriates. Because it is simple but at the same time memorable, beautiful, and simply timeless - a true masterpiece in every respect.

And since the melody has been with us all our lives anyway, it's time to bring it to life on our instruments! Use Tomplay's interactive sheet music and play Mozart's Alphabet on your clarinet now.