An improvised-style short piece based on J.S. Bach's harmonic language, reimagined for the modern solo piano. It explores lyrical expansion through a series of quasi-Baroque harmonic sequences.
The performer must use expressive rubato to shape the phrasing while respecting the underlying harmonic rhythm.
Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.
Bach J S improvised melody 1. is rated Henle level 4 of 9 — intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 5–6.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 4 — meaning you can already play level 3–4 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.
A typical performance of Bach J S improvised melody 1. lasts about 2 minutes.
Bach J S improvised melody 1. is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.
Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Für Elise by Ludwig van Beethoven, La fille aux cheveux de lin by Claude Debussy, 'Abegg' Variations Op.1 by Robert Schumann — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.