Barbara

John Pridham

RomanticObscureromance4/4~3 min
H3
Henle (estimated)
RCM 3ABRSM 3

About this piece

John Pridham's Barbara is a sentimental salon piece typical of Victorian era piano music. It features a decorative, song-like melody supported by arpeggiated broken-chord accompaniments.

Teacher notes

Practice balancing the melody against the accompaniment to achieve a clear, singing tone.

Technical focus

cantabilepedalingrubato

Mood

lyricalnostalgic

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Free sheet music on IMSLP

Pieces similar to Barbara

Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.

Browse all Henle level 3 pieces (Late beginner) →

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Barbara by John Pridham?

Barbara is rated Henle level 3 of 9 — late beginner repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 4–5. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 3.

What level do I need to play Barbara?

You should be comfortable at Henle level 3 — meaning you can already play level 2–3 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.

How long is Barbara?

A typical performance of Barbara lasts about 3 minutes.

Where can I get free sheet music for Barbara?

Barbara is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.

What pieces are similar to Barbara?

Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Belle of the West by John Pridham, 'O sole mio by Eduardo Di Capua, Believe Me, If All those Endearing Young Charms by Irish Folk Music — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.