Ben Bolt's Waltz is a parlor piece from the mid-19th century based on the popular American song 'Ben Bolt'. It serves as a classic example of amateur salon repertoire intended for domestic enjoyment.
Ensure the melody remains clear above the simple Alberti-bass accompaniment.
Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.
Ben Bolt's Waltz is rated Henle level 2 of 9 — beginner repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 2–3. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 2.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 2 — meaning you can already play level 1–2 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 Ben Bolt's Waltz lasts about 2 minutes.
Ben Bolt's Waltz 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 Bohemian Girl Waltz by James Bellak, Bonnie blue flag - quick step by James Bellak, Bon Ton Polka by James Bellak — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.