Canon No. 1

Samuel James Berkahn

ModernObscureinventionModerato4/4~1 min
H2
Henle (estimated)
RCM 3ABRSM 2

About this piece

A pedagogical canon, similar to No. 1, focused on building foundational listening skills. It is highly structured and tonally predictable.

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Teacher notes

The student must ensure the follower voice exactly matches the dynamic of the leader voice.

Technical focus

counterpointfinger-independence

Mood

preciseintellectual

Your status

Not in your repertoire

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Free sheet music on IMSLP

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Canon No. 1 by Samuel James Berkahn?

Canon No. 1 is rated Henle level 2 of 9 — beginner repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 2–3. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 3.

What level do I need to play Canon No. 1?

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.

How long is Canon No. 1?

A typical performance of Canon No. 1 lasts about 1 minute.

Where can I get free sheet music for Canon No. 1?

Canon No. 1 is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.