Five Easy Pieces (Stravinsky)
Five Easy Pieces is a collection of eight short pieces for piano, four hands, composed by Igor Stravinsky between 1916 and 1917. Despite the title suggesting five pieces, the collection contains eight distinct movements arranged into two sets. The first set contains three pieces composed in 1917 and the second set contains five pieces composed in 1916. They are generally considered to be teaching pieces, designed to be relatively simple and accessible to novice pianists. The lower part is typically less demanding than the upper part, allowing a teacher or more experienced player to accompany a student.
The titles of the eight pieces reflect a variety of influences and styles:
- Andante
- Española
- Balalaika
- March
- Napolitana
- Waltz
- Polka
- Galop
These titles suggest various national or popular music styles, although Stravinsky's treatment of these styles is often playful and incorporates his characteristic rhythmic and harmonic language. The Five Easy Pieces demonstrate Stravinsky's engagement with popular and folk music, as well as his ability to create musically sophisticated works that are also pedagogically useful. They have become staples of the four-hand piano repertoire.