Swan Lake Theme
About this arrangement
Tchaikovsky wrote Swan Lake in 1875 and 1876, and the Bolshoi Ballet premiered it in Moscow on March 4, 1877. The version most companies still dance is the 1895 St. Petersburg staging by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov.
Learn the right-hand melody first and let the long notes ring for their full value. The left hand moves more than the right in this arrangement, so give it its own slow practice before putting the hands together.
Start with short loops.
Use the section list as a practice map. Start at 50% tempo, loop one section, then return to the full piece once the hand shape feels stable.
Choose Right or Left to focus on one hand. Wait for note checks the highlighted notes as you play them on the screen or a connected MIDI keyboard.
Before you practice.
01 Is Swan Lake good for a beginner?
This arrangement suits a late beginner. The melody moves mostly in steps, but the key of B minor has two sharps and the left hand is busy.
02 How long is it?
It is 32 bars in 4/4 time.
03 What should I practice first?
The right-hand melody alone, then the left hand alone, then both together at a slow tempo.
04 Where does this theme appear in the ballet?
It is the Scene at the start of Act 2, at the lake where the prince first sees the swans. The theme returns several times later in the ballet.
