This
does not have anything to do with Gospel Doctrine class, but since I
have been trying to find a list of hymns in graduated difficulty unsuccessfully for quite some time, I
finally made one myself for my piano students. I've worked on this for several years, and think I have it pretty well leveled. Then I thought I'd just put it out
there for other parents of budding pianists, ward pianists or piano teachers to use. I don't really know
where else to share it. Maybe Google can find it here for the next
person looking. If anyone knows of a better place to post it, let me know. In the meantime, share with anybody you think might use it.
(I hold the copyright on this photo of my daughter)
The Music Reading Levels are using a scale of 1-10, with 1 being a brand-new beginner student and 10 being a college piano major. So the Beginner Hymns would possibly suit a diligent 4th-year student. For lower levels, check out my list for the Hymns Made Easy at this link.
You can download all the hymns from lds.org. On lds.org, choose "Resources" at the top of the page. Then choose "Library at the upper left. Then all the hymnbooks appear. I have linked them directly below.
Here is a link for the "Hymns Made Easy" book: https://www.lds.org/bc/
Here is my guide to learning ten of the Hymns Made Easy:
Here is a link for the regular hymns that go with my guide you already found.
If you are a beginning piano student, you may want to start with the Keyboard Course, which has even easier hymns than the "Hymns Made Easy."
25 Beginner Hymns
(Music Reading Level 4-5 US, Grade 3-4 UK)
These hymns are in easy keys, have few hand position changes, fairly simple rhythms, few accidentals, and slow to moderate tempos.
142
|
Sweet
Hour of Prayer
|
302
|
I
Know My Father Lives
|
116
|
Come,
Follow Me
|
309
|
As
Sisters in Zion
|
239
|
Choose
the Right
|
152
|
God
Be With you Till We Meet Again
|
38
|
Come,
All Ye Saints of Zion
|
106
|
God
Speed the Right
|
294
|
Love
at Home
|
92
|
For
the Beauty of the Earth
|
144
|
Secret
Prayer
|
306
|
God’s
Daily Care (As I Watch the Rising Sun)
|
3
|
Now
Let Us Rejoice
|
304
|
Teach
Me to Walk in the Light
|
19
|
We
Thank Thee, O God, For a Prophet
|
301
|
I
Am a Child of God
|
241
|
Count
Your Blessings
|
131
|
More
Holiness Give Me
|
100
|
Nearer,
My God, To Thee
|
98
|
I
Need Thee Every Hour
|
125
|
How
Gentle God’s Commands
|
339
|
My
Country, ‘Tis of Thee
|
67
|
Glory
to God on High
|
94
|
Come,
Ye Thankful People
|
204
|
Silent
Night
|
25 Intermediate Hymns
(Music Reading Levels 5-6 US, Grade 4-5 UK)
These hymns have more hand position changes, trickier rhythms, more accidentals, bigger jumps, and/or faster tempos.
136
|
I
Know That My Redeemer Lives
|
249
|
Called
to Serve
|
338
|
America
the Beautiful
|
105
|
Master,
the Tempest is Raging
|
199
|
He
Is Risen
|
243
|
Let
Us All Press On
|
308
|
Love
One Another
|
97
|
Lead,
Kindly Light
|
14
|
Sweet
is the Peace the Gospel Brings
|
108
|
The
Lord is My Shepherd
|
30
|
Come,
Come, Ye Saints
|
237
|
Do
What is Right
|
89
|
The
Lord Is My Light
|
7
|
Israel,
Israel, God is Calling
|
206
|
Away
in a Manger
|
23
|
We
Ever Pray For Thee
|
113
|
Our
Savior’s Love
|
21
|
Come,
Listen to a Prophet’s Voice
|
96
|
Dearest
Children, God is Near You
|
259
|
Hope
of Israel
|
26
|
Joseph
Smith’s First Prayer
|
219
|
Because
I Have Been Given Much
|
193
|
I
Stand All Amazed
|
85
|
How
Firm a Foundation
|
319
|
Ye
Elders of Israel
|
25 Advanced Hymns
(Music Reading Level 7-8 US, Grade 6 UK)
These hymns are fast, have lots of big jumps, require the right hand to play three parts, have challenging rhythms and keys, accidentals, and/or parts that move at different rates.
5
|
High
on the Mountain Top
|
227
|
There
is Sunshine in My Soul Today
|
292
|
O
My Father
|
298
|
Home
Can Be a heaven on Earth
|
246
|
Onward,
Christian Soldiers
|
134
|
I
Believe in Christ
|
29
|
A
Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief
|
264
|
Hark,
All Ye Nations!
|
2
|
The
Spirit of God
|
335
|
Brightly
Beams Our Father’s Mercy
|
60
|
Battle
Hymn of the Republic
|
27
|
Praise
to the Man
|
| 255 | Carry On |
86
|
How
Great Thou Art
|
52
|
The
Day Dawn is Breaking
|
64
|
On
This Day of Joy and Gladness
|
200
|
Christ
the Lord is Risen Today
|
78
|
God
of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand
|
220
|
Lord,
I Would Follow Thee
|
35
|
For
the Strength of the Hills
|
263
|
Go
Forth With Faith
|
203
|
Angels
We Have Heard on High
|
340
|
The
Star-Spangled Banner
|
256
|
As
Zion’s Youth in Latter Days
|
254
|
True
to the Faith
|
I have a list of hymns grouped by "Unique Playing Styles" that you might enjoy – but I can't figure out how to email them to you.
ReplyDeleteSounds great! Sorry, I didn't realize that my e-mail address was not posted in my profile. Here it is: thepianoisgrand@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this! I've been trying to come up with something like this for my students. This is perfect and will save me a lot of work! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteRachel, I did a Hymns Made Easy list after posting this one. You can check that one out, too: http://gospeldoctrineplus.blogspot.com/2013/08/learning-aids-for-lds-hymns-made-easy.html
ReplyDeleteThis is perfect. Thank you so much for compiling this list. I'll be able to give it to my son's piano teacher so that she can start assigning him appropriate hymns to learn.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much. My 12-year-old daughter was just called as the YW Pianist, and this will be very helpful for her!
ReplyDeleteI've been searching for something like this! Thank you. I have done a progressive list for the simplified accompaniment book, but hadn't started the regular hymn list yet.
ReplyDeleteKerri, I would love to have your list as a cross-reference. If you get this message, e-mail it to me! thepianoisgrand@gmail.com Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much--Google did find it for me! It's just what I have been looking for.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this post, but I can´t download the sheet music I would like to play the beginner and intermediate hymns, here is my email kasamatus@gmail.com, I´m writing from Mexico :)
ReplyDeleteYou can download all the hymns from lds.org. On lds.org, choose "Resources" at the top of the page. Then choose "Library at the upper left. Then all the hymnbooks appear. I have linked them directly below.
ReplyDeleteHere is a link for the "Hymns Made Easy" book: https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/english/pdf/callings/music/hymns-made-easy/Hymns_000_HymnsMadeEasy_eng.pdf?lang=eng
Here is my guide to learning ten of the Hymns Made Easy:
http://gospeldoctrineplus.blogspot.com/2013/08/learning-aids-for-lds-hymns-made-easy.html
Here is a link for the regular hymns that go with my guide you already found.
https://www.lds.org/music/library/hymns?lang=eng
If you are a beginning piano student, you may want to start with the Keyboard Course, which has even easier hymns than the "Hymns Made Easy."
https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/english/pdf/callings/music/KeyboardCourse_33620_eng.pdf?lang=eng
I found this through Google- thank you very much! It is just what I was looking for!
ReplyDeleteThese are great! Do you have a guide to the children's songbook?
ReplyDeleteThese are great! Do you have a guide to the children's songbook?
ReplyDeletehttp://bairdmusic.blogspot.com/2013/06/music-grading-lds-primary-childrens.html?m=1
DeleteI found a music grading for the children's songbook. I haven't checked it out yet, but I thought I'd share the find!
No, I haven't done the Children's Songbook. Brent Jorgensen (or Jorgenson) has done some nice simplified versions of Primary songs, however, in graded books.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Really Useful for our family. X
ReplyDeleteAlso found you through Google - thank you! The first hymn I picked for my student was way too hard :) So glad you put this together.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! Just purchased my new keyboard and am learning the hymns.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! My son just turned 12 and I'm hoping he learns several hymns for his Priesthood Opening Exercises :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! This will be so helpful!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much! I've been teaching myself to play for a few years and can play all the hymns made easy now. I am the piano substitute in my branch now, and I'd like to start developing a list of regular hymns i can play. This is a great help to start!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this. I have been growing my list of hymns I can play this year - from 6 to 30 - and have wanted a list of hymns like this. Also, I am teaching my kids piano and am excited to use your list for very early hymn players. Thanks! And yes, I found you on google.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this! I'm in charge of choosing hymns and this will help me have a better understanding of what I'm asking from our pianists/organists.
ReplyDeleteThis is so helpful! Thank you for this, and the other great resources on this blog!
ReplyDeleteThank you! What a wonderful idea. I'm so appreciative you shared these lists through the internet.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for posting this! I'm thirteen (and the beehive president) and because my friend who'd played the piano moved I'm expected to play the piano for young womens and combined even though I can't play that well (as no one else can play- or is willing to admit that they can.) This list is super helpful! Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteDon't know how I've never noticed this link at the side of your page, even though I come here pretty much every week for Sunday School help! This is brilliant, thanks for your hard work putting it together. I'm the Ward Music Director as well as the Gospel Doctrine teacher and this will be really helpful for the budding pianists I'm trying to encourage, to give them ideas what to work on next to increase their repertoire of hymns.
ReplyDeleteThank you! This is so helpful. I found it on google.
ReplyDeleteGreat list! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteGreat list! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteFound through Google--thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this! I was looking for an outline like this for my piano students! You're great!
ReplyDeleteThank you for all your list. I do OK at choosing hymns (remembering sine that were my first to learn), but with the list, I don't have to flip through the book every lesson to find the next to assign to my children. Also, thanks for the hymns made easy list. I like the tips for what to point out.
ReplyDeleteOMG!! This is great!! Thanks once again for sharing your genius!!
ReplyDeleteGreat list! I've been looking for something like this for my piano students. THANKS!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the list!
ReplyDeleteThank you for compiling and sharing!!! Years later, this is still a valuable post!
ReplyDeleteNancy, do you know of something like this list for organists beginning to use pedals?
ReplyDeleteSuggestion for Wendy T: check the Brigham Young University organ workshop info for a list of 6 levels.
ReplyDeleteNancy, I'd like to include your list in a handout I'm preparing for 2019 UtahMTA state conference on using hymns as part of the piano repertoire in lessons. May I do so? Also, I've noted which hymns were designated as hymns to be included in every language/hymn book throughout the world. Thanks for creating such a great list! Saved me a lot of time when I discovered this one day through Art of Piano Pedagogy Fb group!
This is fantastic! I'm a teacher, trying to teach more people at church to play the hymns, so it isn't always me! Actually, I don't mind playing at all, but I know this skill is great for our youth!
ReplyDeleteTerri
I'm sorry I didn't get notification from Blogger on these last two comments. I do hope that you used my lists for the UMTA Conference. And I will just state here that anyone can use and distribute these lists as needed for teaching in the piano studio, just as my copyright on the blog says anything here may be copied for teaching in the church and home.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! You are correct- I googled it, and there was your page. Wonderful
ReplyDeleteThank you from 2022. It was more a trial and error approach. Maybe a suggestion but I would add more Sacrament hymns. Most are slow and easier to play than what we use for intermediate hymn to wake people up.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this! Amazingly helpful!!
ReplyDeleteGoogle found this great resource for me 10 years later! Thank you!! (I am an accidental teacher (have taught for years and years prior). Couldn't say no to this wonderful lady whose husband helps me so much in by hauling away yard debris that I work so hard to produce.)
ReplyDeleteGreat List. There are lots of other popular hymns that are pretty challenging. 223 Have I done any Good. 89 The Lord is my Light. 1 The Morning Breaks are just a few examples. It takes hours and hours of organ time to get these hymns sounding good.
ReplyDeleteThank you! My 17 year old son is working on hymns to play in Seminary class and this will help him choose hymns to learn.
ReplyDelete