Once Upon A Piano

Pianistic Stories for

Early-Elementary Level
Students

Austin Stout
AustinStoutMusic
 Table of Contents
Chapter One: Rapunzel
Let Down Your Hair...........page 4
Chapter Two: The Frog Prince
Green Frog Blues.............page 5-6
Chapter Three: Cinderella
Cinderellas Waltz......................page 7
Chapter Four: Hansel and Gretel
Breadcrumbs.........................page 8
Gingerbread House...................page 9-10
Chapter Five: The Three Little Pigs
The Big Bad Wolf.......................page 11-12
Chapter Six: Pinocchio
Little Wooden Puppet Boy..................page 13-14
Chapter Seven: The Reluctant Dragon
A Not So Fearsome Dragon..................page 15-16
Epilogue
Tell Your Own Tale................................page 17
 4

Rapunzel
Let Down Your Hair Austin Stout

3
Pleading q = 120

&4 . .

1

F Re - pun - zel, Re - pun - zel, let down your hair! Let it fall down from your tow'r.

? 3 1
4

& .
.
I will climb up to your tow - er room, where I will re - scue you from!

2011
5

The Frog Prince

Green Frog Blues Austin Stout

4 3
& 4 b b b b
F It ain't eas - y
2
bei - ing green. Not when you're a small frog!

?4
4

& b b
w

Wait - ing here, for a kiss, All the live long day!

2011
 6

& b b b b b b w
____ I sing the green frog Blues I sing the green frog blues.

15

& b b b b

____ It ain't eas - y bei - ing green. Not when you're a small frog!

19

& b b w
Wait - ing here, for a kiss, from a prin - cess!

Frog's Challenge: Dynamics are how loud or soft you play. This piece starts out at mezzo-forte (mf). Can you fill in
dynamics for the rest of the piece?
7

Cinderella
Cinderella's Waltz Austin Stout

3 ! ! ! ! !
play high on the piano

&4
1

p
? 3 4 .
4 ! !

! ! ! ! !
8

& .

? . ..
!

2011
 8

Hansel and Gretel

Breadcrumbs Austin Stout

4
Creeping Along q = 80

&4 w
3

? 44
Walk a - long, in the woods in search of some food.

! !
3

&
w
Drop - ping bread - crumbs on the ground, it will get dark soon.

? !
Teacher Duet

2011
9

Hansel and Gretel

Gingerbread House Austin Stout

4
Cheerful q = 120

&4
3

F In

Piano a clear - ing in a for - est, sits a house of ging - er - bread.

?4
1

& w

Can - dy gum - drops, choc' - late i - cing, de - co - rate the house.

Teacher
Duet

2011
 10

&
p Who
?
could live here in this nice house? Must be some - one swee - eet!

13

& w
F Let's go
knock - ing on their

door,

let's

see who lives in - side.

?
11

The Three Little Pigs

The Big Bad Wolf Austin Stout

Sneakily q=90

4
&4
play LOW on the piano

p
? 44 1 w

& w

2011
 12

&
f p
?

13

& w
f
?

Story Idea: Have your teacher read the story of the three little pigs. As the wolf approaches each Little Pig's house,
play in a different place on the piano. For the Straw Pig, play high on the piano, showing the weakness of his house.
For the Stick Pig, play in the middle of the piano. Finally, end the story with the Brick Pig at the low end of the piano.
13

Pinocchio
Little Wooden Boy Austin Stout

Happily q = 120

& 44
5

f Lit - tle wood - en pup - pet boy, dance a - round the house once more.

? 44

&
Dance a pol - ka, dance a jig, Whirl a - round and 'round a - gain.

2011
 14

&
Grow louder

p Dan - cing, dan - cing

dance some more! dan - cing, dan - cing 'round the floor!

13

& w
f Lit - tle wood - en pup - pet boy, how I wish that you were real!

?
15

The Reluctant Dragon

A Not So Fearsome Dragon Austin Stout

4
Jolly

&4 .
1

F He's

not so fear - some aft - er all, he's real - ly rath - er nice. He

? 4 4
4

&
.

likes to read and sing and play all day long. A

2011
 16

& .

f not so fear - some dra - gon he's real - ly rath - er sweet. A

? !

13

&

w
not so fear - some dra - gon He can't be beat!

?
17

_______________________
________________________

4
&4

?4
4

&

*use staff paper if longer piece is desired. _____________

 Tell Your Own Tale
1. Pick A Story! Choose a story or a character from a fairy-tale
to write about. If you wish, you can make up your own!
2. Write A Melody! Use the piano to write an original melody. Be
sure to make it as accurate as possible (correct number of beats in
each measure, fits within the hand, etc.)
3. Add Words! Choose to add lyrics (the words) to your song, or
leave them out.
4. Add Extras! How should the piece sound? Add dynamic markings,
pedaling (optional), etc.
5. Illustrate! Illustrate your piece by adding your own personal art!
6. Perform! Play your new piece!

Congratulations! You Are Now A Composer!

 More from Austin Stout
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Late Intermediate
Club Mysterious AustinStoutMusic