The Best Piano Pieces from Film: What They’re Like to Play

There’s a specific kind of magic to sitting down at the piano and playing something you recognise from a film. It bypasses all the usual questions about whether you’re playing it well enough — the emotional connection is already there. Even a slightly wobbly version of the Comptine d’un Autre Été theme still sounds like Amélie.

This is a guide to the most loved film piano pieces, with honest notes on what each one actually requires to play. I’ve included ABRSM grade equivalents throughout, because “it’s accessible to all levels” is the most useless thing anyone can say about a piece of music.

River Flows in You — Yiruma

Originally from: Used in various films and TV but closely associated with the Twilight audience Grade equivalent: ~Grade 4–5 for a simplified arrangement; Grade 5–6 for the original score

River Flows in You is the most searched-for contemporary piano piece, and there’s a reason: it sounds beautiful, it sounds like something a pianist would play, and it’s learnable. The original Yiruma score is around Grade 5–6 — the left hand requires consistent broken chord patterns while the right hand carries a singing melody.

The good news is that there are dozens of simplified arrangements that keep the essence of the piece at Grade 3–4 level. Worth learning — but go for the real score eventually.

Comptine d’un Autre Été (Amélie) — Yann Tiersen

Grade equivalent: ~Grade 4–5 original; simplified arrangements from Grade 2–3

Probably the most played film piano piece in music schools across Europe. The main theme is built around a simple repeating left hand pattern with the melody in the right — accessible once you have the coordination, but the left hand pattern runs for the entire piece and gets tiring if your wrist isn’t relaxed. The full piece is around Grade 4–5 and has a more demanding middle section most simplified versions cut.

Dawn (Pride & Prejudice) — Dario Marianelli

Grade equivalent: ~Grade 4–5

The opening of this film is almost entirely piano, and the piece has a wonderful early-morning, barely-awake quality. Light touch, gentle dynamics, very little complexity in the notes themselves. The challenge is making it sound genuinely soft and floaty rather than just quiet. Around Grade 4–5 — a beautiful project for intermediate players who want something that sounds impressive without being technically brutal.

Una Mattina (The Intouchables) — Ludovico Einaudi

Grade equivalent: ~Grade 5–6

Einaudi’s pieces look simpler than they are. Una Mattina has a slow-moving, meditative quality — the challenge is sustaining that stillness through several minutes of playing without it becoming flat or mechanical. The original is around Grade 5–6. The pedalling is important: too much and it blurs, too little and it sounds dry.

The Heart Asks Pleasure First (The Piano) — Michael Nyman

Grade equivalent: ~Grade 6–7

This is the one that catches people out. It looks like a repeating pattern — and it is — but the rhythm is relentless and the tempo is fast. The piece requires real rhythmic precision and finger stamina. Around Grade 6–7. Worth learning but don’t underestimate it. Hearing Holly Hunter play it in the film makes it look effortless. It isn’t.

Mia and Sebastian’s Theme (La La Land) — Justin Hurwitz

Grade equivalent: ~Grade 5–6

One of the more recent additions to the film piano canon and completely deserving of its place. The theme is built around a jazz-influenced harmonic progression with a flowing, lyrical melody. Grade 5–6 for the main version — manageable for intermediate players. The challenge is giving it the right swing and ease; it should feel unhurried even when the notes are moving.

Maestro (The Holiday) — Hans Zimmer

Grade equivalent: ~Grade 4–5

A lovely, understated piece that not enough people know about. Simple harmonic progression, a gentle singing melody, and a warm romantic atmosphere. Around Grade 4–5. One of the better options if you want something that sounds like a film score but won’t take months to get through.

Forrest Gump Main Theme — Alan Silvestri

Grade equivalent: ~Grade 3–4

Gentle, open, and surprisingly simple — the main theme has a childlike quality that suits the character perfectly. Around Grade 3–4 for the basic version. A good choice for earlier intermediate players who want something recognisable.

Interstellar Main Theme — Hans Zimmer

Grade equivalent: ~Grade 5–6 for a simplified version; Grade 6–7 for the full arrangement

The Interstellar main theme is built around a ticking rhythmic pattern with a huge dynamic range — from very quiet to very loud. The original is atmospheric and demanding. Simplified piano versions exist around Grade 5–6, and they’re worth learning. The full arrangement with the organ-like chords is more like Grade 6–7.

Godfather Waltz — Nino Rota

Grade equivalent: ~Grade 5–6

The waltz theme from The Godfather is one of those pieces that immediately fills a room. It has a brooding, minor-key quality and a beautiful melody. Around Grade 5–6. The challenge is the slightly melancholic, restrained feel — it’s not a dramatic piece, it’s an understated one, and playing it too loud kills the atmosphere.

Pieces on the List Worth Skipping for Now

The Firm, American Beauty — these are primarily orchestral mood pieces. Piano arrangements exist but they don’t translate as well to solo piano as the pieces above.

Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Lord of the Rings — iconic, yes. But these are orchestral set-pieces and solo piano arrangements don’t quite land in the same way. Worth trying if you love them, but they’re not the best use of practice time compared to the pieces above that were written with piano in mind.

Where to Start

If you’re around Grade 3–4: Forrest Gump theme, Maestro (The Holiday), simplified Comptine d’un Autre Été

If you’re around Grade 4–5: Dawn (Pride & Prejudice), River Flows in You (simplified), Una Mattina

If you’re around Grade 5–6: Comptine d’un Autre Été (original), Mia and Sebastian’s Theme, Godfather Waltz, Interstellar (simplified)

If you’re around Grade 6–7: The Heart Asks Pleasure First, Interstellar (full), more demanding Einaudi

A Note on Arrangements

For most film pieces, simplified arrangements are absolutely worth using — especially early on. The goal is to get the piece sounding like something, and a well-made simplified arrangement usually does that better than a stumbling attempt at the original. Once you can play the simplified version cleanly, move to the original if you want to.

The pieces I’d always play in the original rather than simplified: Dawn from Pride & Prejudice (the original is genuinely accessible), Maestro from The Holiday, and Mia and Sebastian’s Theme. These are already at a manageable level. Everything else on this list — start simplified, then upgrade.

You might also like:

• 10 Easy Classical Piano Pieces for Intermediate Pianists
• What Piano Grade Am I? A Practical Guide for Adult Learners
• How Long Does It Really Take to Learn a Piano Piece?