Piano chords · Old-time stride
How to play Krakowiak (Darling Maiden, Hark, I Ask Thee) on piano
By Polish Folksong
- Eb major
- 2/4
- 92 BPM
- I–V7–I–V7 loop
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Krakowiak (Darling Maiden, Hark, I Ask Thee) in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Eb – Bb7 – Eb – Bb7
How it goes
Krakowiak (Darling Maiden, Hark, I Ask Thee) sits in Eb major: Eb is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Eb is Eb, G and Bb; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EbIBb7V7EbIBb7V7- EbEb · G · Bb
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- 2
Left hand: Polka oom-pah
How it goes
One bass note and three quick chords: a bouncy polka. Musicians call it bass + chords (2/4) (stride & boom-chick), a medium pattern heard in 86 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Polka-hop chords
How it goes
Chords only on the “ands” in a quick two-beat bar: the “pah” of a polka. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 92 BPM
How it goes
Put the two hands together over the loop. Start at half speed with the player's speed control, and bring it up once every change is easy.
- 5
Ending: Eb – Bb7 – Eb
How it goes
The last chords are I – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
EbBb7Eb
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Questions about Krakowiak (Darling Maiden, Hark, I Ask Thee)
What chords are in Krakowiak (Darling Maiden, Hark, I Ask Thee)?
The loop is Eb – Bb7 – Eb – Bb7 (I – V7 – I – V7) in Eb major, and the song ends on Eb – Bb7 – Eb.
What key is Krakowiak (Darling Maiden, Hark, I Ask Thee) in?
Eb major, at about 92 beats a minute in 2/4.
What does the left hand play in Krakowiak (Darling Maiden, Hark, I Ask Thee)?
Polka oom-pah: bass + chords (2/4), a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Krakowiak (Darling Maiden, Hark, I Ask Thee) easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.