Piano chords · Waltz garden

How to play The English Patient on piano

By Gabriel Yared

Tuning the piano…

Learn it

Learn The English Patient in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: C – Bm – A – Am
The English Patient sits in D major: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: C is C, E and G; Bm is B, D and F#; A is A, C# and E; Am is A, C and E. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
CbVIIBmviAVAmv
- CC · E · G
- BmB · D · F#
- AA · C# · E
- AmA · C · E
2
Left hand: Oom-pah-pah
One strong beat and two light ones: a dance in three. Musicians call it waltz oom-pah-pah (waltz), an easy pattern heard in 526 songs of the library.
Oom-pah-pahWaltz · WaltzLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Waltz chords
A chord on each of the three beats: a simple waltz. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Waltz chordsBlock chords · WaltzRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 100 BPM
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: G – A – D
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GAD
- GG · B · D
- DD · F# · A

What chords are in The English Patient?

The loop is C – Bm – A – Am (bVII – vi – V – v) in D major, and the song ends on G – A – D.

What key is The English Patient in?

D major, at about 100 beats a minute in 3/4.

What does the left hand play in The English Patient?

Oom-pah-pah: waltz oom-pah-pah, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is The English Patient easy to play on piano?

Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 4 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.

Made from 3 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.