If you want a clean, legible copy to practice with, here are the best options:
For the uninitiated, John Thompson’s Modern Course for the Piano (Grade 2) is the awkward middle child of piano learning. Grade 1 introduces the landscape. Grade 2 introduces attitude. It moves beyond five-finger positions, throws in syncopation, and famously includes pieces with dramatic titles like “The Gypsy Camp” and “The Spider’s Web.”
Thompson had a gift for narrative. Even without lyrics, his pieces sound like small stories—slightly dated, aggressively modal, but structurally sound. Grade 2 is where students learn to cross their thumb under, play scales hands-together, and feel like they are making real music, not just exercises. If you want a clean, legible copy to
The Grade 2 book is a leap forward. Key concepts include:
Famous pieces in Grade 2 include simplified arrangements of: Famous pieces in Grade 2 include simplified arrangements
Your first stop: the public library.
Hal Leonard (current publisher) sells ePrint versions of John Thompson books. This is the closest legal equivalent to a
This is the closest legal equivalent to a “free PDF” – except you pay a small fee and receive a pristine, high-resolution, fully indexed file.