About this song
Known in German as Hänschen klein, the story of a little boy who leaves home and returns a grown man. 'Lightly Row' is among the first melodies every piano method book teaches, and it works beautifully on any instrument.
Play it in MIDI Room
This is a simplified single-line arrangement so you can hear the melody instantly. To play the full piece with a piano roll, multi-track view, tempo control and A/B practice looping, use the main MIDI Player Online tool with your own MIDI file.
Frequently asked questions
Can I play Lightly Row (Hänschen Klein) online in my browser?
Yes. Use the demo player above to hear this public-domain Traditional childhood song melody instantly, or drop your own MIDI file into the MIDI Player Online tool for full piano-roll playback, tempo control and A/B practice looping. Everything runs locally in your browser — no upload, account or install.
Who composed Lightly Row (Hänschen Klein)?
Lightly Row (Hänschen Klein) is Traditional German folk song (Traditional childhood song). It is in the public domain, so it can be freely arranged, performed and used.
What key is Lightly Row (Hänschen Klein) usually played in?
This arrangement is written in C major. The demo above uses that key so you can hear the melody as traditionally performed.
Is a MIDI file version of Lightly Row (Hänschen Klein) available?
Instead of downloading a file, you can hear the melody right here with the built-in player. To practice it, set a slow tempo and use the A/B loop to repeat a section. You can also export or record any MIDI you play from the main MIDI Room player.