Laterne, Laterne - Sheet Music for accordion Laternenlied

If you've always wanted to play the most famous lantern song on the accordion — here are the sheet music notes. The piece is suitable from around one year of lessons onward. The melody stays within a manageable range, and the key of C major means no sharps or flats to worry about.

Sheet Music "Laterne, Laterne" — a beloved folk melody for accordion

"Laterne, Laterne" belongs to St. Martin's Day as naturally as the lantern itself. The song's text draws on the traditional folk song "Laterne, Laterne, Sonne, Mond und Sterne," which has been a staple of St. Martin's processions in German-speaking countries since the early 20th century — composer and lyricist are not definitively known, and the song is considered traditional folk heritage. It calls on us to let our own light shine — while sparing the lantern. Whether at a lantern procession or an Advent celebration: the piece is instantly recognizable and genuinely fun to play.

On the accordion, the right hand carries the melody while the left hand handles the accompaniment using the bass and chord buttons — this is the characteristic two-manual coordination that defines the instrument. C major is a rewarding key for this: not a single accidental, everything on the white keys. The melody moves in a comfortable middle register and stays within a span of less than an octave. The piece is in 4/4 time and is played at a brisk tempo of around 120 BPM — giving the song its typical march-like character. The phrasing follows the natural speech rhythm of the lyrics, which makes the melody easy to sing along with and quick to memorize. That said, the piece does present real challenges: coordinating both hands simultaneously, and maintaining deliberate bellows control — the bellows should be drawn or pushed steadily, without interrupting the melodic flow during direction changes. For beginners in their first year of lessons, this is a genuine task, but an achievable one. There are also occasional larger melodic intervals that demand reliable accuracy in hitting the right keys.

• Range: c' to a'
• Ideal for: lantern processions, St. Martin's Day, kindergarten Advent celebrations

Practicing the left hand on its own first — just bass and chord buttons, without the melody — quickly shows how automatic it can become. Alongside this, it's well worth practicing bellows control deliberately: simply draw and push the bellows evenly without fingering any notes, until the motion feels natural. After that, coordinating with the right hand will feel much more relaxed. The larger melodic leaps will land most reliably if you work through them slowly a few times before bringing the tempo up. The piece is only nine bars long — which means quick wins are all but guaranteed.

A short audio demo is available — great for getting a sense of how the piece sounds on the accordion before you buy. The sheet music is available for immediate download after purchase. 100% licensed — ready to play legally, right away.

Editorially reviewed by the notendownload.com team