The Hourglass Ben Crosland Sheet Music Page
The piano/voice/guitar piece "The Hourglass" by Ben Crosland is a gentle, lyrical song that suits intimate performances, worship settings, and reflective solo recitals. Below is a concise, actionable blog post designed to help musicians find, learn, and perform the song from available sheet music.
Due to copyright laws, you will not find legal, high-quality versions of this piece on free user-upload sites (and those that exist are often riddled with errors or missing articulations). To obtain the official The Hourglass Ben Crosland sheet music, use the following legitimate sources:
(Right Hand)
C E G C (rising arpeggio)
A C E G (descending reply)
(Melody enters)
E F G A G F E...
(Left Hand)
C (octave) – sustained or gently repeated
F (octave) – bass support
Both platforms offer digital downloads. Search for “Ben Crosland – The Hourglass.” You can usually print it instantly or view it on a tablet.
The piece follows a simple ternary form (ABA):
If you need a specific arrangement (piano score, guitar tab, SATB choir, or transposed key), say which format and vocal range you prefer and I’ll provide a suggested outline and chord chart to match.
Ben Crosland's "The Hourglass" is a standout piece for pianists looking for modern, introspective music that balances technical accessibility with emotional depth. Frequently described as "tender" and "mysterious," it has gained significant popularity on platforms like Spotify and is a staple in Crosland's collection titled "7" published by Editions Musica Ferrum. Musical Style and Mood
Genre: The piece is firmly rooted in the Modern Classical and New Age genres.
Atmosphere: Reviewers and listeners often highlight its "quiet reflection" and "understated optimism". It carries a sense of poignant nostalgia and "longing for something bygone".
Compositional Voice: Crosland uses a contemporary harmonic language that is described as "dreamy and reflective". Sheet Music Technical Details The Hourglass Ben Crosland Sheet Music
Difficulty Level: Generally categorized as Intermediate (roughly Grade 4 to 7). While the music is "pianistically conceived," some sections may challenge those with smaller hands due to certain stretches.
Key and Format: The solo piano arrangement is typically written in the key of E Major.
Length: The piece is part of a larger album where works typically range from four to seven pages. Where to Find the Sheet Music The Hourglass - Ben Crosland | Tender mysterious piano
Sheet music for "The Hourglass" by British composer Ben Crosland
is primarily available as a digital download for solo piano or as part of a printed collection titled 7. The piece is known for its "mysterious exoticism" and neoclassical style. Sheet Music Options
Digital Downloads: You can find individual digital arrangements of "The Hourglass" for piano solo on Musicnotes. Printed Collections : It is the lead piece in the songbook 7: for Solo Piano
, published by Editions Musica Ferrum. This collection includes six other works such as "Memento" and "On the Carousel".
Retailers: Physical copies of the 7 collection are available through major music retailers like Sheet Music Plus and Stretta Music. Performance Insights
Difficulty: The piece is generally considered suitable for intermediate players.
Style: It features a dark, mysterious waltz-like atmosphere with an "other-worldly vibe". The piano/voice/guitar piece "The Hourglass" by Ben Crosland
Compositional Note: Crosland often draws inspiration from the countryside around his hometown of Worcester, resulting in a unique voice in the modern classical genre.
The Hourglass is a popular minimalistic solo piano composition by British composer Ben Crosland. It gained significant mainstream attention after being featured in a worldwide Revolut advertising campaign in 2025. Sheet Music Availability
You can find the official sheet music for "The Hourglass" through the following retailers and platforms:
Musicnotes: Offers the digital sheet music for piano solo in the original key of E-flat Major. It includes interactive features like in-app transposition and audio playback.
Musica Ferrum: The piece is part of a 7-work collection titled 7, published by Editions Musica Ferrum. This collection is specifically designed for intermediate players.
Sheet Music Plus: Sells the physical softcover collection 7, which includes "The Hourglass" along with other popular tracks like "The Turn" and "On the Carousel".
Scribd: Provides a PDF preview and digital access to the "7" collection, featuring performance notes that describe the piece as a "dark, mysterious waltz with an other-worldly vibe". Composition Context Style: A tender, slow waltz in the Modern Classical genre.
Performance Note: The composer suggests experimenting with a felted piano sound to enhance its contemplative and introspective atmosphere.
Success: The track has amassed nearly 40 million streams on Spotify as of late 2025.
Headline: Time, Gravity, and the Geometry of Sound 🌊⏳ (Left Hand) C (octave) – sustained or gently
There is sheet music that asks you to play the right notes, and then there is sheet music that asks you to paint a landscape you’ve never seen.
Ben Crosland’s "The Hourglass" is firmly the latter.
When you first look at the page, you aren't met with frantic complexity, but with a deceptive simplicity. It’s a piece that teaches us a vital lesson about musicianship: Emotion often lies in the space between the notes.
The Architecture of the Piece The brilliance of this composition is found in its harmonic structure. It doesn’t just move; it cascades. The left hand often provides a rolling, oceanic anchor—a steady, hypnotic pulse—while the right hand weaves a melody that feels both nostalgic and hopeful.
It is called "The Hourglass" for a reason. As you play through the measures, there is a palpable sense of gravity. You can feel the sand slipping through the neck of the glass. It creates a specific tension: the desire to hold onto a moment versus the inevitability of time moving forward.
A Technical Meditation For the pianist, this piece is a masterclass in dynamics and rubato. It forces you to ask: How softly can I strike this key and still make it sing? It requires a touch that is weightless, yet deliberate. If you play it too mechanically, the "sand" stops flowing; it becomes a rhythm exercise. But if you breathe into the phrases, letting the tempo stretch and contract like a living thing, the piece opens up. It becomes a meditation on transience.
Why it matters In a world of fast-paced virtuosity and "flashy" runs, "The Hourglass" stands as a testament to the power of the Neoclassical genre. It proves that you don’t need to be loud to be heard, and you don’t need to be fast to be moving.
If you have the sheet music on your stand, don’t just read the notes. Read the silence. Read the decay of the sustain pedal.
Let the sand fall where it may.
Discussion: For those who have learned this piece: How do you approach the balance between the rolling bass and the melody? Do you find it melancholic, or is there a sense of peace in the "passing of time" for you? Let’s discuss in the comments. 👇
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