Piano pieces from the Baroque era’s complexities, Viennese Classicism’s elegance, and the Romantic era’s intensity represent some of the best, most beautiful, and famous classical solo piano works ever written. As a pianist and composer of over 20 years, I’m certain the pieces below deserve their place on this list.
Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 9, No. 2 – Frédéric Chopin
Chopin composed this piece between 1930 and 1932 when the legendary virtuoso was just around 20 years old. The Nocturne in E-flat major comes from a set of three that he dedicated to one of his students, Marie Pleyel.
Nocturne in E-flat major is an incredibly moving piece and is now Chopin’s most famous work. It’s also full of youthful enthusiasm with no shortage of drama. The finale’s dramatic trills and waltz-like accompaniment create an emotion-packed climax.
Nocturne in E-flat major is a piece that almost dares the pianist to express themselves. In this case, the overwhelming emotion may be determined to some extent by the performer’s mood. Of course, I’m talking about the nuances of articulation rather than any significant changes.
Whether Chopin would approve of how any pianist interprets this work today is another matter, as he’s known to have been a harsh critic when comparing students to his immaculate standards.
Clair de Lune – Claude Debussy
You don’t have to be a classical music lover to appreciate the rare beauty of Claude Debussy’s Clair de Lune. Even if you don’t recognize the title, you know the composition; it’s featured in many movies and TV shows, notably a famous scene from the blockbuster Ocean’s Eleven.
Clair de Lune is one of the most romantic and dreamy classical piano compositions ever written. Although full of romance, the piece is also sad, reflective, and mournful over what might have been. A Paul Verlaine poem that discusses the sad but beautiful light of the moon is the inspiration for Clair de Lune.
Debussy is one of my favorite composers, and this particular piece taught me a lot about patience and ignoring the temptation to rush. The B section transitioning from Fm (iii chord) to Fb/Ab is a beautiful highlight before the piece modulates.
Aspiring pianists will be glad to hear that Debussy’s ethereal classic isn’t the most technically challenging piece on the list. The downside is that playing the right notes is never enough; playing them with feeling is what matters here.
Goldberg Variations – Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach is possibly the most important and influential classical composer ever. Although Bach’s work is often featured among the most significant piano pieces, he was not primarily a pianist. The Baroque era composer was a multi-instrumentalist, playing organ, harpsichord, viola, and violin to exceptionally high standards.
His works for keyboards aren’t just beautiful; they are milestones for technical excellence for piano students everywhere. Bach composed many significant works, including sonatas, concertos, suites, and cantatas. However, his Goldberg Variations are undoubtedly among his most important compositions.
The Goldberg Variations take a simple theme and develop it over 30 variations. Each variation gets increasingly more complex and less familiar.
Canadian pianist Glenn Gould’s recordings are widely considered the gold standard performances of Bach’s variations. If you have time to listen to the entire thing, it’s astounding, and if you’re like me, it will remind you that your technique needs some work!
Piano Sonata No. 14 – Ludwig van Beethoven
Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor became better known as Moonlight Sonata after his death. The name Moonlight Sonata comes from the German poet Ludwig Rellstab, who said the first movement was akin to a boat floating in the moonlight on Lake Lucerne. This comparison came in 1830, almost three decades after Beethoven premiered the sonata.
The first movement of Moonlight Sonata is one of the most recognizable pieces of classical music ever. Despite its apparent romantic quality, the dark tones and strong octaves in the left hand also evoke feelings of despair and mystery.
If there’s ever a piece of music that confirms beauty doesn’t have to be complex, it’s Moonlight Sonata. It’s such a moving composition, and if you’re an aspiring pianist, I suggest tackling the first movement; it’s not too tricky, and the joy you’ll get from playing it is incredible.
The first movement can teach all composers not to fear simplicity; it’s never a sign of weakness. The second and third movements get increasingly more complex as the piece progresses. The entire sonata is around 15 minutes long, and I’d encourage you to listen from start to finish, especially if you’re less familiar with the second and third movements.
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C minor – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozart composed his Piano Sonata No. 14 in C minor in 1784; Artaria published it the following year. The piece has three movements and lasts around 18 minutes: Molto Allegro, Adagio, and Allegro Assai.
This sonata has lots of contrast, with bold octaves and techniques taken from the Mannheim school leading into the more tranquil second movement. The dramatic flair returns in the third and final movement, which, although short, has significant impact and tension.
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C minor is one of just six sonatas Mozart composed during his Vienna years and one of only two written in a minor key. Many people consider the choice of key to be a significant decision that suggests the piece was more personal to Mozart than most.
Although published along with Fantasia No. 4 in C minor as the same opus, it’s not certain that Mozart intended them to be played together. Mozart occasionally played the pieces separately.
Prelude and Fugue in C major – Johann Sebastian Bach
Prelude and Fugue in C major from Book 1 of The Well-Tempered Clavier is another example of the beauty that often lies in simplicity.
This piece is far removed from some of the more technically challenging works from Bach. Despite its relative simplicity, this piece and the other 47 in books one and two of The Well-Tempered Clavier remain some of the most innovative and influential keyboard works ever.
Johann Sebastian Bach wrote the first book in 1722, changing the entire landscape for piano composition over the following centuries.
Book one’s Prelude and Fugue in C major is bright and melodic; the flowing arpeggiated chords create a peaceful and tranquil mood. Sadly, some pianists overlook this prelude as too simple, but I consider it a seminal piece for beginners and a joy to play at any level.
Each book opens with a prelude in C major and closes with a fugue in B minor.
Intermezzo in A major, Op. 118 No. 2 – Johannes Brahms
Intermezzo in A major is the second of Brahms Six Pieces for Piano, Op. 118, completed in 1893. Brahms dedicated these works to Clara Schumann, and they showcase a more tender side of the renowned virtuoso. Intermezzo in A major is one of the best-loved short pieces of the Romantic era.
It has a different kind of intensity than his more virtuosic pieces; it is melancholic and heart-wrenching. Depending on how you approach it, the piece embodies yearning for something you can’t have or regret for something you once lost.
As much as it’s steeped in nostalgia, pain, and sadness, it’s undeniably beautiful. Despite departing from his more virtuosic style, Brahms later works, this piece in particular, highlight the intensely emotive character of the Romantic era.
Intermezzo in A major is a fantastic piece for intermediate players to tackle; it’s an immersive emotional experience that teaches much about expression.
Sonata in A major – Franz Schubert
Schubert wrote Sonata in A major just a few months before he died in September 1828. It is the second of his final three sonatas.
Although written in 1928, Schubert’s final piano sonatas remained unpublished for over a decade until his brother sold the manuscript to the publisher Diabelli in 1839. The works were dedicated to Robert Schumann, one of Schubert’s most illustrious supporters.
Schubert experimented with cyclic devices and recurring movements in the later stages of his career and life. Schubert also challenged the typical sonata form with repeating rhythmic fragments and bold harmonies, creating dramatic and contrasting emotional shifts.
Sonata in A major is a great example of Schubert’s late style; you can hear the opening sequence re-emerge in the slow movement. As bold and daring as Schubert became, his love for re-using various elements in different ways throughout maintains a sense of familiarity.
Fantasie in C, Op. 17 – Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann’s Fantasie in C is another piece that wasn’t published immediately. Schumann wrote Fantasie in C in 1836, and after some revision, it was published in 1839. He dedicated the piece to Franz Liszt; despite voicing opposing views on several issues concerning musicians, there was always mutual respect between the two virtuosos that turned into a friendship.
Fantasie in C, Op. 17, is one of the most significant works of the early Romantic era. It has three movements, the first of which is passionate with cascading runs and a sweet melody. Schumann wrote it to express his longing to be reunited with Clara Wieck (Clara Schumann).
The second movement is grand and majestic, leading to a slow, somber, and reflective final movement. Although dedicated to Liszt when published, Schumann intended to offer the piece as a contribution to the Bonn, Beethoven monument fund in 1836.
Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat major, Op. 106 – Ludwig van Beethoven
Beethoven wrote his Sonata No. 29, better known as Hammerklavier, in 1817 (published in 1818). The name Hammerklavier is German for pianoforte and comes from Beethoven’s wish to replace Italian terms with German.
The Hammerklavier is widely considered one of Beethoven’s most challenging piano pieces and perhaps the most important of his third period. It’s one of the most physically demanding solo works of the Classical era. It’s fitting that the first documented performance, in 1836, was by Franz Liszt.
Hammerklavier has four movements, mirroring the structure of Beethoven’s earlier sonatas. In contrast to the earlier works, the Scherzo (light and playful) comes before the Adagio (slow). It’s not just the technical difficulty that makes Hammerklavier a physically demanding task; performances typically take around 40 to 45 minutes.
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 35 – Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric Chopin’s Piano Sonata No.2 in B-flat minor is one of the Polish composer’s most famous solo piano works. Chopin completed the sonata in 1839 while living with the French novelist and journalist George Sand. The sonata was published a year later, in 1840.
Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor has four movements, the most popular being the third, Chopin’s Funeral March (Marche Funébre). Interestingly, the Funeral March was written several years before the sonata was completed and remains (on its own) one of Chopin’s most popular compositions.
Despite its popularity, Chopin’s Sonata No. 2 had harsh critics, none more notable than Robert Schumann, who said Chopin couldn’t handle the sonata form. Nonetheless, this sonata, clearly influenced by Bach and Beethoven, is remarkable.
Années de pèlerinage – Franz Liszt
Years of Pilgrimage, or Années de pèlerinage in French, is a collection of three suites for solo piano. These works are the second of Liszt’s major piano cycles and a clear example of his virtuosic prowess and experimental mindset.
Liszt prefaces pieces with literary passages from writers like Senancour and Byron; the link between the romantic literature of the time and Liszt’s broadening horizons is clear. Lizst spoke of traveling to many new countries and how the history of those places stirred deep emotions in his soul that he tried to embody in his music.
The first two suites are virtuosic masterpieces, works that could only come from Franz Lizst. The third and final suite of the cycle is more a study of harmonic experimentation. Years of Pilgrimage is a highly personal work and a window into the soul of a true master.
Conclusion
It’s hard to match the grandeur of the greatest piano concertos with a single instrument, but the solo works on this list are no less significant. These pieces each mark important milestones in the composer’s lives and the musical development of piano students everywhere. It’s an absolute joy to revisit them, and I hope you enjoy these masterpieces.
