Your Favorite Piano Pieces

[B. Goren.]

Since I became interested in music, I loved pieces written specifically for piano. There are wonderful pieces of classical music written specifically for piano and I will mention a few of my favorite.

Many pianists consider the 32 piano sonatas written by Beethoven as their bible. Among all these sonatas, my favorite are the storm sonata (sonata # 17) and sonata # 8 (the Pathétique).

Of all the works of JS Bach I especially like the 6 partitas and to be more specific, Partita # 2. I have in my collection 2 great performances of this Partita: Glenn Gould and Martha Argerich.

Claud Debussy also wrote some masterpieces for piano. I consider the Suite Bergamasque to be the highlight of his piano works. Another favorite work for piano written by Debussy is " Cloches à travers les feuilles" (Bells through the leaves).

I can't write about piano pieces without mentioning Robert Schumann. Of all his piano works, my favorite is the "Kreisleriana".

I still have a long list of favorite piano pieces but at this point I'd love to read what other forum members like.

[Rooster_Ties]

I've always found Charles Ives' solo piano work to be nothing short of amazing. I've got about 5 or 6 discs worth (with some overlap, but not a lot), and it never fails to engage me deeply.

As far as specific pieces, I'm pretty partial to Paul Hindemith's Ludus Tonalis (1942), an hour-long work with great gobs of 20th century counterpoint. Also Dmitri Shostakovich's 24 Preludes and Fugues (1950/51), again, because of the fugal-writing in a 20th century harmonic context.

Practically all my classical CD's are 1,000 miles away from me at the moment, or I could identify a few more (as well as some specific Ives pieces), but I'll try and revisit this thread when I get to DC in a month or so.

[Spontooneous]

Beethoven, Diabelli Variations.

Schumann, Fantasy in C, Fantasiestuecke.

Brahms, Op. 118.

Debussy's Preludes and Etudes.

Schoenberg's Op. 11 and Webern's Variations.

The first four Sonatinas by Busoni.

Szymanowski's Masques, Metopes and Mazurkas.

[Teasing the Korean]

Ravel's Sonatine.

[B. Goren.]

I'll add some more of my favorite piano pieces:

• 
  
  
• Mozart: piano sonatas.
  
• Felix Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words.
  
• Schubert :4 Impromptus.
  
• Franz Liszt: Transcendental Etudes.
  
• Maurice Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit.
  

[Daniel A]

Le Tombeau de Couperin by Maurice Ravel.

[mikeweil]

Paul Hindemith - In einer Nacht

Arthur Honneger - Toccata et Variations

Robert Schumann - Fantasiestücke op.12 (but only by Jörg Demus on a Graf Fortepiano like the one the Schumanns owned)

several pieces by Ravel and Debussy (only in their own recordings)

[7/4]

Since I became interested in music, I loved pieces written specifically for piano. There are wonderful pieces of classical music written specifically for piano and I will mention a few of my favorite.

Of all the works of JS Bach I especially like the 6 partitas and to be more specific, Partita # 2. I have in my collection 2 great performances of this Partita: Glenn Gould and Martha Argerich.

But I thought the piano didn't exist in Bach's time!

Lemmie see, what do I like............. Piano music by La Monte Young (the Well Tuned Piano), Terry Riley, Debussy, Schoenberg, Ravel, Morton Feldman, Messiaen. John Cage's music for prepared piano.

I've been getting more exposure to Beethoven's piano music, that's nice but not at the top of my list.

edit to add Messiaen, Cage and Feldman.

Edited May 13, 2011 by 7/4

[B. Goren.]

Since I became interested in music, I loved pieces written specifically for piano. There are wonderful pieces of classical music written specifically for piano and I will mention a few of my favorite.

Of all the works of JS Bach I especially like the 6 partitas and to be more specific, Partita # 2. I have in my collection 2 great performances of this Partita: Glenn Gould and Martha Argerich.

But I thought the piano didn't exist in Bach's time!

You are right. I mean harpsichord (clavier).

How come nobody mentioned Chopin? Of course his Mazurkas and Nocturnes are my favorite.

Edited May 4, 2011 by B. Goren.

[EKE BBB]

Isaac Albéniz's "Suite Iberia": http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iberia_(suite)

[mikeweil]

I forgot to mention some other of my desert island piano music:

Déodat de Sévérac: Cerdana (I recommend Jean-Joel Barbier's recording)

[T.D.]

Some "modern" works:

Ligeti's solo piano music (Musica Ricercata was quoted in Kubrick's film Eyes Wide Shut) - I own the Aimard recording (Sony), but Ullen on BIS has been recommended by very respectable sources.

Morton Feldman Triadic Memories (I can vouch for Louis Goldstein's recording on Offseason Productions) and For Bunita Marcus (ditto for Hildegard Kleeb on Hat Art).

Jean Barraqué Piano Sonata (I can recommend Pi-Hsien Chen's recording on Telos, but Stefan Litwin's performance on cpo's otherwise excellent Complete Barraqué box is really sub-par).

[Michael Weiss]

20th century favorites:

Anatoly Alexandrov

4 Preludes, op. 10

Samuil Feinberg

4 Preludes, op. 8

Fantasie #2, op. 9

Suite, op. 11

3 Preludes, op. 15

Sonatas 1 - 9, and 12

Robert Helps

Shall We Dance

Ligeti

Etude #4 "Fanfares"

Etude #5 "Arc-en-ciel"

Messiaen

8 Preludes

Vingt Regards...

Nikolai Obouhov

Prelude & Prieres

Roslavets

Prelude (1915)

Sonata #2

Scriabin

Sonatas, especially #8

Preludes, especially op. 67 & 74

Etudes, esp. op. 42, #5

Vers la Flamme

Szymanowski

Etude, op. 4#2

Metopes, op. 29

Etudes, op. 33

Masques, op. 34

3rd Sonata, op. 36

Mazurkas, op. 50

2 Mazurkas, op. 62

Waltz Romantique (1925)

4 Polish Dances (1926)

[B. Goren.]

Scriabin

Sonatas, especially #8

Preludes, especially op. 67 & 74

Etudes, esp. op. 42, #5

Vers la Flamme

Scriabin is also one of my favorite composers.

[Michael Weiss]

If you like Scriabin then you should check out his disciples - Feinberg, Roslavets, Obouhov and Szymanowski!

[Guy Berger]

I'm a dilettante in this subject. I do love Beethoven's solo piano music - particularly the final 5 sonatas and the Diabelli Variations. Scriabin is brilliant as well - my faves are the last 2 sonatas. And Debussy's solo piano music is brilliant. On the other hand, Chopin doesn't really excite me.

In general I greatly prefer solo piano music to piano concertos.

[B. Goren.]

If you like Scriabin then you should check out his disciples - Feinberg, Roslavets, Obouhov and Szymanowski!

Thanks for the tip Michael. Can you recommend specific CDs?

[Rooster_Ties]

I've never cared much for Chopin myself. Too overwrought, and I've heard too many 'overly-romantic' interpretations.

[Michael Weiss]

If you like Scriabin then you should check out his disciples - Feinberg, Roslavets, Obouhov and Szymanowski!

Thanks for the tip Michael. Can you recommend specific CDs?

The Alexandrov, Obouhov and Feinberg preludes can be heard here

The Feinberg Sonatas can be heard here and here

The Szymanowski Mazurkas here

The Szymanowski Masques, Metopes and 3rd Sonata here

Edited May 12, 2011 by Michael Weiss

[B. Goren.]

If you like Scriabin then you should check out his disciples - Feinberg, Roslavets, Obouhov and Szymanowski!

Thanks for the tip Michael. Can you recommend specific CDs?

The Alexandrov, Obouhov and Feinberg preludes can be heard here

The Feinberg Sonatas can be heard here and here

The Szymanowski Mazurkas here

The Szymanowski Masques, Metopes and 3rd Sonata here

Thanks again Michael.

[Д.Д.]

I've never cared much for Chopin myself. Too overwrought, and I've heard too many 'overly-romantic' interpretations.

This is the reason why I tolerate Chopin in Sviatoslav Richter's interpretation only - not too much Romanticism there: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ-NAgDpRVs

There are two volumes of excellent solo piano works by Russian / Soviet composers on the early XX century (Roslavits, Lourie, Mossolov, Polovonkin, Protopopov) on hat[now]ART:

Then there is Leo Ornstein - very wild stuff. I have this CD - highly recommended.

[P.L.M]

Chopin: Andante Spianote e Grande Polacca Brillante op.2 (Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli)

Scriabin: prélude opus 11 (Vesselin Stanev)

Szymanowski: Masques op.34 (Michal Wesolowski)

Debussy: Jeux(Alice Adler)

Ravel: Miroirs (Alain Neveux)

Bartok: Mikromkosmos (excerpts by Bela Bartok)

Schoenberg: Suite For Piano op. 25 (Maurizio Pollini)

Berg: Sonata Für Klavier (Daniel Barenboim)

Webern: Variation Für Klavier Opus 27 (Charles Rosen)

Boulez: Troisième Sonate (idil Biret)

Ligeti: Musica Ricercata (Pierre-Laurent Aimard)

Scelsi: Preludi série I-IV (Alessandra Ammara)

Jean Barraqué: Sonate pour Piano (Herbert Henck)

Ustvolskaya: Sonata Number 3 for Piano (Oleg Malov)

Morton Feldman: Palais De Mari (Aki Takahashi)

Weston: Tessellations 1 (Leo Svirsky)

[B. Goren.]

After listening this evening to Beethoven's "Eroica Variations" (played by Glenn Gould), I think it definately can be added to the list.

[jazzbo]

I've heard some classical piano pieces all my life, but I'm really just beginning to explore.

My favorites though are pieces by Satie, Debussy, Chopin, Lizst and Beethoven.

[A Lark Ascending]

Debussy has always been the centre for me; I like Ravel in piano music too, but don't get quite the same magic.

Very fond of the piano music of John Ireland too.

Albeiniz is another favourite.

Edited June 2, 2012 by A Lark Ascending