Classical piano music

[Pekka]

I reckon we have lots of experts here. Can you recommend me classical piano music? Sorry I don't know how to narrow down, but lately I have found myself listening few great songs and somehow I find myself crying like a little baby listening to these. I don't know why, but I do. I'm a guy who never cries, so I find this feeling pretty good. So can you recommend me any nice songs? Make me cry!

[Pekka]

Oh, and I like those sad themes. You know the ones that makes your heart ache and close your eyes.. I want those.

[Boris Godunov]

Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata is a must for you, then. In fact, I'd recommend starting with the Beethoven sonatas, especially Moonlight, Waldstein and Pathetique.

Chopin is your man for the really emotional Romantic era stuff, especially his etudes. Brahms should also be high on your list, including his ever-popular Waltz no. 15 in A, the Hungarian dances (careful, most sets are orchestrated these days), and Op. 116, 117, 118 and 119. You can get the complete Brahms solo piano works in a complete set featuring Julius Katchen, and it is superb.

You can also find Bach's keyboard works on piano, and the Glen Gould edition really can't be beat.

If you're not opposed to concertos, (piano+orchestra), Beethoven's Emperor concerto is wonderful, and Brahms's 2nd Piano Concert in D is perhaps the greatest ever written for the genre. Brahms also has beautiful works for piano and chamber ensemble, such as the Piano Quartets and the magnificent Piano Quintet in F minor.

Mozart's piano works are lovely, but they don't really stir much passion, IMO. Anna Magdalena's Notebook is the standard here.

After that, I'd check out some Debussy, Ravel and Rakhmaninov for the late 19th/early 20th century examples.

[Pekka]

Thanks a lot Boris! I'll definitely check these out..

[Zero]

I dont know if u'll like them but

Adante favori
Fur Elise
Jesus bleibet meine Freude
Moonlight Sonanata 3rd mov.
liebestraum


are the piano ones i like.

[Agathon]

For something completely different.

Bartok's 3 piano concertos are brilliant.

Bach played on the piano is also rewarding. The Canadian pianist Angela Hewitt has recently made some wonderful recordings of his keyboard music.

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Zero
Jesus bleibet meine Freude

Otherwise known as Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring." You have a piano version? It was written as a chorale...interesting! The usual keyboard transcription is for organ.

liebestraum

As opposed to Lebensraum. Not to be confused.

[DAVOUT]

I like also Frantz Liszt, particularly the Preludes and the Hungarian Rhapsodies, both of easy access.

[Zero]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov


Otherwise known as Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring." You have a piano version? It was written as a chorale...interesting! The usual keyboard transcription is for organ.

I have piano as well as various other intrsument ver.

[Jon Miller]

June is a particular favorite of mine

and the last nice peace I played (played it 5 years ago)_

Jon Miller

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
You can also find Bach's keyboard works on piano, and the Glen Gould edition really can't be beat.

Yes, his versions of Goldberg's Variation are great. If you go to a place that lets you listen to CDs, try to listen to the 50s version (57?) and the 80s version (83?).

The 80s version has a slower tempo. Some like the faster pace, others the slower one.

You'll recognise the music. Bits of it have been in lots of movies.

[Zero]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
June is a particular favorite of mine

and the last nice peace I played (played it 5 years ago)_

Jon Miller

tchaikovsky

my favorite is october

[St Leo]

You could always check out the evilest composition ever (aka Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D).

[Adalbertus]

St. Leo, what's so evil with Pachelbels Canon? It's not the worst composition ever, it's not the most difficult, it's not the most ruined by stupid musicians ...

[Japher]

Toccatta's and Fugues are awful on the piano especially Bach peices... leaving to the organ