classy-call scavenger hunt

I'm starting a classical music thread for the purpose of getting ideas on new music to check out.

Here are some guidelines:

I prefer music that is Beethoven and later (stuff that isn't exceptionally "straight-laced" so to speak). I would really like to find some piano music, as much of what I've gotten lately is orchestral, or strings, concertos, etc. I have a whole lot of Chopin, Debussy, Ravel, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, to narrow it down slightly.

So throw out some ideas, if you have any, and I appreciate any responses!

Would you be interested in any Japanese opera?

not piano but i can highly recommend Mi Vlast by Bedrich Smetana, it means "my homeland" and Die Maldau is particularly good. Will have a ponder and see what else i can think of

The works of Franz Lizst, he is quite possibly the greatest technical piano player in history. He's like Beethoven but much more energetic and passionate.

Eh, I'm not much into opera, but thanks for posting.

Yeah, I have The Moldau (very good), but not the rest of Ma Vlast.

I also have a few Liszt pieces, but I haven't found anything of his yet that really "does it for me," but I might try some more of his work.

The reason I'm really interested in piano music is that I've been in a sort of a slump lately with my playing. (I'm somewhere in the intermediate range.) I start lessons again on Monday. I'm also hoping to find something new that will inspire my own writing.

Maybe I'll look for some piano music of Smetana's.

Thanks for the suggetions...keep' em coming! :D