Enlighten me with thou classic piano knowledge.

[Pete for President]

I like classical piano pieces. It helps me focus on work and art pieces. I wake up with Classic FM, but there's not enough piano on it. Give me recommendations to piano composers/pieces. I like 'em dark & bombastic or harmonious and sad, video game related is optional but not preferred. (I am aware of the FF piano collections.)

SpoilerGot some recommendations?

[krissy]

goldberg variations

[NorthernChaosGod]

Try this.

Opeth- Silhouette - YouTube

[Kossage]

As a pianist I'd recommend "Der Erlkönig" by Franz Schubert. The piano part in that lied is notoriously tricky to play but oh so rewarding. It gets bonus points for being the only piano piece to scare me so far because it has such a creepy atmosphere. If you like that "piano only" version, check out the one with a singer, too.

[nik0tine]

You will likely love Alexander Scriabin. Check out this, this and this
Not all of his music is dark, though. Some of it is absolutely gorgeous (that last piece may well be my favorite work for solo piano).

I may make more specific suggestions later, but if you like piano music you are likely to fall in love with both Chopin and Rachmaninoff, too. Check out Chopins nocturnes as well as his 24 preludes. Rachmaninoffs 24 preludes are probably right up your alley, too.

Edit: Oh! I can't believe I forgot this...

[Pete for President]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I'll give everything a listen while I work today : )

[Night Fury]

There isn't a lot of Piano in this really, but it's still absolutely gorgeous.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEa3sB-Zdxg

[Heath]

A bit late replying, but I can relate myself (I like classical piano music and like listening to Classic FM). Classic FM produce a CD called 'Piano Favourites' which I bought and was quite a nice general introduction into finding the sort of composers I'd like to listen more of. It's mainly the more popular pieces (e.g. Gymnopédie No. 1, Clair de Lune, etc) but I found it to be a good introduction.

Chopin's Nocturnes are my absolute favourite collection of piano music - especially Nocturne No. 2 in E Flat which is probably my single favourite piece of music. If you like concertos with an orchestral backing as well - which might be less relaxing but certainly no less beautiful - I'd definitely recommend checking out Rachmaninov's four piano concertos which are brilliant. Beethoven's piano sonatas are well known but worth checking out - you've probably heard the more famous bits (e.g. Moonlight Sonata), but the other pieces are sadly overlooked.

[sharkythesharkdogg]

I will also recommend Schubert, and Chopin. Also Tchaikovsky has a good range of sounds and emotions.

[Lonely Paper Star]

Gah, I could list things like this forever, but I'll just name some off the top of my head:

• Sonata "Pathetique" by Beethoven
• Transcendental Etude #4 by Liszt. It's crazy and at times sounds offbeat, but I still love it.
• I'm also a fan of Bach's Invention pieces. I've played Nos. 8 and 13 and love them to death. I really like No. 4 as well.
• This one is a modern piece but it's pretty: The Nostalgic Seaside by Yuichi Watanabe
• Also, I agree with the Schubert, Chopin, and Tchaikovsky suggestions.
• Myleene Klass' Moving On album. My favorite is her rendition of Sarabande by Handel.
• And check out KyleLandry's YouTube channel. He's my favorite YouTuber, and a talented pianist. He's known for his FF/anime covers, but he has original stuff and improvisations.

[The Man]

Do you like Beethoven? Do you like solo piano pieces? Then try Franz Liszt's transcriptions of Beethoven's symphonies.

[Laddy]

I like Chopin myself. I'm not a great pianist, but I enjoy his pieces an awful lot.

[Heath]

• Sonata "Pathetique" by Beethoven

[MTKO]

What kind of classical music do you like? If you're talking about classical music (art music) as a whole, then I have a ton of recommendations that encompass a wide variety of forms such as: sonatas, concerti, fantasies, trios, and much more. However, if you're looking for pieces from the classical period, I mostly enjoy pieces from the time of the first viennese school which comprises three giants - W.A. Mozart, Joseph Haydn, and early pieces by Beethoven. There are many other great composers from this era, such as Johann Stamitz, who sounds similar to a young Mozart. If you enjoy some very virtuosic playing then I'd suggest any of Mozart's later concerti (number 21 to 27). If you want something less flashy, but not quite as energized as many of Mozart's pieces, then early Beethoven sonatas are the way to go. Mozart also has a couple excellent Fantasies and a fugue you can listen to hear: Mozart - Fugue in C Minor for Two Pianos K. 426 - YouTube

[Freya]

• And check out KyleLandry's YouTube channel. He's my favorite YouTuber, and a talented pianist. He's known for his FF/anime covers, but he has original stuff and improvisations.

THIS. This guy is awesome. He is amazing at just improvisation of whatever.


I'm always spamming Olafur arnalds. He's not just piano but violin as well. He's a contemporary composer. I loves him so very very very much. In fact he's my favorite artist of all time. Out of every Genre.