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I was wondering what everybody thought was the most expressive, emotional piano piece they've ever heard?

Links welcome. And if you want to throw in something that isn't solo piano in addition, please do.
(I'd offer my own opinion, but I'm somewhat new to the genre and am still trying to expose myself to classical.)

Im sure there are lots out there but here are 2 examples.

When in the right frame of mind, Scriabin's C Sharp Minor Etude is very powerful music.

So can be Scenes From Childhood (Traumerie) but in a different kind of way.

There are many expressive and "emotional" pieces, like the Hammerklavier Adagio or the Bach-Busoni chorale Ich ruf zu dir, but the one that moves me the most nowadays is probably the second movement from Rachmaninov second Sonata. It's so simple yet so touching, I tear up every time I play it in my mind.

It's not the recording I was looking for, as it seems a bit faster and less heart-rending than what I have in my memory, but well...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acxFvZ-5LaQ&feature=related
I don't really like the sonata as a whole (can't understand it yet probably) and prefer the first, but this movement... Ha voluptée.

If you ask Most Emotional Pieces my list is this IMO

Scriabin Étude Op. 2 No. 1
Scriabin Étude Op. 8 No. 12
Schumann Träumerei
Schumann Der Dichter spricht
Schubert/Liszt Ständchen
Chopin Nocturne Op. 27, No. 2
Chopin Nocturne Op. 32, No. 1
Chopin Nocturne Op. 72, No. 1
Chopin Nocturne Op. 15, No. 2
Chopin Nocturne Op. 9, No. 1
Chopin Nocturne Op. 9, No. 1
Chopin Ballade No. 1
Chopin Ballade No. 4

I can write much much more but my hands tired.

among many others.... posting this one because I just discovered it and totally love it

enhanced version of a piano roll recording by the man himself!!

That is a great recording - I've had it for some years on a compact disc of his piano roll recordings, and it's always been the best version for me to listen to!

As for the most emotional pieces - isn't that kind of a subjective question?
What makes one piece MORE emotional than another? An outward display of extreme romanticism?

Heart-rending.. there was no sadder music ever written.

Chopin's Raindrop Prelude. Perhaps not the most powerful emotionally, one can really feel the music.

Elgar's Nimrod Variations - may not be Piano, but still lovely.

There have been three pieces that have literally brought tears to my eyes.

-- The Brahms A major intermezzo (op.118 #2), in high school.

-- The last movement of Mahler's third symphony, in college.

-- Strauss's Four Last Songs, just a couple months ago.


I love the classical and modern periods, but I guess it's the romantics that get me.


-Jason

I agree that this music is beautifully heart-rending. Neuhaus' performance, for my taste, overlooks that aspect by playing it too quickly.

Regards,

Chopin Ballade no 1 is the saddest music ever written.

I'm not sure how so many got off on a "sad" tangent, or how "emotional" equates as such. At any rate the third movement of K. 488 (Mozart piano concerto No. 23) is full of emotion (Mozart's having a blast), Rach 3, while quite exotic, is emotionally draining, the 2nd movement of the Eroica moves me like no other work I know and brought tears to my eyes the first time ever I heard it, the fugue in c sharp minor from Book I is one of the most powerful pieces of music ever written, and the last movement of LVB's 9th is a pure adrenaline rush. I'm sure there's many I'm omitting, but these immediately come to mind.

I know I will sound like a fool, but..
I do not like Brahms' intermezzi.
I have listened to many interpretations and I find the music a bit soupy and predictable.. Certainly not stirring or "emotional". Am I alone in this corner?

Speaking of which, I am off to see Yundi Li*'s concert at CH. Rescheduled from last November.. All Chopin.. It will be a very tall order, following Pollini 2 weeks ago...

* Actually he changed his name to just Yundi, it would seem..

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions Andromaque! I personally think the Brahms Intermezzi are an example of some of the greatest writing for the instrument, but to each his own.

Indeed you are entitled to your opinion, and it's completely valid. No need to decrease your font size!

I can't convince you that the music isn't soupy, or that it's stirring. Those are personal reactions. I would at least argue, however, that the intermezzi are not predictable. I feel Brahms goes out of his way to change rhythms, textures and especially harmony in all kinds of unpredictable ways. Some of these things one might not absorb until one has played through the music instead of just listening to it. (Not sure whether you've played through them, but it might really open them up to you).

-J

*PUNCH!!*



I assume you meant the Op 118 No 2? Beautiful indeed.

-Daniel

As far as I am concerned, all pieces are equally emotional. They all seem to start bawling like babies when I play them!

Most of Chopin's Nocturnes...

Yeah, 118, just like I said!

(behold the power of the edit ...)

I'm always emotionally drained after the slow movement of the Busoni Concerto.