This is a fascinating thread. Some lists represent a very broad and well-balanced appreciation of the piano repertoire, while others express a fascination with pieces of a particular style or character. Here’s mine:

1. Shostakovich - 24 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87
2. Brahms - Piano Concerto #2
3. Prokofiev - Piano Concerto #3
4. Debussy - La fille aux cheveux de lin
5. Brahms - Piano Concerto #1
6. Rachmaninoff - Prelude in G Minor, Op. 23/5
7. Ives - Concord Sonata
8. Mozart - Sonata in A, K. 331
9. Prokofiev - Sonata #7
10. Prokofiev - Piano Concerto #2


Sorry no Chopin or Beethoven. I am in the process of rediscovering Beethoven more thoroughly, so some Beethoven will probably eventually end up somewhere in my top 10. I doubt I will ever appreciate Chopin as much as most people on this forum.

I guess I need to check out some Ustvolskaya, since she appeared several times among pieces that I like…

What a pleasant exercise--I learned a lot when trimming this list from 20 to 10.

Chopin Sonata in B min (#3)
Chopin Ballade 4 F min
Chopin Preludes (esp. #2, #15, #24)
Mussorgsky Pictures
Schubert Wanderer Fantasie op.760
Rach preludes op.23 (esp. Alla Marcia)
Chopin Ballade 3 A-flat maj
Brahms 2 Rhapsodies Op. 79
Debussy Preludes (esp. Le Vent dans la Plaine)
Prokofiev Toccata Op. 11

As others have noted, these lists change on almost a daily basis, but for the moment:

1) Hungarian Rhapsody no. 2 -- Liszt
2) La Campanella -- Paganini-Liszt
3) Those Who Fight -- Aematsu
4) Cohen's Masterpiece -- Schyman
5) Fantasie Impromptu -- Chopin
6) Clocks -- Coldplay (not a piece, but whatever)
7) Revolutionary Etude -- Chopin
8) Liebestraum -- Liszt
9) Claire de Lune -- Debussy
10) Maple Leaf Rag -- Joplin

Honorable Mentions:
Symphony 9 -- Beethoven-Liszt
Rondo Alla Turca -- Mozart
The Minute Waltz -- Chopin

In case this raised anyone else's eyebrows, I'll spare you the internet search: "Cohen's Masterpiece" is a piano piece written for the videogame BioShock by Garry Schyman, not a Schuman(n) (Robert or William or otherwise).

-Jason

Why not?
If you can play it on the piano, I say we can call it a piano piece if we feel like it.

Anyway it's interesting to see 'unusual' mentions like that.


Well I sure didn't have a clue.
Speeling counts.

And of course William has just 1 "n." I mean, I don't mean William.....y'know what I mean.

1. Rodrigo - A l'ombre de Torre Bermeja
2. Manuel Ponce - Balada Mexicana
3. Shostakovich - Prelude and Fugue in C-sharp minor from Op. 87
4. Mozart - Fantasie in C minor
5. Ravel - Sonatine
6. Debussy - Reflets dans l'eau
7. Prokofiev - Pieces from Romeo and Juliet - Juliet as a Young Girl
8. Schubert - Impromptu D 899 #3 in G flat major
9. Liszt - Sonetti de Petrarca (If I have to pick just one, the 2nd one, but I really love all of them)
10. Granados - Quejas o la Maja y el Ruisenor (Goyescas)

If I made this list again in a week or so it would probably be a bit different. I also think I need to become familiar with more piano literature..I really haven't been that focused on classical piano lately. (Time to read the rest of the thread now.)

edit: I'm really glad I didn't think to consider video game music or other genres because I'd never be able to pick 10. I also have decided that I like some of the Debussy Preludes more than Reflets, but for now I will leave the list alone...

haha, whoops. I guess I've never actually bothered reading the name. A friend of mine mentioned the composer once, and the name sounded like "Schumann," so I guess it stuck. I fixed my post though.

Very tough call...

1. Brahms Piano Concerto #1
2. Brahms Piano Concerto #2
3. Beethoven Piano Concerto #5
4. Chopin Piano Concerto #1
5. Chopin Piano Concerto #2
6. Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #2
7. Bach Goldberg Variations
8. Chopin Nocturnes (#7,8,13 in particular)
9. Brahms Symphony No.4 transcription for piano solo (Arr. Otto Singer)
10. Brahms Sextet Variations Op.18b (Arr. Brahms)

This holiday season finds me waxing nostalgic. This list is limited to pieces that I first worked on during my high school and college years. To this day, whenever I come across these scores, or perform them, or hear others perform them, I kind of get sentimental.

Never mind that there are other pieces written by some of these composers that I think are better - and that includes pieces that I worked on during the same time period.

So, not exactly favorites (which is practically impossible for me to compile), but.......


Bach - prelude and fugue in f# min bk II WTC
Beethoven - piano sonata in e-flat maj op 81a
Berg - sonata
Chopin - ballade #3 in a-flat maj
Haydn - sonata in c maj hob.50
Liszt - hungarian rhapsody #6 in d-flat maj.
Mozart - sonata in a min K310
Rachmaninoff - rhapsody on a theme of Paganini, opus 43
Schoenberg - 3 pieces, op 11
Schubert - sonata in a maj, D. 959

pjang23, glad to see Brahms PC 1 over Brahms PC 2.

Here are my top 10 (in no particular order) -

Rachmaninoff - Piano concerto no. 3
Rachmaninoff - Prelude in g minor Op. 23 no. 5
Bach - Goldberg Variations
Chopin - Prelude Op. 28 no. 4
Chopin - Op. 53 "Heroic" polonaise
Granados - Danzas Espanolas
Schumann - Traumerei
Debussy - Suite bergamasque
Beethoven - "Waldstein" sonata
Beethoven - Piano concerto no. 5 "Emperor"

Hehe it was a tough call, but I've had more moments with the PC1.

Changes just about every second...

But anyway. Not including piano and orchestra.

10. Chopin Ballade no 1
9. Chopin Ballade no 4
8. Chopin Scherzo 2
7. Chopin Schero 3
6. Rachmaninoff Etude Tableaux Op 39 no 5
5. Lisztszt Reminicences De Norma
3. Liszt Rhapodie Espagnole
2. Liszt Grand Concert Solo
1. Liszt Sonata in B Minor.

All of them change a lot though...
1. Chopin etude op 10 no 1
2. ". " no 2
3. kapustin concert etude no 7 intermezzo
4. Bach wtc book 1, no 3 c sharp major
5. Chopin ballade no 3
6. Honeysuckle, Amy beach
7. Bach Italian concerto (when played properly in the right style )
8. La campanela liszt
9. Revolutionary etude op 10 no 12 Chopin
10. shepherds hey and country gardens, percy grainger

Solo:
1-beethoven sonata op.111
2-schubert sonata d.960
3-chopin ballade 4
4-copland piano variations
5-all the scarlatti sonatas
6-messiaen vingt regards
7-ravel gaspard de la nuit
8-debussy toccata from pour le piano
9-franck prelude chorale and fugue
10-bach-busoni chaconne
liszt spanish rhapsody
shostakovich prelude fugue in db
Concerto:
1.liszt totentanz
2.rach 2
3.rach paganini
4.mozart 20
5.beethoven 4
6.tchaik 1
7.prokofiev 2
8.prokofiev 3
9.bach d minor
10.messiaen oiseaux

Sometimes, it can be tough to choose a 'Top ten list ', but in this case, those ten picks of mine are my absolute favorites for the last 30 years or so. Honorable mention to Moonlight Sonata and Tiersen's Comptine d'un autre Ete, L'apres-Midi.

In no particular order :

1- Chopin Etude Op.10 No.3 played by V.Lisitsa
2- Schumann Traumerei played by Horowitz and Lisitsa
3- Beethoven Piano Sonata No.29 Hammerklavier 3rd Movement by Brendel
4- Schubert/Liszt Standchen played by Yuri Rozum
5- Schubert/Liszt Der Muller Und der Bach played by Kissin
6- Schubert Piano Sonata No.20 D959 Andantino played by Brendel
7- Schubert Piano Sonata No.21 D960 Andante played by Brendel
8- Schubert Impromptu in A flat Op142 No2 played by Lupu
9- Schubert Piano Sonata No.18 D894 Molto Moderato played by Richter
10- Schubert Piano Sonata No.14 D784 Allegro & Andante played by Lupu

Yeah, I know, I love Schubert. It is because of him I have finaly decide to start learning piano a year and a half ago.

I wish I can list more than 10!

Some of them have been such a joy to play and am definitely able to listen to them over and over and over........

Sorry for the cop-out on the Chopin and Debussy's nocturnes and etudes, I really cant make up my mind.

1. Mendelssohn's Lieder ohne Worte, Book 2/Op. 30 - especially No. 6, the Venetian Boat song.
2. Schubert's Fantasy Impromptu Op. 90 No. 2
3. Schubert's Fantasie in F Minor D.940 (4 hands)
4. Liszt's Consolation No. 3
5. Chopin's Nocturnes
6. Chopin's Ballade No. 1 in G Minor
7. Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1
8. Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major K331
9. Bach's Goldberg Variations
10. Debussy's Etudes