The 23 Greatest Solo Piano Works

Examine the life of the concert pianist and the extraordinary rigors of this unique profession. Then, trace the history of the harpsichord and see how the piano, capable of a huge sonic range, evolved from its beginnings in 1700 into the modern concert instrument. Review the range of composers in this course and the criteria for the choice of the works you'll study.#Music, Philosophy & Religion

Learn about the aesthetic of the High Baroque, with its duality of exuberant expression and intellectual control. Define the highly controlled fugue as a "polyphonic" musical form, and the free-form prelude that precedes each fugue in Bach's scheme. Then explore the "well tempered" tuning system and Bach's use of musical genres in his preludes and fugues.

Trace the roots of this masterpiece and the circumstances of its creation. Penetrate its complexity by digging into its "concentric" structure to discover the remarkable "trinities" and how they serve the larger unity and spiritual meaning of the set.

Mozart single-handedly enlarged the scale, virtuosity, and importance of the piano sonata. Track Mozart's rise as a keyboard prodigy and his transition from the harpsichord to writing music specifically for the piano. Through the great C Minor Sonata, grasp his lyric, operatic use of the piano that looks toward the music of the 19th and 20th centuries.

First, learn how Beethoven's relationship with the organ led to the orchestral power and sonority of his piano works. Also trace how the Appassionata grew from the composer's psychological self-reinvention following his tragic hearing loss.

Arguably the greatest of all works for solo piano, these glorious variations were written on an invitation from composer Anton Diabelli. Grasp the extraordinary ways in which Beethoven varies the theme, using allusion, humor, and parody.

Among relevant details of the composer's life, learn about Schubert's tragic struggle with ill health, Beethoven's influence as a role model, and the importance of song in the character of Schubert's music. In the beloved B-flat Major Sonata, delineate the three ravishing thematic melodies that compose the first movement.

As context for studying the music of Chopin, delve into the aesthetics of 19th-century Romanticism, its emphasis on self-expression, and its model of the artist-hero. Discover the lyric intimacy, harmonic ingenuity, and expressive nuance of these exquisite miniatures, as each prelude evokes a single emotional environment.

Chopin's music for the piano was directly impacted by the evolution of the instrument itself. First, study two innovations in piano design that produced more resonant pianos. Then, take apart the musical architecture of the G Minor Ballade to see how Chopin creates a dramatic poem with an emotional narrative that builds to an apotheosis-like conclusion.

Trace the origins of this landmark of Romanticism in Schumann's fascination with the novels of E.T.A. Hoffman. In the eight extraordinary movements of Kreisleriana, consider how Schumann writes a spiritual diary in sound, using expressive thematic melodies and harmonic complexity to reveal rich metaphoric meaning and his own innermost feelings and fears.

Explore the legacy of Franz Liszt as piano virtuoso, composer, and innovator in piano writing. Encounter the passionate, demonic figure of Liszt, the ultimate virtuoso-hero, packing concert halls and raising audiences to heights of ecstasy and adulation. Through his Years of Pilgrimage, learn how Liszt redefined what was possible in piano playing and pushed the limits of the instrument.

Probe further into the extraordinary life and contribution of Liszt. Follow the events of his trailblazing virtuoso career and his near burnout that led to the introspective period in Weimar that produced the B Minor Sonata. Analyze the large-scale structure of this magisterial work based in the narrative of Goethe's Faust.

Contemplate the name of this work as it reveals Brahms's spiritual links to the musical past and his individualist stance as a Romantic-era composer. Learn also about defining influences in Brahms's life that shaped his musical destiny.

Explore Brahms's musical aesthetics that combined 18th-century formal procedures with a fully Romantic expressive content. Uncover the riches of the six pieces of Opus 118, highlighting the compositional ingenuity of the wistfully beautiful Intermezzo in A, the radiant Romance in F, and the masterful final Intermezzo, a movement portraying "utmost grief and passion."

In 19th-century Russia, Mussorgsky and his contemporaries rejected the influence of German composers in seeking to create a music that would be purely Russian. Experience the power and directness of Mussorgsky's non-Western European musical language, from his incarnation of fantastic creatures and comic flights of fancy to the monumental tone painting of The Great Gate of Kiev.

Here, journey into Debussy's early life as he broke with the musical past to create stunningly original piano works. Study five elements of Debussy's revolutionary style used to evoke the mythical cathedral of Ys rising from the sea. In particular, observe how he uses "modal" melodies and harmonies, rhythmic fluidity, and tone color to create a magical atmosphere and a nonlinear sense of time.

Begin this lecture with reflections on Debussy's personality and artistic influences, including that of French Symbolist poetry, as they influenced his musical creations. Focus on the storytelling content, ethereal textures, nuance, and harmonic originality of preludes including "Dancers of Delphi," "The Wind in the Plain," "Footprints in the Snow," and the raucous "Minstrels."

Albéniz's magnum opus for the piano celebrates the culture of the Andalucía region of Spain. Identify the characteristic elements of Andalusian folk music, such as the Phrygian mode, Flamenco rhythms, and traditional dance forms, and how Albéniz incorporated them into the lush sonic palette of this work.

Explore the evolution of the waltz as a popular dance and musical form, and how the Viennese waltz, paradoxically, became a metaphor for both civility and tragedy. Experience the rich harmonic textures and huge expressive range of these eight pieces, from passionate exuberance to dreamlike wistfulness, as Ravel evokes the waltz as a memory of a vanished world.

Beginning as a post-Romantic composer, Alexander Scriabin made a dramatic transition, embracing theosophy and a vision of music as mystical revelation. In this daring, modernist piece, see how Scriabin shapes a musical narrative in which tonal and nontonal music coexist.

Explore Rachmaninoff's dual life as a composer and a peerless piano virtuoso, and the linking of his musical destiny with the American-made Steinway piano. In the Études, see how Rachmaninoff uses ingenious virtuoso effects, layered rhythms, and sophisticated harmonies to evoke a boisterous fair, a seascape, a funeral ceremony, and a heroic march.

In the Sonata no. 7, follow the unfolding of the first movement's two themes, alternating brutal force with quiet rumination. Grasp the expressive content of the second movement, based on Schumann's song "Sadness," and of the explosive finale of this work that demonstrates brilliantly Prokofiev's trademark, machine-like rhythmic drive.

American concert music emerged in the early 20th century as a synthesis of musical types and influences. Trace its dynamic mix of elements, encompassing West African rhythm and melodic structures, blues, ragtime, jazz, popular song, and European modernism. Study how Copland used "microtonal" melodies to create a dramatically compelling set of variations--a work that is "American" to its core.

Survey nine iconic piano pieces from Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Chopin, Rubinstein, Dvorak, and Debussy; the stories behind their writing; and the often amusing ways in which these works have taken root in our culture. Contemplate the scope of the piano repertoire, a literature that is, as Professor Greenberg says, "the envy of every other instrument."