[Classical] A collection of piano pieces with cool arpeggios
Are you familiar with the musical term arpeggio?
It refers to playing the individual notes that make up a chord—what we commonly call a chord or code—one by one, and if you play guitar, it’s a familiar term.
On piano, arpeggios are basically the same and are a technique you can use for accompaniment in singing and playing, but they’re also something you can’t avoid when performing classical piano pieces.
In this article, we introduce a selection of classical piano works that use arpeggios strikingly—whether in the right hand’s main melody or the left hand’s accompaniment.
Focusing primarily on solo piano pieces, but also including piano concertos, we invite you to savor the intense, cool, and beautiful appeal of arpeggios!
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[Classical] A Collection of Piano Pieces with Cool Arpeggios (1–10)
Étude Op. 10, No. 12 in C minor “Revolutionary Étude”Frederic Chopin
Frédéric Chopin, the genius born in 19th-century Poland.
One of Chopin’s signature works is this piece, memorable for its intense arpeggios.
The rough, surging left hand and the powerful right-hand melody eloquently speak of his feelings for his homeland.
Composed around 1831, it is closely connected to the Polish uprising.
It’s a masterpiece in which Chopin’s virtuosity and emotional expression are superbly fused, and it’s beloved by many pianists.
It may be difficult for piano beginners, but it’s highly recommended for those who want to experience the powerful allure of classical music.
A piece where you can fully savor the beauty and ferocity of arpeggios—be sure to give it a listen!
TARKUS for pianoEmerson Lake&Palmer
This is a video of a piano arrangement of a song by the famous progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
Released in 1971, it’s a roughly 20-minute suite themed around criticism of war and religion.
Showcasing Keith Emerson’s outstanding keyboard performance, the work is divided into seven sections and is characterized by complex rhythms and melodies.
Their August 1974 performance at the California Jam festival is considered a peak moment for the band.
Highly recommended for those interested in the fusion of classical music and rock.
From the very beginning, its grand progression—rich with electrifying, quintessentially progressive rock arpeggios—is sure to capture the hearts of piano enthusiasts.
Etude of the Wintry WindFrederic Chopin
Let me introduce Chopin’s Étude, commonly known as the “Winter Wind” Etude, a quintessential work of the Romantic era.
Completed in 1836, this piece is characterized by rapid right-hand arpeggiations and leaping figures in the left hand.
Its fierce melody and virtuosic elements evoke the image of strong winter winds, which is why it has earned its popular nickname.
Although it is a solo piano piece with no lyrics, it is remarkable how it conveys the wintry gusts through music alone.
The piece is highly challenging, demanding advanced technique and expressive power from the performer.
It’s recommended not only for piano enthusiasts but also for anyone who wants to feel the vigor of nature through music.
[Classical] A Collection of Piano Pieces with Cool Arpeggios (11–20)
Finale, Op. 40 No. 8 (Kapustin: Eight Concert Etudes)Nikolai Kapustin
Nikolai Kapustin is a Russian composer and pianist born in 1937.
He is known for his unique style that fuses classical music and jazz, and is regarded as one of the most prolific composers of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Composed in 1984, his Eight Concert Etudes, Op.
40, is one of Kapustin’s signature works.
Structured in sonata form, it is characterized by powerful, propulsive jazz elements.
Incorporating features from a wide range of genres—including swing, boogie-woogie, rock, and Latin rhythms—it maintains a captivating variety throughout.
It is recommended for those interested in music that blends the structural rigor of classical music with the idiom of jazz.
Polonaise No. 6 in A-flat major, Op. 53 “Heroic Polonaise”Frederic Chopin
Frederic Chopin’s Polonaise No.
6 in A-flat major, Op.
53—better known as the “Heroic Polonaise”—features arpeggios throughout its accompaniment, but the most striking occurs at the start of the middle section, where both hands strum an arpeggio as if heralding the hero’s entrance.
After this arpeggio, which heightens the listener’s anticipation, a series of left-hand octaves requiring advanced technique begins.
As you listen, be sure to focus on that arpeggio as a cue for the change in scene and mood.
Play of WaterJoseph Ravel
Maurice Ravel’s Jeux d’eau brilliantly renders on the piano a variety of watery images—ripples spreading as a single drop falls onto a still surface, currents flowing with undulations—through a light, continuous arpeggio texture.
It is a highly evocative and beautiful work that gives the sensation of paintings or moving images appearing before your eyes.
Ravel composed the piece while studying at the Paris Conservatoire and dedicated it to his teacher at the time, Gabriel Fauré.
Although it was initially criticized for its abundant dissonances, today many piano enthusiasts are captivated by its enigmatic sound world.
Piano Concerto No. 2Sergei Rachmaninov
Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No.
2 is hailed not only as the most beautiful of his piano concertos, but as one of the most beautiful among piano concertos of any era.
Following the opening chords that evoke the bells of the Russian Orthodox Church comes a succession of fiercely surging arpeggios—truly breathtaking! Moreover, because some of the chords were written to suit Rachmaninoff’s own large hands, it is impossible to play all the notes at once unless you have an exceptionally wide reach, making arpeggiation unavoidable in certain passages.
It can be fascinating to notice how different pianists choose to voice and execute these chords.