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[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!

Playlist

[Classical] A collection of piano pieces with cool arpeggios
show_chartTitlePlaylistReview
1east12 Etudes, Op. 10 No. 1 in C majorFrederic Chopin
12 Etudes, Op. 10 No. 1 in C majorFrederic Chopinplay_arrow
Chopin’s etudes are technically demanding and very difficult
2eastPiano Sonata No. 14 “Moonlight,” 3rd MovementLudwig van Beethoven
Piano Sonata No. 14 “Moonlight,” 3rd MovementLudwig van Beethovenplay_arrow
Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata
3eastFantaisie-Impromptu No. 4 in C-sharp minor, Op. posth., Op. 66Frederic Chopin
Fantaisie-Impromptu No. 4 in C-sharp minor, Op. posth., Op. 66Frederic Chopinplay_arrow
A masterpiece by Chopin, a work that condenses both virtuosity and lyricism
4eastPiano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 36Sergei Rachmaninov
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 36Sergei Rachmaninovplay_arrow
Characteristics and Appeal of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Sonata No. 2
5eastSonata-Fantasy (Piano Sonata No. 1), Op. 39Nikolai Kapustin
Sonata-Fantasy (Piano Sonata No. 1), Op. 39Nikolai Kapustinplay_arrow
Kapustin’s piano sonata fusing classical and jazz
6eastSong of SpringFelix Bartholdy
Song of SpringFelix Bartholdyplay_arrow
A piano piece by Mendelssohn that expresses the joy of spring
7eastPrelude Op. 40 No. 1 (Kapustin: Eight Concert Etudes)Nikolai Kapustin
Prelude Op. 40 No. 1 (Kapustin: Eight Concert Etudes)Nikolai Kapustinplay_arrow
Composed by Kapustin, a fusion of classical and jazz
8eastÉtude Op. 10, No. 12 in C minor “Revolutionary Étude”Frederic Chopin
Étude Op. 10, No. 12 in C minor “Revolutionary Étude”Frederic Chopinplay_arrow
A masterpiece that expresses Chopin's love for his homeland
9eastFinale, Op. 40 No. 8 (Kapustin: Eight Concert Etudes)Nikolai Kapustin
Finale, Op. 40 No. 8 (Kapustin: Eight Concert Etudes)Nikolai Kapustinplay_arrow
Kapustin’s representative work, Etude
10eastTARKUS for pianoEmerson Lake&Palmer
TARKUS for pianoEmerson Lake&Palmer
Performing an EL&P suite in a piano arrangement
11eastEtude of the Wintry WindFrederic Chopin
Etude of the Wintry WindFrederic Chopinplay_arrow
Introduction to Chopin’s Winter Wind Étude
12eastPlay of WaterJoseph Ravel
Play of WaterJoseph Ravelplay_arrow
Ravel’s Jeux d’eau is fantastical and beautiful.
13eastPiano Concerto No. 2Sergei Rachmaninov
Piano Concerto No. 2Sergei Rachmaninovplay_arrow
The beauty and characteristics of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2
14eastPolonaise No. 6 in A-flat major, Op. 53 “Heroic Polonaise”Frederic Chopin
Polonaise No. 6 in A-flat major, Op. 53 “Heroic Polonaise”Frederic Chopinplay_arrow
The characteristic arpeggios of Chopin’s Heroic Polonaise
15east12 Etudes for Piano, Book II: No. 11, Etude for Combined ArpeggiosClaude Debussy
12 Etudes for Piano, Book II: No. 11, Etude for Combined ArpeggiosClaude Debussyplay_arrow
Debussy's late collection of piano études
16eastPiano Sonata in C major, K. 545, 1st movementWolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Piano Sonata in C major, K. 545, 1st movementWolfgang Amadeus Mozartplay_arrow
A famous piano sonata composed by Mozart
17eastThree Concert Études No. 3 “Un Sospiro”Franz Liszt
Three Concert Études No. 3 “Un Sospiro”Franz Lisztplay_arrow
Liszt’s Concert Études are masterpieces that combine virtuosity with lyricism.
18eastSpanish Rhapsody, S.254Franz Liszt
Spanish Rhapsody, S.254Franz Lisztplay_arrow
Liszt's technically demanding piece, Spanish Rhapsody
19eastThose Who FightUematsu Nobuo
Those Who FightUematsu Nobuoplay_arrow
FF7 battle theme, a masterpiece by Nobuo Uematsu
20eastArabesque No. 1Claude Debussy
Arabesque No. 1Claude Debussyplay_arrow
Debussy’s Arabesque No. 1: musicalizing curvilinear beauty
21eastEight Concert Etudes, Op. 40 No. 8: FinaleNikolay Kapustin
Eight Concert Etudes, Op. 40 No. 8: FinaleNikolay Kapustinplay_arrow
22eastEight Concert Etudes, Op. 40: No. 1 “Prelude”Nikolai Kapustin
Eight Concert Etudes, Op. 40: No. 1 “Prelude”Nikolai Kapustinplay_arrow
Kapustin’s jazz-classical fusion piece
23eastFantasy in C major, Op. 15, D.760 “Wanderer Fantasy”Franz Schubert
Fantasy in C major, Op. 15, D.760 “Wanderer Fantasy”Franz Schubertplay_arrow
Schubert Fantasy, quoting the Wanderer melody
24eastScherzo Focoso, Op. 34Charles Valentin Alkan
Scherzo Focoso, Op. 34Charles Valentin Alkanplay_arrow
A magnificent piano piece where advanced technique and passion intertwine
25east“Arpeggio,” No. 4 from the Grandes études de PaganiniFranz Liszt
“Arpeggio,” No. 4 from the Grandes études de PaganiniFranz Lisztplay_arrow
Liszt, Grand Piano Variations on a Theme of Paganini
26eastKreisleriana, Op. 16 No. 7Robert Schumann
Kreisleriana, Op. 16 No. 7Robert Schumannplay_arrow
A passionate minor-key piece: Schumann’s anguish
27east12 Etudes, Op. 8 No. 12 in D-sharp minorAleksandr Skryabin
12 Etudes, Op. 8 No. 12 in D-sharp minorAleksandr Skryabinplay_arrow
The passionate final piece of Scriabin’s Études
28eastTwo Arabesques No. 1 in E majorClaude Debussy
Two Arabesques No. 1 in E majorClaude Debussyplay_arrow
An elegant piece composed in 1888, ideal for improving performance technique
29eastChildren’s Corner No. 1: “Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum”Claude Debussy
Children’s Corner No. 1: “Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum”Claude Debussyplay_arrow
A lively piano miniature dedicated to Debussy’s beloved daughter
30eastTurkish RondoJohann Burgmüller
Turkish RondoJohann Burgmüllerplay_arrow
A brilliant modulation piece from A minor to A major
31eastThe Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, BWV 846 – PreludeJ.S.Bach
The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, BWV 846 – PreludeJ.S.Bachplay_arrow
Bach’s first book of The Well-Tempered Clavier is beautiful.
32east12 Etudes, Op. 25 No. 1 in A-flat major “Aeolian Harp”Frederic Chopin
12 Etudes, Op. 25 No. 1 in A-flat major “Aeolian Harp”Frederic Chopinplay_arrow
Chopin’s Etude, with beautiful arpeggios