[Highest Difficulty] A selection of challenging pieces crafted by Liszt, the magician of the piano
Franz Liszt, the “magician of the piano,” was active as a pianist armed with extraordinary technique, while also leaving behind numerous piano works that demand transcendental virtuosity as a composer.
His dazzling, grandiose works have captivated many, but the honest truth is that many of them simply cannot be mastered without superhuman technique, making them hard to attempt even for those who long to play them.
This time, we’ve carefully selected and will introduce pieces among Liszt’s oeuvre that are considered particularly difficult.
It’s easy to get fixated on the technical challenges, but as you read, please also pay attention to the sheer beauty of the music itself and the vast, majestic sound world Liszt creates.
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- [Alkan’s Piano Pieces] The World’s Most Difficult!? A Curated Selection of Fiendishly Challenging Works That Make Pianists Cry
- [Advanced] A Comprehensive Introduction to the Difficult Piano Pieces of Chopin, the Poet of the Piano!
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- [Beginner-Friendly] Rachmaninoff’s Piano Pieces | A Curated Selection of Accessible Works!
- Beginner to Intermediate: Chopin pieces with relatively low difficulty. Recommended works by Chopin.
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[Highest Difficulty] A curated selection of challenging pieces by Liszt, the Wizard of the Piano (1–10)
Piano Sonata in B minor, S.178Franz Liszt
Liszt’s works have structures and developments that are quintessentially Lisztian.
Among them, the Piano Sonata in B minor, S.178, is one of the pieces that is particularly “Liszt-like.” Although it is somewhat easier compared to the Transcendental Études, it still ranks among the upper tier of advanced repertoire, demanding a wide range of techniques—from massive fortissimo repeated chords to extremely rapid passages.
It may look simple on the score, but once you actually play it, you’ll find it to be a challenging work.
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6Franz Liszt
Liszt’s masterpiece inspired by his homeland of Hungary, Hungarian Rhapsody No.
6.
While No.
2 is often said to be the most difficult to perform, No.
6 is also exceptionally challenging.
It is unquestionably among the hardest even within the advanced repertoire.
With its particularly wide octave stretches, this piece demands power, speed, and precision.
Although extremely difficult, it is highly effective in performance, making it tremendously enjoyable for listeners as well.
Be sure to check it out.
Mephisto Waltz No. 1, S.514Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt was a composer who also achieved success as a pianist.
He is a towering figure in the piano repertoire and left behind many technically demanding pieces.
Among his works, the Mephisto Waltz is often cited as an unusual piano piece.
While it is basically tonal in the conventional sense, its introduction is particularly unique, and if you stumble in the repeated-chord passages, the performance quality drops sharply—making it a distinctively challenging work.
Be sure to give it a listen.
[Highest Difficulty] A curated selection of challenging pieces by Liszt, the piano magician (11–20)
Spanish Rhapsody, S.254Franz Liszt
Among Franz Liszt’s many works that demand transcendental virtuosity, the Spanish Rhapsody is regarded as one of the most technically challenging.
It is often performed at international competitions, and it is said that not many pianists can truly master it.
Elements that contribute to its high difficulty are scattered throughout—blistering scales, powerful chords, extended passages of octaves—and the frequent arpeggios are one such element.
From fierce arpeggios to soft, shimmering ones, the piece lets you enjoy a wide range of textures within a single work, making it a highly compelling listen.
Chromatic Grand GallopFranz Liszt
Liszt’s masterpiece “Grand Galop Chromatique.” Along with “Mazeppa” and “Feux Follets” from the Transcendental Études, it’s renowned as one of Liszt’s notoriously difficult works.
The biggest challenge of this piece is undoubtedly the intricate motions using the 4th and 5th fingers.
On top of a fiendish layout that makes your fingers feel on the verge of cramping, it unleashes wide leaps and repeated octaves.
It’s a piece that even solid advanced players will find hard to execute accurately.
Compared to other Liszt works, its showy effect is somewhat lower, but for those who love the sound of augmented triads and whole-tone scales, it will hit the sweet spot.
Years of Pilgrimage, Book II: Italy, S.161 — No. 7 “Après une lecture de Dante – Fantasia quasi Sonata”Franz Liszt
For those who want to perform a lesser-known piece at a piano recital, I recommend Liszt’s “Années de pèlerinage, Deuxième année: Italie, S.161, No.
7 ‘Après une lecture du Dante – Fantasia quasi Sonata.’” In terms of difficulty, it’s easier than Chopin’s Fantasy and not prohibitively hard, yet it’s perfect for showcasing solid technique.
Unusually for Liszt, it has a high performance payoff, so it’s enjoyable even as a straightforward piece.
The leaps in the coda are quite challenging, so if you’re confident in your technique, definitely give it a try.
Transcendental Etude No. 7 ‘Heroic’Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt’s representative collection of fiendish pieces, the Transcendental Études.
It includes extremely difficult works like Mazeppa and Feux follets.
This time, I’d like to introduce No.
7, “Heroic,” from the set.
In Japan, it’s also well known by its Italian title, Eroica.
What makes this piece particularly challenging is the sheer abundance of arpeggios.
While it isn’t the most advanced piece in the set overall, its arpeggios are extraordinarily difficult.