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Poignant and beautiful! A collection of recommended piano pieces

Representative, Elysion Philharmonic Orchestrasai-kisaragi
Heisei College of Music, Composition Course. Studied composition and conducting under Keizo Ideta, piano under Chinami Kira, and arts management under Takuma Konishi. With a focus on community and music, I work to revitalize my hometown of Saga Prefecture. While performing as a double bassist with wind ensembles and orchestras across Kyushu, I participated on double bass in the “Orchestra Without Borders” orchestra camp of the professional game and anime music ensemble Eminence Orchestra, held in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture in September 2012. During CAPCOM’s Kyushu Tour in 2016, I not only performed as an orchestra member but also served on the production staff. I currently serve as the managing representative for the game and anime performance groups Elysion Philharmonic Orchestra (Saga Prefecture) and Fukuoka Game Music Wind Orchestra (Fukuoka Prefecture), and handle conducting, arranging, and public relations.

Among the many musical instruments, the piano is one of the most familiar, and it’s a quintessential instrument that makes you admire anyone who can play it.

Melancholic melodies can draw you into their world before you know it.

In this article, we’ll introduce popular piano pieces themed around “sadness.” In addition to classic standards, we’ve gathered a rich variety of poignantly beautiful, piano-centered works featured in soundtracks for films, anime, and video games.

If you love wistful piano music, this is a must-check!

Poignant and Beautiful! Recommended Piano Pieces (91–100)

Fantasy Pieces, No. 1: ElegySerugei Rafumaninofu

Rachmaninov: Morceaux de fantaisie No. 1 [Elegie] (Aya Nagatomi) | Rachmaninov: Elegie, Op. 3 No. 1 (Aya Nagatomi)

Fantasy Pieces, No. 1: ElegySerugei Rafumaninofu

Among the five solo piano pieces that make up Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Fantaisie Pieces, the second piece, Prelude, is the most famous.

Here, however, I would like to introduce the first piece, Élégie.

True to its title, “lament,” it is marked by a deeply sorrowful character.

The poignantly meditative atmosphere—remarkable for having been composed while he was still in his teens—can only be described as the work of an unmistakable genius.

While the Fantaisie Pieces as a whole possess a decidedly fantastical, imaginative aura, this Élégie seems to emphasize that impression most strongly.

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In conclusion

Among the many musical instruments, the piano is probably the one most familiar to us.

When you happen to hear it, the sound of the piano soothes everyone who listens.

This time, we’ve selected pieces with the theme of poignant piano music.

The sorrowful melodies—so moving they might bring you to tears just by listening—stir a wide range of emotions in listeners, regardless of generation, language, or race.

As you can see from the pieces introduced here, piano music isn’t limited to classical; there are numerous masterpieces in video game, drama, and film soundtracks as well.

Be sure to find your own favorite poignant piano piece!