Poignant and beautiful! A collection of recommended piano pieces
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!
Playlist
| Poignant and beautiful! A collection of recommended piano pieces | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| show_chart | Title | Playlist | Review |
| 1 | Memories of distant daysTenmon |  play_arrow | Makoto Shinkai’s film “5 Centimeters per Second”… |
| 2 | Name of LifeHisaishi Joe |  play_arrow | The works of Joe Hisaishi, one of Japan’s leading composers, are… |
| 3 | River Flows in YouYIRUMA |  play_arrow | A gem by the South Korean pianist, Yiruma… |
| 4 | Gymnopédie No. 1Erikku Sati |  play_arrow | The great French composer, Erik Satie… |
| 5 | Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 “Pathétique,” Second MovementRūtovihi Van Bētōven |  play_arrow | Given that you're not very interested in classical music… |
| 6 | Mitsuha’s ThemeRADWIMPS |  play_arrow | It’s a masterpiece whose heartrending melody resonates in the heart. The film “Your… |
| 7 | Pavane for a Newborn PrincessCharles-Henry |  play_arrow | A pianist active in the contemporary French music scene… |
| 8 | The Name You Call — The Continuation of the DreamYoshimori Shin |  play_arrow | Depicting the relationship between humans and the otherworldly “yōkai”… |
| 9 | Rondo in A minor, K. 511Vorufuganggu Amadeusu Mōtsaruto |  play_arrow | ‘The Abduction from the Seraglio’ and ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ and… |
| 10 | Merry Christmas Mr. LawrenceSakamoto Ryuichi |  play_arrow | Ryuichi Sakamoto, one of Japan’s most renowned composers… |
| 11 | Nocturne No. 20 in C-sharp minor (Posthumous)Furederikku Shopan |  play_arrow | Not only as a renowned pianist, but also as a composer… |
| 12 | Cherry Blossom ChapterTenmon |  play_arrow | This work by the Japanese composer Tenmon... |
| 13 | Pavane for a Dead PrincessMōrisu Raveru |  play_arrow | This Pavane for a Dead Princess... |
| 14 | Urban beachshuumaccha |  play_arrow | A musician who creates BGM with a heartrending atmosphere, a— |
| 15 | Noble and Sentimental Waltzes: Waltz No. 2, Assez lent (fairly slow), G minorMaurice Ravel |  play_arrow | Music that peers deep into the heart |
| 16 | Eyes On Me (Piano Collections Final Fantasy VIII)Uematsu Nobuo |  play_arrow | Final Fantasy and Granblue... |
| 17 | Skycity Bhujerba – Final Fantasy XII Piano CollectionsSakimoto Hitoshi |  play_arrow | A composer and sound creator from Tokyo. |
| 18 | reverieClaude Debussy |  play_arrow | Free harmony that is not bound by functional harmony… |
| 19 | Kingdom Hearts Piano Collections – Dearly BelovedShimamura Yōko |  play_arrow | Shimomura, who has left a brilliant legacy in the world of video game music… |
| 20 | Aerith’s Theme – Final Fantasy VII Piano CollectionsUematsu Nobuo |  play_arrow | The popular RPG game “Final Fantasy… |
| 21 | Für EliseLudwig van Beethoven |  play_arrow | Master of classical music, Ludwig van... |
| 22 | Name of Life from Spirited AwayHisaishi Joe |  play_arrow | With a crystalline piano timbre and a somehow nostalgic… |
| 23 | The SacrificeMaikeru Naiman |  play_arrow | There are many films themed around the piano... |
| 24 | Sonatine in F-sharp minor, M. 40 — I. ModeratoMaurice Ravel |  play_arrow | Ravel’s delicately melancholic masterpiece |
| 25 | Playing Love / 愛を奏でてEnnio Morikōne |  play_arrow | Ennio, the master of film music born in Italy... |
| 26 | I stopped being alone.Yano Akiko |  play_arrow | Expressing the warmth of everyday life through the piano |
| 27 | Suite bergamasque, No. 3: Clair de LuneKurōdo Dobyushī |  play_arrow | He was active from the late 19th century to the first half of the 20th century… |
| 28 | Sometimes, a tale from long ago — from Porco RossoKatō Tokiko |  play_arrow | A warm yet wistful longing for the days of youth now past... |
| 29 | At ZanarkandUematsu Nobuo |  play_arrow | Video game music was even featured at the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021… |
| 30 | Howl’s Moving Castle ‘Merry-Go-Round of Life’Hisaishi Joe |  play_arrow | The theme song of Howl’s Moving Castle is captivating. |
| 31 | On the journey: “Final Fantasy VII Piano Collections”Uematsu Nobuo |  play_arrow | A tranquil townscape encountered along the course of a grand adventure... |
| 32 | Fantasia Pieces: Prelude “The Bells,” Op. 3 No. 2 in C-sharp minorSergei Rakhmaninov |  play_arrow | Composer with abnormally large hands, Serl… |
| 33 | Three Romances, Op. 11 No. 1Clara Schumann |  play_arrow | An emotional piano piece imbued with hidden feelings for Clara |
| 34 | Songs Without Words, Book V, Op. 62 No. 5, No. 3: “Venetian Boat Song”Felix Mendelssohn |  play_arrow | Mendelssohn’s moving canal miniature |
| 35 | Dumka in C minor, Op. 59Pyotr Tchaikovsky |  play_arrow | Expressive piano piece by Tchaikovsky |
| 36 | Suite bergamasque, No. 3: Clair de LuneClaude Debussy |  play_arrow | Among Claude Debussy’s works, the mo... |
| 37 | Etude Op. 10 No. 3 “Farewell”Frederic Chopin |  play_arrow | Commonly known as the “Farewell” Étude, Frederic... |
| 38 | energy flowSakamoto Ryuichi |  play_arrow | Japan’s world-renowned composer, Ryuichi Sakamoto, has pa… |
| 39 | 10 Pieces, Op. 24-9: RomanceJan Shiberiusu |  play_arrow | Finland’s great composer, Jean Sib… |
| 40 | Melody Op. 4-2Fanny Mendelssohn |  play_arrow | An emotionally rich, delicate miniature by Fanny |
| 41 | Seaside at Dusk, H.128: No. 3 “The Stormy Seashore”Bohuslav Martinů |  play_arrow | Seaside Evening Piano Piece That Makes You Forget Summer |
| 42 | Petite Suite: I. En bateauClaude Debussy |  play_arrow | Debussy’s water scenes, with a cool, refreshing tone |
| 43 | Sonatine in F-sharp minor, M. 40: II. MenuetMaurice Ravel |  play_arrow | The beauty of Ravel’s piano piece “Sonatine” |
| 44 | Six Pieces: “Nocturnes”Pyotr Tchaikovsky |  play_arrow | A sentimental masterpiece that depicts the stillness of the night |
| 45 | “The Four Seasons” – 12 Characteristic Sketches, Op. 37bis: June “Barcarolle”Pyotr Tchaikovsky |  play_arrow | A lyrical piano piece by a Russian composer |
| 46 | A Whole New World (from “Aladdin”)Alan Menken |  play_arrow | A composer known for numerous Disney film scores… |
| 47 | Summer MorningHeino Kasuki |  play_arrow | A refreshing piano piece for a summer morning |
| 48 | Serenade from SchwanengesangFranz Schubert |  play_arrow | The melancholy and beauty of Schubert's lieder |
| 49 | At the seaside at nightHeino Kasuki |  play_arrow | A cool piano piece that makes you forget the summer heat |
| 50 | Moonlight, Movement IRūtovihi Van Bētōven |  play_arrow | When it comes to Beethoven’s piano pieces, this one... |
| 51 | Liebesträume No. 3Franz Liszt |  play_arrow | Franz Liszt’s ‘…,’ in which the beauty of the melody stands out |
| 52 | From ‘Requiem’ in ParadiseGabriel Fauré |  play_arrow | A religious piece marked by an elegant melody sung with angelic voices... |
| 53 | Barcarolle No. 10 in A minor, Op. 104-2Gabriel Fauré |  play_arrow | A 6/8 meter like a smoothly rippling water surface… |
| 54 | Piano Sonata No. 2, Third Movement “Funeral March”Frederic Chopin |  play_arrow | Chopin’s piano sonata, a movement of profound tragic beauty |
| 55 | Gaspard of the Night, M. 55: II. The GallowsMaurice Ravel |  play_arrow | An eerie masterpiece with a repeating bell chime |
| 56 | Nocturne No. 19 in E minor, Op. 72 No. 1, “Posthumous”Frederic Chopin |  | Chopin’s emotionally rich Nocturnes |
| 57 | music boxCharles-Henry |  play_arrow | Expressed the delicate tones of a music box on the piano... |
| 58 | MoonGeorge Winston |  | Mr. George Winston is what you might call a ni… |
| 59 | dreamClaude Debussy |  play_arrow | The serene beauty of fantastical Impressionist music |
| 60 | Nocturne No. 2 in E-flat major, Op. 9 No. 2Frederic Chopin |  play_arrow | Chopin's beautiful nocturnes, soothing to the soul |
| 61 | Etude-Tableaux, Op. 39 No. 2 in A minor “The Sea and the Seagull”Sergei Rachmaninov |  play_arrow | A summer piano piece, a masterpiece by Rachmaninoff |
| 62 | New Cinema Paradiso ‘Love Theme’Ennio Morricone |  play_arrow | Born from an Italian film released in 1988… |
| 63 | To a Wild Rose, Op. 51-1 (Forest Sketches)Edward MacDowell |  play_arrow | A composer of Romantic music representing America... |
| 64 | 24 Preludes, Op. 28 No. 15 “Raindrop”Frederic Chopin |  play_arrow | This well-known piano piece titled “Raindrop”… |
| 65 | Fantasy Pieces: Elegy (Lament), Op. 3-1 in E-flat minorSergei Rakhmaninov |  play_arrow | A great composer who has produced many masterpieces… |
| 66 | YELLikimonogakari |  play_arrow | A pop number that starts with a piano intro… |
| 67 | Final Fantasy X “To Zanarkand” (Piano Collections ver.)Uematsu Nobuo |  play_arrow | The heartrending melody with a beautiful, striking tune is... |
| 68 | Fantasy Pieces, No. 1: ElegySerugei Rafumaninofu |  play_arrow | The legendary Russian pianist and composer, Serl… |
| 69 | Elegy in C minor, Op. 24Gabriel Fauré |  play_arrow | Characterized by a sweet, delicate resonance and a melody rich in emotion… |
| 70 | Piano Sonata No. 8 “Pathétique,” Second MovementLudwig van Beethoven |  play_arrow | This piece is marked by a gentle, singable melody that leaves a strong impression... |
| 71 | Gnossienne No. 1Erik Satie |  play_arrow | Even when you say “dark songs” in general, there are many different kinds... |
| 72 | Consolation (Comfort) No. 3Franz Liszt |  play_arrow | Composed by Franz Liszt, the magician of the piano… |
| 73 | Waltz No. 12 in F minorFrederic Chopin |  play_arrow | After Frédéric Chopin’s death, Chopin’s… |
| 74 | Waltz No. 7, Op. 64-2Frederic Chopin |  play_arrow | A Polish artist known for beautiful melodies… |
| 75 | Farewell SongFrederic Chopin |  play_arrow | One of the most beautiful works in the world, Frédéric... |
| 76 | Burgmüller 25 Progressive Pieces, Op. 100, No. 19 “Ave Maria”Johann Burgmüller |  play_arrow | I was enraptured by the choir’s hymn resonating through the cathedral church… |
| 77 | Intermezzo, Op. 118 No. 2Johannes Brahms |  play_arrow | A piece whose gentle, graceful melody seeps into the heart. Contri… |
| 78 | Sorrow of LoveKreisler=Rachmaninov |  play_arrow | Sergei, the greatest Russian composer of the 20th century, ... |
| 79 | Piano Sonata No. 8 “Pathétique,” Second MovementLudwig van Beethoven |  play_arrow | Representative of Beethoven’s early piano works is… |
| 80 | Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2 “Moonlight,” First MovementLudwig van Beethoven |  play_arrow | Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 14, widely known as the “Moonlight Sonata,” is... |
| 81 | 6 Pieces, Op. 51: No. 6, Valse SentimentalePyotr Tchaikovsky |  play_arrow | The three great ballets, including Swan Lake... |
| 82 | TraumereiRobert Schumann |  play_arrow | A beautiful reverie woven in F major and 4/4 time… |
| 83 | Kinderszenen, Op. 15, No. 7: “Träumerei”Robert Schumann |  play_arrow | I found myself enchanted by the dreamy, beautiful melody… |
| 84 | Vocalise, Op. 34 No. 14Sergei Rachmaninov |  play_arrow | A weighty, shadow-laden melody, with delicacy and… |
| 85 | Gnossiennes No. 1 in Three PartsÉric Satie |  play_arrow | The French composer known for works such as Gymnopédies… |
| 86 | Amazing GraceSakkyokusha fumei |  play_arrow | The hauntingly beautiful melody that sinks into the heart is striking in '…' |
| 87 | Maurice Ravel: Pavane for a Dead PrincessFujita Mao |  play_arrow | A pianist who boasts one of the top-level abilities in Japan... |
| 88 | Lyric Pieces, Book X, Op. 71 No. 2: Summer EveningEdvard Grieg |  play_arrow | Just from the title “A Summer Evening,” this time… |
| 89 | SummerHisaishi Joe |  play_arrow | A composer Japan is proud to share with the world, also known for work on Ghibli films… |
| 90 | Gaspard of the Night, No. 1: OndineMaurice Ravel |  play_arrow | If you’re well-versed in French literature, then this “... |
| 91 | Scenes from Childhood, Op. 15, No. 7: DreamingRobert Schumann | play_arrow | A composer representative of the Romantic movement born in Germany, … |