Beautiful Melodies: A Collection of Masterpieces and Moving Piano Songs
If you love the sound of the piano, this is for you!
In this article, we’ll introduce moving songs featuring the piano.
The piano is said to be the most versatile instrument, capable of covering everything from low to high registers all on its own.
Because producing sound on the piano is simpler compared to other instruments, its range of expression is very broad—you could say it’s an instrument that clearly reveals the performer’s unique world.
We’ll showcase wonderful masterpieces in rock and pop that make use of the piano!
We’ve carefully curated these selections, so please enjoy!
- Poignant and beautiful! A collection of recommended piano pieces
- [Intermediate Level] Cool Piano Pieces You Can Play [Great for Recitals Too]
- [Classical Piano Masterpieces] A carefully selected collection of moving pieces that will bring you to tears
- A gentle song. A classic that calms the heart. A song that makes you feel kind.
- Today's Piano: Masterpieces and Popular Pieces Woven with Delicate Tones
- [Classical] Introducing Recommended Moving/Touching Pieces
- [Piano × J-POP] Tearjerker! A Selection of Moving/Touching Songs
- [For Adults] Recommended for Piano Recitals! A Curated Selection of Impressively Sounding Masterpieces
- Songs that play during moving scenes. A collection of classic tracks that evoke deep emotion.
- [Classic and Contemporary Hits] Emotionally Stirring, Heart-Touching Songs
- J-POP to Play on Piano | A Curated Selection of Beautiful, Soul-Cleansing Ballads
- [Intermediate Level] A curated selection of piano masterpieces featuring strikingly brilliant melodies!
- [For when you want to cry or feel sad] Tear-jerking masterpieces that make you cry when you listen
[Beautiful Melodies] A Collection of Masterpieces and Moving Piano Songs (21–30)
Don’t Stop Believin’Journey’s
When it comes to American rock bands with a pianist, you can’t leave out Journey.
Their album Escape, which has sold over 10 million copies worldwide, opens with the classic “Don’t Stop Believin’.” Its piano-and-bass intro has been selected as one of the greatest keyboard intro phrases in rock.
Just listening to it is exciting—the sense of uplift is irresistible.
In 2009, it was featured in the American TV series Glee, bringing the song renewed attention.
A Fateful EncounterAndré Gagnon
Encounter, by Canadian composer André Gagnon, who heals people’s hearts with his healing music.
This piece—used in the TV drama Age, 35, Longing—has a grand, classical feel.
The gently resonant piano tone evokes crystal-clear scenery.
When the slow string arrangement flows in, it makes you want to take a deep breath.
His music, which brought easy listening to Japan, is perfect for times when you want to regain a sense of calm.
Second RunVanilla Mood
Have you ever felt, while playing a game, “The BGM here is so beautiful”? Second Run, used in the online game Tales Weaver, is highly recommended both for fans of the game and for those who aren’t.
Created by the classical band Vanilla Mood, it features a trio of violin, cello, and piano whose tones resonate beautifully.
In the game, it plays at night on the plains, soothing the weary adventurer.
The powerful performance that unfolds from a gentle melody is truly moving.
It’s a piece I’d love you to listen to on a wistful night.
Letter ~Dear You at Fifteen~Anjura Aki
When it comes to female artists who sing and play the piano, you can’t leave out Angela Aki.
Among her works, “Tegami: Haikei Jugo no Kimi e,” released in 2008, is a masterpiece with beautiful piano.
It’s well-loved as a graduation song and reached No.
3 on the Oricon singles chart.
The intro is played with arpeggios and chords, but from the middle it shifts to a more rhythmic approach with repeated keystrokes.
It was featured on NHK’s Minna no Uta and chosen as the set piece for the junior high division of the NHK National School Music Competition, so it’s a familiar song for children as well.
dogwood (flowering dogwood)Hitoto Yo
When it comes to piano ballads that were hits in 2004, Yo Hitoto’s “Hanamizuki” surely comes to mind.
It was her fifth single and a classic that reached No.
4 on the Oricon Singles Chart.
It begins with a beautiful piano intro, and the simple accompaniment supports Hitoto’s vocals.
In the quiet middle section, you can hear the piano’s lovely high notes.
It’s a masterpiece that showcases the skillful touch of music producer and arranger Satoshi Takebe, so be sure to give it a listen!
A Town with an Ocean View (from “Kiki’s Delivery Service”)Hisaishi Joe
This is a piece by Joe Hisaishi with a memorable, hope-filled melody that makes you feel as if a beautiful seaside town is unfolding before your eyes.
The emotions that arise at the moment of taking a new step—expectation mingled with a touch of anxiety—are brilliantly rendered through light, sparkling piano tones.
The piece accompanies the moving scene in the July 1989 film Kiki’s Delivery Service where the protagonist soars over a new town, and it is included on the classic album Kiki’s Delivery Service: Music Collection released the same year.
Its nostalgic yet liberating atmosphere is sure to refresh you when you feel stuck with work or study.
Why not spend a focused, enriching time wrapped in its gentle, forward-looking melody?
Adeline by the SeasideRichard Clayderman
Richard Clayderman’s debut piece, Ballade pour Adeline, by the French pianist, is a famous piano work that became a massive hit, with records released in 38 countries and selling 22 million copies.
Many of you have probably heard it as background music on TV or in commercials, or as an auto-play song built into digital pianos.
As you relax into the performance, let the light, expectation-building introduction and the refreshing melody soothe you!
