[Ultra-Advanced] Even challenging for advanced players! A curated selection of highly difficult piano pieces
The piano is an instrument that allows a single performer to play an enormous number of notes while skillfully using delicate motor skills in the fingertips and arms, interpreting the composer’s intent along with the notated instructions, and expressing the pianist’s own sensibilities.
There are many pieces that call for beautiful, nuanced expression, as well as passionate works where the keys are struck almost like a percussion instrument.
This time, we’ve selected and will introduce pieces from among the vast piano repertoire that are said to be difficult even for advanced players and professionals.
We’ve picked everything from famous works generally regarded as challenging to lesser-known pieces that may not dazzle in performance but are extraordinarily difficult.
Be sure to check them out!
Playlist
| [Ultra-Advanced] Even challenging for advanced players! A curated selection of highly difficult piano pieces | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| show_chart | Title | Playlist | Review |
| 1 | Oriental Fantasy: IslameyMily Balakirev |  play_arrow | The great composers who represent Russia, commonly known as the “... |
| 2 | Grandes études de Paganini, S.141 No. 3 “La Campanella”Franz Liszt |  play_arrow | When people hear “a difficult piano piece,” many of them will think of this... |
| 3 | English Country TunesMichael Finnissy |  play_arrow | This grand work, consisting of eight movements, was in Britain... |
| 4 | Mephisto Waltz No. 1, S.514 “Dance in the Village Inn”Franz Liszt |  play_arrow | Known as a masterpiece of transcendental virtuosity in the history of piano performance… |
| 5 | 8 Concert Etudes, Op. 40 No. 5: ScherzoNikolay Kapustin |  play_arrow | Based on the 12-bar blues form, boogie-wo... |
| 6 | Chromatic Grand GallopFranz Liszt |  play_arrow | A masterpiece on the list, “Grand Chromatic Galop.” “... |
| 7 | The Flight of the BumblebeeRimsky-Korsakov-Cziffra |  play_arrow | A succession of sounds with lively motion, like a bear darting around... |
| 8 | Piano Sonata in B minor, S.178Franz Liszt |  play_arrow | Composed between 1849 and 1853… |
| 9 | Piano Sonata No. 17 “Tempest,” Third Movement, Op. 31 No. 2Ludwig van Beethoven |  play_arrow | More precisely, Piano Sonata No. 1 composed by Beethoven… |
| 10 | Aesop’s Feast, Opus 39-12Charles Valentin Alkan |  play_arrow | A grand set of variations consisting of a theme and 25 variations... |
| 11 | Island of JoyClaude Debussy |  play_arrow | Clau... the French Impressionist composer, Clau... |
| 12 | Polonaise No. 3 in A major, Op. 40 No. 1 “Heroic”Frederic Chopin |  play_arrow | Polo… by Frédéric Chopin, the poet of the piano |
| 13 | Transcendental Études, S.139 No. 5 “Feux follets” (Will-o’-the-Wisps)Franz Liszt |  play_arrow | Known as one of the most overwhelmingly difficult piano pieces in the world… |
| 14 | Transcendental Études, S.139 No. 4 “Mazeppa”Franz Liszt |  play_arrow | The master who shines brilliantly in the history of classical music, Fran... |
| 15 | 8 Concert Etudes, Op. 40 No. 1: PreludeNikolay Kapustin |  play_arrow | Pushing the fusion of jazz and classical to its very limits... |
| 16 | Piano Concerto No. 2, First MovementSergei Rachmaninov |  play_arrow | Piano Concerto by Sergei Rachmaninoff |
| 17 | Totentanz, S.555 R.240Saint-Saëns=Liszt |  play_arrow | The representative work by the French composer Saint-Saëns is... |
| 18 | Etude Op. 10 No. 4Frederic Chopin |  play_arrow | Chopin’s demanding piece, “Etude Op. 10 No. 4”… |
| 19 | Etude Op. 10 No. 12 “Revolutionary”Frederic Chopin |  play_arrow | Etude Op. 10 No. 12 “Revolutionary” is intense… |
| 20 | Fantasy in C major, Op. 15, D 760 “Wanderer Fantasy”Franz Schubert |  play_arrow | Franz Schubert’s Fantasy in C major... |
| 21 | 3rd movement from PetrushkaIgor Stravinsky |  play_arrow | Focusing on primitivism, neoclassicism, and serialism... |
| 22 | 8 Concert Etudes, Op. 40 No. 3: ToccatinaNikolay Kapustin |  play_arrow | A practice piece where classical and jazz are beautifully fused... |
| 23 | Etude ‘Railway’ Op.27bCharles Valentin Alkan |  | An étude by Alkan themed on railways, of high difficulty |
| 24 | Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30Sergei Rachmaninov |  play_arrow | The piano ... composed by Rachmaninoff in 1909 |
| 25 | Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka, Op. 214Johann Strauss II |  play_arrow | Composed by Johann Strauss II in 1858... |
| 26 | Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 “Appassionata”Ludwig van Beethoven |  play_arrow | Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor “Appassionata,” Third Mov… |
| 27 | Concerto for piano soloCharles Valentin Alkan |  play_arrow | A composer of Romantic music who represents France, ... |
| 28 | Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 16Sergei Prokofiev |  play_arrow | Sergei..., a Russian composer who epitomized the 20th century, |
| 29 | Gaspard de la nuit, No. 3: ScarboMaurice Ravel |  play_arrow | Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit is a difficult piece that demands both technique and expressive power. |
| 30 | Study No. 7 for Player PianoConlon Nancarrow |  play_arrow | This “Étude for Player Piano No. …” |
| 31 | Etudes-Tableaux, Op. 39Sergei Rachmaninov |  play_arrow | Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff... |
| 32 | 60 Grand Etudes No. 24 “Bravura (Heroically)”Jean-Amédée Méreaux |  play_arrow | A work that pursues the ultimate in brilliant and powerful piano performance… |
| 33 | Etude Op. 25 No. 6Frederic Chopin |  play_arrow | Fla..., who has created numerous beautiful masterpieces, has... |
| 34 | 12 Etudes in All Minor Keys, Op. 39: No. 3 “Diabolical Scherzo”Charles Valentin Alkan |  play_arrow | The leading Romantic composer representing France, Cha... |
| 35 | Etude Op.10-2 in A minorFrederic Chopin |  play_arrow | Chopin’s études require finger flexibility. |
| 36 | 60 Etudes, No. 60: Allegro assaiJean-Amédée Méreaux |  play_arrow | One of the representative musical works of 19th-century France… |
| 37 | Spanish Rhapsody, Op. 254Franz Liszt |  play_arrow | They are known for creating devilishly difficult pieces… |
| 38 | Toccata in C major, Op. 7Robert Schumann |  play_arrow | A composer representing the German Romantic movement of the 19th century… |
| 39 | Piano Sonata No. 5Alexander Scriabin |  play_arrow | The Russian ... who had a tremendous impact on modern music |
| 40 | Years of Pilgrimage, Second Year – Supplement: “Venice and Naples,” S.162, No. 3: “Tarantella”Franz Liszt |  play_arrow | It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it the culmination of Franz Liszt’s work… |
| 41 | Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat major, Op. 106 “Hammerklavier”Ludwig van Beethoven |  play_arrow | The great master who shines brilliantly in the history of music, Ludwig v... |
| 42 | Eight Concert Etudes, Op. 40 No. 8: FinaleNikolay Kapustin |  play_arrow | A pia… that brilliantly fuses classical and jazz |
| 43 | Opus ClavichenbalisticumKaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji |  play_arrow | A modern music composer known for experimental composition… |
| 44 | Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13Robert Schumann |  play_arrow | The composer Robert Schu—, a leading figure of the Romantic era, |
| 45 | Etudes for Piano, Book II, No. 13 “The Devil’s Staircase”György Ligeti |  play_arrow | A great figure who left behind numerous experimental works... |