RAG MusicPiano
A web magazine to help you enjoy the piano even more

Piano Masterpieces: Music you’ll want to listen to and play—beloved classic works

Do you have any memorable piano pieces that make you feel healed when you listen to them, or that you’d like to play someday?

A favorite piece can soothe a mind clouded by stress or anxiety.

In this article, we’ve carefully selected world-famous piano works from among the classics that could become your go-to soothing track.

Even if you’re not very familiar with classical music, we’ve chosen only well-known pieces you’ve likely heard somewhere before, so please enjoy reading to the end!

[Piano Masterpieces] Pieces you want to listen to and play! Beloved classical works (131–140)

Nocturne No. 2 in E-flat major, Op. 9 No. 2Frederic Chopin

A celebrated masterpiece by Frédéric Chopin whose beautiful melody cleanses the soul.

With its gentle rhythm and meticulously crafted melodic shifts, it is a captivating work by one of the leading composers of the Romantic era.

Composed between 1831 and 1832, this piece dates from when Chopin was around twenty years old.

It paints the quiet and beauty of the night in music, soothing and enveloping the listener’s heart.

Its elegant waltz rhythm and tastefully ornamented melody have long enchanted piano enthusiasts.

It is the perfect piece for those seeking a moment to unwind from the fatigue of daily life.

Sonatina No. 1 in C majorFriedrich Kuhlau

Kuhlau: Sonatine No.1 in C-Dur Op.20-1(Nagai)
Sonatina No. 1 in C majorFriedrich Kuhlau

Sonatina No.

1 in C major is a work composed in 1819 by the German composer Friedrich Kuhlau.

As it appears as the first piece in Sonatina Album, Vol.

1 and Vol.

2 (published by Zen-On Music), it is often played as teaching material for piano performance.

Kuhlau is also called the “Beethoven of the Flute,” as he composed many works for the instrument, drawing comparisons to his contemporary, Beethoven.

The Lucky BlacksmithGeorg Friedrich Händel

Zen-On Piano Solo PP-175 Handel: The Harmonious Blacksmith, Zen-On Music Company Ltd.
The Lucky BlacksmithGeorg Friedrich Händel

“The Harmonious Blacksmith” is the nickname given to the final piece, “Air and Variations,” of George Frideric Handel’s Harpsichord Suite No.

5 in E major, HWV 430.

This set of variations became widely known only in the early 19th century, more than a hundred years after it was composed, and it is said that the name was not given by Handel himself but came into use around that time.

From 25 Etudes: The Lady’s Horseback Riding / La chevaleresqueJohann Burgmüller

Friedrich Burgmüller: La chevaleresque (Des Edelfräuleins Ritt, My lady’s ride), Op.100 No.25
From 25 Etudes: The Lady's Horseback Riding / La chevaleresqueJohann Burgmüller

La chevaleresque, or The Lady’s Horseback Ride, is the 25th piano piece in Burgmüller’s Etudes, “25 Progressive Pieces.” Featuring an abundance of technical elements such as staccato, slurs, triplets, and crescendos, it serves as a culminating work within the collection.

Emperor WaltzJohann Strauss II

J. Strauss II = Pennario: Emperor Waltz, Op. 437
Emperor WaltzJohann Strauss II

The Emperor Waltz is a concert Viennese waltz composed by Johann Strauss II in 1889.

Its original title is Kaiser-Walzer, and it is one of his most popular works.

Along with Strauss II’s The Blue Danube and Tales from the Vienna Woods, it is counted among the “three great waltzes.”

Waltz, Op. 39 No. 15 “Waltz of Love”Johannes Brahms

Brahms Waltz in A-Flat Major, Op. 39 No. 15 – Evgeny Kissin
Waltz, Op. 39 No. 15 “Waltz of Love”Johannes Brahms

A gem of a piano piece from the German Romantic master Johannes Brahms.

Originally written for piano four-hands, it was later arranged by Brahms himself for solo piano.

With its graceful melody and warm, resonant harmonies that touch the heart, it is a work that seems to embody “love.” Composed in Vienna in 1865, when Brahms was in his thirties, the piece was immensely popular as domestic music at the time.

Recommended not only for piano students but also for music lovers seeking comfort.

Why not spend a heartwarming moment on a leisurely autumn evening with this soothing work?

Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 “Pathétique,” Second MovementLudwig van Beethoven

This work is widely known as one of Ludwig van Beethoven’s masterpieces.

In particular, the second movement is often said to be the most beautiful melody Beethoven ever wrote, and it has been used as incidental music in many films and TV dramas.

Published in 1799, the piece moves listeners with its profound emotional expression and lyrical beauty.

While the melody is simple, it is characterized by the rich, weighty harmonies that support it.

Try performing the gently flowing, elegant melody calmly, as it warmly envelops the listener’s heart.

A highly recommended piece for those seeking comfort and healing.