Ranking of popular classical pieces

Years of Pilgrimage, Second Year – Supplement: “Venice and Naples,” S.162, No. 3: “Tarantella”Franz Liszt36rank/position

List: Years of Pilgrimage, Second Year – Supplement “Venice and Naples,” S.162/R.10, A197 3. “Tarantella” Shogo Tsukada

The third piece, Tarantella, from Franz Liszt’s Venezia e Napoli, S.162—an appendix to the second year of Années de pèlerinage—could be called nothing less than a culmination of his work.

Composed intermittently from his twenties through his sixties, it allows listeners to experience the transition from Romanticism to Impressionism.

As one would expect from a work by Liszt, it is highly demanding.

The passages with continuous intricate ornamentation are especially challenging; however, because they also produce a striking performance effect, the piece is extraordinarily captivating to listen to.

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Arabesque No. 1Claude Debussy37rank/position

Arabesque No. 1 / Debussy / Classic / Piano / CANACANA

It is a beautiful piece by the French composer Claude Debussy.

Composed around 1888, this work dates from Debussy’s mid-twenties.

Though an early composition, it remains widely loved today.

Characterized by flowing arpeggios and an elegant melody, it possesses a moving, heartfelt allure.

Its light, transparent tone colors and fluid rhythms evoke water and nature, with a hint of Eastern sonorities.

It is a recommended piece not only for lovers of classical music but also for anyone seeking relaxing, pleasant music.

Clair de lune, the 3rd piece from the Suite bergamasqueClaude Debussy38rank/position

Clair de Lune - Debussy

The masterpieces created by Claude Debussy are distinguished by a dreamlike atmosphere, as if expressing moonlight through sound.

The beautiful melodies woven by the piano’s gentle timbre seem to conjure before your eyes a nightscape bathed in moonlight.

This work, whose revised edition was published in 1905, was also featured on NHK’s “Minna no Uta” broadcast in August 1971, and it has become widely beloved in Japan.

It is a recommended piece for times when you want to soothe a tired heart or spend a leisurely moment.

Surrendering yourself to its elegant melody will help you step away from the bustle of everyday life and spend your time in a calm, peaceful state.

Transcendental Étude No. 5 “Will-o’-the-Wisp”Franz Liszt39rank/position

Liszt: Transcendental Étude No. 5 “Feux follets” [43_Fierce, Fast Score with Commentary – Classical Piano Piece]

Franz Liszt’s works are highly regarded as masterpieces that combine transcendental virtuosity with poetic expression.

This piece symbolizes a fantastical image of flickering, bluish-white lights floating in the night.

Rapid chromatic figures flow continuously, and the shimmering sound evokes the ghostly motion of “will-o’-the-wisps.” While centered in B-flat major, occasional dissonant sonorities and irregular rhythms create a mysterious atmosphere.

Completed in 1851, the piece made a significant contribution to the development of piano music.

It is recommended for those interested in classical music and for pianists seeking a technical challenge.

12 Etudes Op. 25-6Frederic Chopin40rank/position

Chopin, Frédéric / 12 Etudes Op. 25 No. 6 in G-sharp minor, piano – Rieko Nezu

Among Chopin’s works, the Etude Op.

25, No.

6 is said to be one of the most difficult.

It demands exceptional flexibility of the hands and fingers, featuring repeated passages in double thirds of high difficulty.

Many players stumble right at the opening chromatic double-thirds, which also appear frequently in Liszt’s works.

In this sense, the piece can be seen as a gateway to repertoire for ultra-advanced pianists.

Performances that achieve beautifully articulated, evenly voiced tone are remarkable—be sure to check them out.

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Come, sweet deathJ.S.Bach41rank/position

Come, Sweet Death by J.S. Bach

This work, which expresses deep religious sentiment, was included as part of a collection of sacred songs that the Baroque-era composer Johann Sebastian Bach published in collaboration with Georg Christian Schemelli in 1736.

The piece conveys both the depth of Bach’s faith and the universality of the message he sought to communicate through music, singing of the Christian teaching that one need not fear death; rather, by welcoming a peaceful death, one attains eternal rest.

Its simple and beautiful melody leaves a profound impression on listeners and continues to convey the timeless appeal of Bach’s music today.

It is a recommended piece for those seeking peace of mind or wishing to explore the world of Bach’s sacred music.

Like a melodyJohannes Brahms42rank/position

Brahms: "As if it were melody" — from the album "Poésie: Playing Poetry (Song)"

The moment you try to put it into words, it disappears.

Such delicate feelings are depicted in music in the first song of Johannes Brahms’s collection Fünf Lieder, Op.

105.

Based on a poem by Klaus Groth, something that flits through the heart flows like a melody, blossoms like a flower, and drifts like a fragrance—yet the instant it is spoken, it fades like mist.

This paradoxical beauty is woven in sound.

Premiered in Vienna in February 1887, the work is written for low voice and piano, and it holds a deep afterglow within restrained emotion.

Played in a quiet graduation moment—say, during the presentation of diplomas—it can gently let feelings that words cannot fully convey seep into the heart.