Franz Liszt Popular Song Ranking [2026]

Mephisto Waltz No. 1, S.514Franz Liszt64rank/position

Mephisto – Waltz No.1

Franz Liszt was a composer who also achieved success as a pianist.

He is a towering figure in the piano repertoire and left behind many technically demanding pieces.

Among his works, the Mephisto Waltz is often cited as an unusual piano piece.

While it is basically tonal in the conventional sense, its introduction is particularly unique, and if you stumble in the repeated-chord passages, the performance quality drops sharply—making it a distinctively challenging work.

Be sure to give it a listen.

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Ryo

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Mephisto Waltz No. 1: “Dance at the Village Inn”Franz Liszt65rank/position

Ryota Yamazaki / Liszt: Mephisto Waltz No. 1 “The Dance in the Village Inn,” S.514/R.181 (PTNA 2014 Competition National Finals / Special Class Grand Prix)

One of the difficult pieces lavishly packed with Liszt-like virtuosic techniques.

Mephisto plays a waltz on the violin, and people begin to dance.

Eventually, Mephisto finds a girl named Margarete and slips away with her into the forest.

The piece vividly depicts such scenes, with a nightingale singing in the night sky.

Rather than an elegant waltz, it brims with overwhelming energy—more a frenzy of ecstatic revelry—offering a piece where one can fully savor magnificent piano virtuosity.

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HATSUMI

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La Campanella: Grandes études de PaganiniFranz Liszt66rank/position

La Campanella (Liszt)

“La Campanella” means “the little bell” in Italian.

The composer Liszt, impressed by the virtuosity of the genius violinist Paganini, composed it out of a desire to express similarly transcendental technique himself.

Romance S.169Franz Liszt67rank/position

Liszt – Romance, S.169 (Bertoli)

Romance, S.169, which is said to have been composed when Franz Liszt visited Moscow.

Though it doesn’t use many notes, it blends elements of romanticism, calm, and intensity—making it a characteristically Lisztian work by a leading composer of the Romantic era.

Some might think, “I’ve never heard of a Liszt ‘Romance,’” but in fact it’s frequently programmed in concerts and is very popular among piano enthusiasts.

Before tackling Liszt’s large-scale masterpieces, I recommend experiencing his world through this piece!

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yuri

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Symphonic poem ‘Les Préludes (The Preludes)’Franz Liszt68rank/position

F. Liszt / Symphonic Poem “Les Préludes,” S.97

This is a symphonic poem composed by Franz Liszt in 1854.

Among the thirteen symphonic poems he wrote, it is perhaps the most frequently performed.

A symphonic poem is an orchestral work based on the content of a poem, and the form is said to have been pioneered by Liszt.

This particular piece was inspired by a poem by Alphonse de Lamartine and conveys the idea that life is a prelude to death.

Its dramatic development is captivating, and simply listening to the music allows one to sense the poem’s content.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Symphonic Poem “Orpheus,” S.98 / R.415Franz Liszt69rank/position

Franz Liszt – Orpheus, Symphonic Poem No. 4, S.98 / 리스트 – 오르페우스, 교향시 4번

It is said to have been composed under the strong impression made by an Etruscan vase seen at the Louvre, in the overture to Gluck’s opera Orfeo ed Euridice.

With its noble and graceful musical ideas, the occasional sound of the harp evokes the lyre whose tones Orpheus used to enchant the animals of the forest and even the trees.

Symphonic Poem “Tasso, Lament and Triumph,” S.97/R.413Franz Liszt70rank/position

Liszt – Tasso, Lamento e Trionfo (Score)

This is one of Franz Liszt’s symphonic poems, active in Germany and Austria.

Completed in 1849 and premiered in Weimar in 1854, the work was inspired by the life and writings of the Italian poet Tasso and exemplifies Liszt’s symphonic poem form.

It features wistful melodies and a majestic climax, expressing Tasso’s tragic life and ultimate triumph.

Liszt is said to have been inspired to compose it by a gondolier’s song he heard in Venice.

Classified as Romantic music, the piece highlights Liszt’s imaginative orchestration and innovative musical form.

It’s a highly recommended work for classical music enthusiasts.