Richard Wagner Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

Tannhäuser: OvertureRichard Wagner15rank/position

Wagner / Tannhäuser Overture

The Tannhäuser Overture is performed in the three-act opera Tannhäuser and the Song Contest at the Wartburg.

It evokes images of grand, majestic nature.

The opening sounds from the clarinets, bassoons, and horns are captivating.

The solid, resonant tones of the strings and winds are a highlight of this piece.

Zürich’s Viel Leiebchen WWV 88Richard Wagner16rank/position

Richard Wagner Züricher Vielliebchen Walzer WWV 88

Feuerreifchen of Zurich, WWV 88, is a piano work brimming with rustic, gentle charm.

Composed by Richard Wagner during his exile in Zurich, Switzerland, this piece is a romantic waltz that, despite its brief duration of about 1 minute and 10 seconds, leaves a deep impression.

If you enjoy the contrast with the music dramas he is known for, this piece is a top recommendation! Anyone who loves the piano will be touched by its delicate melody and sense a different side of Wagner.

The Ring of the Nibelung: Götterdämmerung – Dawn and Siegfried’s Journey to the RhineRichard Wagner17rank/position

Dawn and Siegfried’s Rhine Journey from the music drama ‘Götterdämmerung’ / Wagner [Meiji University OB Symphony Orchestra]

The Bayreuth Festival is a music festival that Wagner created to stage his own work, The Ring of the Nibelung, and it is held every year from late July to August.

The four-part Ring cycle was composed by Wagner between the ages of 35 and 61, and since a performance takes about 15 hours, it is presented over at least four days.

Piano Sonata in A-flat major, WWV 85Richard Wagner18rank/position

Richard Wagner – Piano Sonata in A flat, WWV 85

Composed by the Romantic master Richard Wagner, the Piano Sonata in A-flat major, WWV 85, is a piano work of delicate beauty that stands apart from the operas and music dramas for which he is widely known.

It is said that he wrote this piece imbued with profound feelings for Mathilde Wesendonck.

That backstory further illuminates the music’s calm yet passionate passages.

Highly recommended for all piano lovers, especially those interested in classical and Romantic-era music.

Experience a quiet narrative told through the piano—distinct from the dramatic world of his music dramas.

Piano Sonata in B-flat major, WWV 1, Op. 1Richard Wagner19rank/position

Richard Wagner – Piano Sonata in B flat, Op. 1, WWV 21 (1/3)

Richard Wagner’s Piano Sonata in B-flat major, WWV 1, Op.

1, is a work whose gentle, unadorned sonority stands apart from his resplendent music dramas and operas.

Composed in 1831 when he was just 18, it offers a glimpse of Wagner’s early talent as he was still forging his musical path.

While it contains few passages designed to dazzle with virtuosity, the richness of expression and passion that underlie his music breathe through its delicate melodic lines.

Marking the first steps of the young Wagner’s diverse musical explorations, this piece possesses a charm distinct from the grandeur of the music dramas he would later create, and it is recommended not only for piano enthusiasts but also for those who wish to experience Wagner’s music from a fresh perspective.

Faust Overture in D minor, WWV 59 (1839/40)Richard Wagner20rank/position

Richard Wagner – Obertura Fausto

This is a concert overture inspired by Faust, the masterpiece by Germany’s great poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

It opens with a gentle introduction, featuring an impressive dialogue between the tuba’s weighty motif and the strings.

In the main section, a first theme with chromatic contours and a bright second theme unfold, creating highly dramatic music.

The modulation from D minor to D major symbolizes a passage from darkness to light, portraying Faust’s inner conflict and quest of the soul through sound.

Premiered in Dresden in July 1844, it fell into neglect until Liszt revived it in 1852.

This work is an important piece that showcases Richard Wagner’s dramatic expressivity and masterful orchestration.

It is recommended for those interested in Goethe’s literature or seeking to understand Wagner’s musical development.

Polka in G major, WWV 84Richard Wagner21rank/position

Wagner, Richard (1853): Polka in G-dur für Klavier, WWV 84 — Dario Bonuccelli

When we think of Richard Wagner, we usually picture him as a composer of operas and music dramas, but the Polka in G major, WWV 84, offers a glimpse of his multifaceted talent and more personal side.

Composed in 1853 to celebrate his 40th birthday and inspired by his feelings for a particular beautiful woman, the piece conveys Wagner’s characteristic romantic sonorities.

Suggesting a warm, private side, this work seems perfectly suited not to a grand stage, but to a gentle evening in a domestic salon.