Franz Schubert Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

Song cycle ‘Swan Song’ No. 4 ‘Serenade’Franz Schubert36rank/position

Schubert – Ständchen (Serenade), piano solo version – with score

Franz Schubert’s song collection of German lieder, “Schwanengesang” (Swan Song).

No.

4, “Ständchen” (Serenade), is the most famous piece in the set and is often performed as a solo work for flute or piano.

When the flute is added to the mandolin-like piano accompaniment, the result is an even more elegant and refined atmosphere; if the piano covers all parts, it produces a rich resonance with a strong sense of unity between melody and accompaniment.

Try challenging yourself to see how much of the original’s poignancy you can convey when performing on instruments without lyrics.

Swan Song D957/965a No. 4 “Serenade”Franz Schubert37rank/position

Schubert “Serenade” Fritz Wunderlich

Composed in 1828, it is commonly known as Schubert’s Serenade.

This piece is the fourth song in Schubert’s song cycle Schwanengesang and is one of the most famous among his lieder.

Schwanengesang consists of 14 songs set to poems by three poets—Rellstab, Heine, and Seidl.

This song, Serenade, is based on a poem by Rellstab.

Serenade from SchwanengesangFranz Schubert38rank/position

Schubert: Swan Song “Serenade” [33_Dark and Sad Classical Piano Piece with Sheet Music and Commentary]

This is a piece included in Franz Schubert’s renowned song collection Schwanengesang, which he worked on from August 1828 onward.

Its sweet yet heartrending melody is striking, as if whispering hidden feelings to a beloved in the stillness of the night.

The delicate piano accompaniment captures the protagonist’s trembling heart and even the touch of the night breeze, drawing listeners into the world of the story.

It is also known for its use in the 1933 film Gently My Songs Entreat.

The wistfulness that pervades this work gently accompanies nights when one is overwhelmed by sorrow, making it a masterpiece you should listen to when you wish to indulge in sentiment.

Military March No. 1Franz Schubert39rank/position

Schubert: Military March No. 1 [03_Recommended Classical Piano Piece with Four-Hand Sheet Music]

From its bold, fanfare-like opening, a grand world for piano four hands unfolds.

Inheriting Vienna’s illustrious military-band tradition, powerful and brilliant melodies intertwine with sparkling harmonies in exquisite balance.

Franz Schubert composed this work in 1822 with performances among friends in mind.

Frequently chosen as background music for films and documentaries, it captivates with the tension and dynamic expression of two pianos in dialogue.

Performed by four hands in perfect sync, it is a highly recommended piece for pianists seeking a richer musical experience.

Erlkönig Op. 1 D328Franz Schubert40rank/position

The Demon King [Schubert Version] (Erlkönig) [With Lyrics, Japanese Translation, and Katakana]

Erlkönig is an art song composed by Schubert when he was 18.

Inspired by the poem Erlkönig by the German poet Goethe, he set it to music.

It’s a famous piece that even appears in junior high school music textbooks, so many of you have likely heard it.

A father, cradling his ailing son, gallops through the night on horseback, while the Erlking persistently whispers demonic temptations; in the end, the son dies.

The piano’s repeated notes evoke the horse’s gallop and the mounting anxiety and fear of the father and child.

Be sure to listen while reading a parallel translation of the lyrics.

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Trout (arranged by Liszt)Franz Schubert41rank/position

Mäßig (Schubert Song Transcriptions, S.564) (Liszt)

This piece is a piano solo arrangement of a song by Franz Schubert, made by Franz Liszt.

Through the story of a trout swimming in a clear stream and the fisherman who aims to catch it, it conveys a lesson about life.

Liszt adds brilliant, piano-specific virtuosity without diminishing the original’s beauty.

Arpeggios and ornaments that evoke the flow of the river and the movements of the trout are used effectively, rendering visual scenes through sound.

It is recommended for those interested in the beauty of nature and the morals of human society, as well as for listeners who enjoy technically dazzling piano performances.

Three Piano PiecesFranz Schubert42rank/position

Yulianna Avdeeva – Franz Schubert Drei Klavierstücke D 946

Franz Schubert, the Austrian composer known as the “king of song,” wrote several piano pieces in his later years.

While many retain a classical style, an increasing number display romantic, emotive character, influencing later composers.

This set of solo piano pieces was composed in 1828, but it was neither published immediately nor widely remembered.

Johannes Brahms, the German composer who admired Schubert’s piano sonatas, highly valued the works and edited them anonymously; they were published in 1868.

The first piece is a fierce tarantella in the rare key of E-flat minor.

The third piece is marked by distinctive syncopation and a vibrant energy.

Notably, it was also Brahms who gave the collection the title by which it is known today: “Three Piano Pieces.”