Franz Schubert Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

Piano Sonata No. 18 in G major, D 894, Op. 78 “Fantasy”Franz Schubert71rank/position

2023 PTNA Special Class Semifinal: Schubert – Piano Sonata No. 18 “Fantasy,” D 894, Op. 78, pf. Manami Suzuki

Composed around 1826, when Franz Schubert was 28, this four-movement masterpiece is known as the “Fantasy Sonata,” a name derived from the word “Fantasia” written on its first edition.

While Schubert’s Piano Sonatas Nos.

19, 20, and 21 are especially famous, No.

18 is also highly popular.

Robert Schumann, a leading composer of the German Romantic tradition and a renowned critic, praised it as “perfect both in form and spirit.” Even today, this “Fantasy Sonata” is regarded as one of Schubert’s most esteemed works and is an essential part of a pianist’s repertoire.

It was the last work published during Schubert’s lifetime, and, true to a composer who wrote many songs and dances, it features not only great beauty but also movements that compellingly incorporate dance rhythms—making it a piece you’ll want to hear all the way to the end.

Piano Sonata No. 19 in C Minor, D 958Franz Schubert72rank/position

Schubert – Piano sonata D.958 – Richter studio

Franz Schubert, famed as the “king of song,” also left many masterpieces of piano sonatas.

One of them is the Piano Sonata No.

19 in C minor, D 958, composed in 1828, the final year of his life.

The piano sonatas from this period were written with a strong consciousness of Ludwig van Beethoven—the revered master known as the composer of the “Ninth” and the Symphony No.

5 “Fate.” Despite his failing health, Schubert poured his full strength into these large-scale works.

Of the four movements, only the second is in A-flat major and thus in a major key; the other three movements are all in C minor.

Whether he was aware of his impending death is unknown, but these late works remain highly popular today.

Regarding the Piano Sonata No.

18, Robert Schumann—renowned also as a critic—lavishly praised it as “perfect both in form and spirit,” and No.

19 stands alongside Nos.

18 and 20 as one of the most beloved works in Schubert’s output.

Piano Sonata No. 20 in A major, D. 959Franz Schubert73rank/position

Schubert: Piano Sonata No. 20 In A Major, D.959: I. Allegro

Following Nos.

18 and 19, this is one of the most popular of Austrian composer Franz Schubert’s piano sonatas.

Composed in 1828, during Schubert’s brief 31-year life, it is the second of the three piano sonatas he wrote in a single burst just two months before his death, despite his declining health.

Written in A major, it conveys a singing brightness.

Only the second movement is in a minor key—specifically F-sharp minor—beginning with a simple, desolate character.

However, partway through it expands into a fierce, wide-ranging development that provides striking contrast.

Though a beautiful piano sonata, it also contains numerous intense passages that seem to reflect an awareness of approaching death; this balance has made it a favored repertoire piece among pianists to this day.

It is a Schubert piano sonata you will want to listen to through to the end.

Piano Trio No. 2 in E-flat major, Op. 100, D 929Franz Schubert74rank/position

Franz Schubert / Klaviertrio Es-Dur op. 100 D 929

It is a piano trio composed in 1827.

Of its four movements, all but the second are written in a major key.

However, Schubert was in poor health at the time, composing while battling headaches and dizziness.

Following the expansive first movement, the second movement, Andante con moto, is written in C minor and possesses a distinctive sense of desolation.

Piano Quintet in A major, Op. 114, D. 667 “Trout”Franz Schubert75rank/position

Franz Schubert – The Trout (complete)

It carries the subtitle “The Trout.” This stems from the fourth movement being a set of variations on Schubert’s song “Die Forelle” (The Trout).

While the usual instrumentation for a piano quintet is piano, two violins, viola, and cello, Schubert’s scoring is different: piano, violin (one), viola, cello, and double bass.

All five movements are written in major keys.

Piano Quintet “The Trout”Franz Schubert76rank/position

Schubert, Trout Quintet D. 667 — Sergey Kuznetsov et al. — Quintet “The Trout”

Composed in 1819 when Schubert was 22, this work was published posthumously in 1829.

In the summer of 1819, during a visit to Austria, Schubert met the amateur musician and mining entrepreneur Sylvester Paumgartner.

Paumgartner requested that Schubert write a quintet based on his favorite song, “Die Forelle” (The Trout), and Schubert composed this piece in response.

Piano Quintet “The Trout,” Movement 4Franz Schubert77rank/position

Schubert: Piano Quintet “Trout”: IV. [Naxos Classical Curation #Healing]

This refreshing masterpiece of chamber music was composed in the summer of 1819 by Franz Schubert, known as the King of Song.

It is based on a song that depicts fish darting across the river’s surface on the piano, and unfolds in the form of variations.

The conversation woven by five instruments, including the double bass, is bright and full of happiness, sure to lift the listener’s spirits.

The work was published posthumously in 1829.

Thanks to its familiarity, it has been used as background music in many films and videos.

It’s recommended for starting a fresh morning or for working in a relaxed mood.

Its pleasant rhythm will naturally help boost your efficiency in studying or desk work.

Symphony No. 3 in D major, D 200Franz Schubert78rank/position

Schubert: 3. Sinfonie ∙ hr-Sinfonieorchester ∙ Andrés Orozco-Estrada

Composed in 1815, it is a symphony in D major.

It consists of four movements, all written in a major key.

As it is still an early symphony, there are many passages reminiscent of Haydn; nevertheless, Schubert’s individuality is beginning to emerge, and it is said that the Allegretto of the second movement uses the 14th-century German folk song “Maria’s Lullaby” as its theme.

Symphony No. 7 “Unfinished Symphony”Franz Schubert79rank/position

Franz Schubert, Symphony No. 8 “Unfinished”

This work was composed in 1822 when Schubert was 25 years old.

The score was discovered several years after his death and received its premiere in 1865.

Schubert wrote the piece as a token of gratitude after being recommended as an honorary member of the Music Society.

Because the completed manuscript extends only to the second movement, it is known as the “Unfinished Symphony.” Many people have offered various speculations as to why it remained incomplete.

Symphony No. 8 (9) in C major “The Great,” D. 944Franz Schubert80rank/position

Schubert: Symphony No. 9 in C major, D 944 “The Great” — Karl Böhm, Vienna Philharmonic, 1976, Salzburg / シューベルト 交響曲 第9番 ザ・グレイト ベーム

This work was composed between 1825 and 1826.

The nickname “The Great” is widely believed to have arisen to distinguish it from Schubert’s Symphony No.

6, which is also in C major, hence calling it “The Great” (the larger symphony).

True to its name, it is a lengthy piece lasting over an hour, and Schumann praised it, referring to its “heavenly length.”