Igor Stravinsky Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

Oedipus RexIgor Stravinsky8rank/position

Igor Stravinsky – Oedipus Rex

A work by the modern Russian composer Stravinsky.

It is an oratorio based on the Greek myth of Oedipus, featuring a scene from the legends about him.

This video includes Japanese narration, making it easy for first-time viewers to understand.

Ebony ConcertoIgor Stravinsky9rank/position

Igor Stravinsky / Ebony Concerto

This piece was composed at the request of Woody Herman, who was active as a wind instrumentalist and singer, and it is also known as the Ebony Concerto.

Incidentally, “ebony” refers to the black wood (ebony) that is sometimes used as a material for clarinets.

CapriccioIgor Stravinsky10rank/position

Igor Stravinsky: Capriccio per pianoforte e orchestra (1929)

A work brimming with elegant, virtuosic charm.

The piano and orchestra intertwine exquisitely, where sprightly rhythms meet dazzling melodies.

Each of the three movements has its own character—an energetic Presto, a dreamlike Andante rapsodico, and a playful Allegro capriccioso—so it never loses the listener’s interest.

At the premiere in May 1930, the composer himself played the piano, and a recording was also made in Paris.

It’s a highly recommended piece not only for classical music fans but also for anyone interested in piano concertos.

karuta gameIgor Stravinsky11rank/position

Stravinsky: Jeu de cartes – Igor Stravinsky, direttore; Berliner Philarmoniker

This is a ballet score commissioned by the manager of the American Ballet, the predecessor of the New York City Ballet.

It is also known as ‘Card Game.’ It depicts a game of poker played with playing cards, and the performance lasts about 22 minutes.

Circus PolkaIgor Stravinsky12rank/position

Circus Polka / I. Stravinsky — Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra

Would you like to listen to an original wind band piece by a classical master? That would be Igor Stravinsky’s Circus Polka.

The full title is actually Circus Polka: For a Young Elephant, but it’s often shortened to simply Circus Polka.

It was written for a ballet for elephants, and it’s said that elephants wearing tutus actually danced to it.

Although it isn’t performed very often today, recordings remain—for example, by the professional wind ensemble Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra, as in the video introduced here, as well as an orchestral version conducted by Herbert von Karajan.

Wind ensemble performance is a relatively young format that has developed over the past hundred years, yet we still have wind band works by masters like Stravinsky.

Serenade in A majorIgor Stravinsky13rank/position

Stravinsky: Serenade in A for Piano, K44: I. Hymne

Igor Stravinsky, an innovative composer who defined the 20th century.

His piano work Serenade in A, composed in 1925, is a piece with a distinctive sonority.

Designed for gramophone recording so that each movement would fit on one side of a record, it consists of four movements influenced by modern classical and neoclassical styles.

Its unique musical language—interweaving complex rhythms, fragmentary melodies, and nontraditional harmonies—can be experienced in the composer’s own performances as a pianist.

Experience this work in recordings and feel for yourself how his music revolutionized 20th-century musical thought.

TangoIgor Stravinsky14rank/position

Igor Stravinsky – Tango (audio + sheet music)

Tango (1940) by Igor Stravinsky, one of the defining composers of the 20th century, was originally written for piano but later became beloved in various instrumental arrangements.

Composed after the Russian-born composer emigrated to the United States, this piece is a masterpiece that blends romantic warmth with a modern allure.

Built on a tango rhythm, it deftly expresses feelings of solitude, longing, and unease, and its skillful use of repetition resonates deeply with listeners.

It’s a work I recommend not only to piano enthusiasts but to a broad range of music lovers.