[Advanced] Super cool if you can play it! Selection of famous piano pieces
When you think of classical piano pieces, many people probably imagine graceful melodies and gentle, soothing works.
However, in this article we’re introducing pieces that overturn that image: fiercely beautiful, dynamic, and cool classical piano works by various composers—aspirational, advanced-level repertoire for learners who dream of becoming top pianists.
These cool classical pieces have great performance impact, so they’re guaranteed to shine at recitals and studio concerts!
If you’re looking for technically challenging and dazzling piano works, don’t miss this!
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- [Intermediate Level] A curated selection of piano masterpieces featuring strikingly brilliant melodies!
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- [Piano Recital] Perfect Pieces for Middle Schoolers! A Curated Selection of Impressive, Audience-Pleasing Works
- Difficult Piano Pieces | Even Pros Can't Play Them!? Classical Works Requiring Virtuosic Technique
- Masterpieces of classical piano that are too beautiful for words. A gathering of delicate tones that cleanse the soul.
- Beginner to Intermediate: Chopin pieces with relatively low difficulty. Recommended works by Chopin.
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- [For Piano Recitals] Simple yet Cool Classical Pieces
[Advanced] If You Can Play These, You're Incredibly Cool! Selection of Famous Piano Pieces (51–60)
Le Tombeau de Couperin No. 4: RigaudonMaurice Ravel
Maurice Ravel, who lost many acquaintances in World War I, composed Le Tombeau de Couperin as a tribute to them.
The fourth piece, Rigaudon, is dedicated to the Gaudin brothers, Ravel’s childhood friends, and employs the rhythm of the lively dance “rigaudon,” which originates from the Provence region.
Its brisk character, which seems to express joyful memories of his childhood companions, feels all the more poignant once you know the background of the work.
Try performing it while imagining Ravel’s feelings.
Piano Sonata No. 18, K. 576Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s final piano sonata is technically demanding and distinguished by its contrapuntal passages.
Notably, in the first movement both hands begin in unison, and the trills and development of the themes are striking.
In the second movement, scale passages and counterpoint stand out.
The lively final movement calls for precise articulation.
This work requires not just nimble fingers but a delicate touch that conveys musical depth.
With diligent practice, it can shine on any stage.
Highly recommended for those aiming for the highest levels of piano performance.
Demon KingSchubert=Liszt
Even if you don’t know the composer or the title, when you hear this incredibly famous melody you’ll likely feel you’ve heard it at least once.
It’s a song composed by Franz Peter Schubert at the young age of 18, and the solo piano arrangement by Franz Liszt is also extremely well known.
Filled throughout with an ominous, terrifying atmosphere, it’s a perfect piece when you want to savor a spooky Halloween.
From a performance standpoint it’s very difficult, and the key is to handle the characteristic triplet phrases with nuanced tempo changes while maintaining precise rhythm.
In some sections it turns wistful, and there are moments of calm—be mindful of expressing these dramatic developments, and practice repeatedly so you can bring them out!
12 Etudes Op. 25-6Frederic Chopin
Among Chopin’s works, the Etude Op.
25, No.
6 is said to be one of the most difficult.
It demands exceptional flexibility of the hands and fingers, featuring repeated passages in double thirds of high difficulty.
Many players stumble right at the opening chromatic double-thirds, which also appear frequently in Liszt’s works.
In this sense, the piece can be seen as a gateway to repertoire for ultra-advanced pianists.
Performances that achieve beautifully articulated, evenly voiced tone are remarkable—be sure to check them out.
Legend S.175 No. 2 “St. Francis of Paola Walking on the Waves”Franz Liszt
Even when we speak broadly of “difficult pieces,” there are many kinds.
Some, like Mazeppa, are difficult in a single, concentrated way, while others, like the Toccata, are difficult because they incorporate a wide range of techniques.
The piece I’m introducing here, Legend S.175 No.
2 “St.
Francis of Paola Walking on the Waves,” belongs to the latter category.
Liszt’s distinctive fingering is clearly reflected in this work as well, and it also demands a fair amount of stamina.
Because there are so many techniques one must cover, it can feel more difficult than a typical piece would be judged to be.