[Piano] Piano Pieces to Enjoy in the Hot Summer: A Selection of Refreshing Classical Works

In Japan’s sweltering summer, the oppressive heat wears down both body and mind.

Indoors is muggy, outdoors is scorching, and all motivation seems to vanish.

That’s why we recommend enjoying refreshing piano music for the summer! Here, we’ve carefully selected piano masterpieces from cool, calming classical works that will make you forget the heat.

We can’t control the temperature, but listening to beautiful music can lift your spirits.

Using the pieces we introduce as a guide, pick a few favorites and create a “Beat-the-Heat Summer Playlist” before the hot season arrives!

Playlist

[Piano] Piano Pieces to Enjoy in the Hot Summer: A Selection of Refreshing Classical Works
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	Daylight saving timeGeorge Gershwin		A Lullaby to Soothe Gershwin's Heart
2	At the seaside at nightHeino Kasuki		A cool piano piece that makes you forget the summer heat
3	Petite Suite: I. En bateauClaude Debussy		Debussy’s water scenes, with a cool, refreshing tone
4	Little Boat on the Ocean from the Suite ‘Mirrors’Maurice Ravel		My heart is cleansed by Ravel’s cool, refreshing piano piece.
5	Summer MorningHeino Kasuki		A refreshing piano piece for a summer morning
6	In the ForestAlbert Ketèlbey		A gentle, shade-like piano piece that soothes the heart
7	Grand WaltzFrederic Chopin		Chopin’s brilliant piano piece, a masterpiece that influenced many musicians
8	Seaside at Dusk, H.128: No. 3 “The Stormy Seashore”Bohuslav Martinů		Seaside Evening Piano Piece That Makes You Forget Summer
9	Happiness, Opus 292-6Gustav Lange		Heal your heart with an elegant piano piece
10	Nocturne No. 2Frederic Chopin		Nocturne, composed by Chopin.
11	Etude-Tableaux, Op. 39 No. 2 in A minor “The Sea and the Seagull”Sergei Rachmaninov		A summer piano piece, a masterpiece by Rachmaninoff
12	dreamClaude Debussy		The serene beauty of fantastical Impressionist music
13	Nocturne No. 2 in E-flat major, Op. 9 No. 2Frederic Chopin		Chopin's beautiful nocturnes, soothing to the soul
14	10 Pieces from the Ballet “Cinderella,” Op. 97: No. 2, The Spirit of SummerSergei Prokofiev		Prokofiev’s summer-appropriate piece “Cinderella”
15	“Frayce A’s Flowers,” Volume 3, Op. 16: No. 2 — Moving into the Summer HideawayWilhelm Peterson-Berger		A gentle summer piano piece, soothing to the heart
16	Impromptu of the WindNakata Yoshinao		A refreshing piano piece for an album.
17	Bergamasque Suite No. 1: PreludeClaude Debussy		The color-rich beauty of Debussy’s Preludes
18	Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46: I. MorningEdvard Grieg		Grieg’s composition “Morning” is the most beloved masterpiece among Japanese people.
19	Midnight Fire FestivalHirayoshi Takeshu		Kiyosu Hirayoshi’s dynamic solo piano piece
20	Waltz No. 6 in D-flat major “Minute Waltz”Frederic Chopin		A piano piece depicting a puppy running
21	24 Preludes, Op. 28 No. 15 “Raindrop”Frederic Chopin		This well-known piano piece titled “Raindrop”…
22	Noble and Sentimental Waltzes: No. 1, Modéré (Moderato), G majorMaurice Ravel		Ravel’s waltz, a modern and elegant masterpiece
23	Pastoral of a Summer Night, Op. 16Merikanto Oskar		A nostalgic waltz piece by a Finnish composer
24	Barcarolle, Op. 60, CT 6, in F-sharp majorFrederic Chopin		Chopin’s Barcarolle is elegant and highly difficult.
25	Video, Episode 1: Reflections of WaterClaude Debussy		Introducing Debussy's Reflections in the Water
26	Gaspard of the Night, No. 1: OndineMaurice Ravel		A piano piece by Ravel depicting a water nymph
27	Play of WaterMaurice Ravel		Ravel’s piano piece that expresses the timbre of water
28	The Seasons, 12 Characteristic Pieces, Op. 37bis: July – Song of the ReaperPyotr Tchaikovsky		Tchaikovsky's Harvest Song
29	Scenes from Childhood, Op. 15, No. 7: DreamingRobert Schumann		Introduction to Schumann’s Traumerei
30	Piano Suite: No. 2 TanabataIfukube Akira		The Beauty of Tanabata: A Piano Piece Composed in Akira Ifukube’s Youth
31	Lyric Pieces, Book X, Op. 71 No. 2: Summer EveningEdvard Grieg		Just from the title “A Summer Evening,” this time…
32	Midsummer NocturneAaron Copland		A fantastical piano piece themed on Copland’s summer
33	Years of Pilgrimage, Third Year, S.163/R.10, A283, No. 4: The Fountains of the Villa d’EsteFranz Liszt		Liszt’s brilliant piano piece that depicts the movement of water