Today's Piano: Masterpieces and Popular Pieces Woven with Delicate Tones

Champion CynthiaMasuda Junichi

[Piano] I tried playing Cynthia’s battle theme from Pokémon Diamond and Pearl [Pokemon Shirona Battle]

A powerful piano melody rings out, unfolding into a grand piece brimming with tension and exhilaration.

The work’s melody carries a fierce sense of speed that symbolizes strength and dignity, stirring the hearts of listeners.

Released in 2006, it has remained deeply etched in many people’s memories as music that heightens the intensity of heated battles.

It is favored in a variety of events and scenes, and is even used as wedding background music.

While it demands dazzling, impactful performance technique, it also allows for rich expressiveness.

As a piece that fully showcases the piano’s charm, it is an excellent choice for recitals and concerts.

Piano Sonata No. 0 “Sōmei”Kakuno Hayato

Piano Sonata No. 0 “Sōmei (Resonance)”

Hayato Sumino, a pianist attracting attention as part of a new generation, captivates many music fans with works that fuse classical technique with a contemporary sensibility.

This piece, while employing sonata form, is an ambitious work that incorporates improvisational elements and free expression.

Its grand sonorities, reminiscent of Rachmaninoff, blend beautifully with a fresh approach informed by jazz.

Released in December 2020, the piece encapsulates Sumino’s spirit of musical exploration and rich sensibility.

It is a work we highly recommend to those interested in new musical expressions that transcend the boundaries of classical music.

Chase the mysteryJuhara Ryoko

Chase the Mystery / Ryoko Kihara R. Kihara [Recommended for Piano Recitals]

A piece characterized by a mysterious, thrilling atmosphere.

Its storyline-like structure, which unfolds gradually from a suspenseful introduction, creates a sense of immersion reminiscent of game or anime background music.

Though only about the difficulty level of completing Beyer, it skillfully weaves in rhythmic changes and harmonic progressions, resulting in a work that shines on stage.

Included in the album “Piano Land 5: Sing and Play with Your Teacher” and published by Ongaku No Tomo Sha in February 1992, this piece is beloved for allowing performers to express the music as if telling a story.

Highly recommended for those who want to perform at recitals or competitions.

With a powerful performance, it is sure to captivate the audience.

broad daylightKing Gnu

Hakujitsu / King Gnu (Piano Solo with Vocals)

Released by King Gnu in February 2019 as the theme song for a drama centered on wrongful convictions, this piece portrays human frailty, regret over the past, and hope for the future.

It delicately depicts the weakness that leads people to hurt others without realizing it and the remorse for irreparable mistakes, while also expressing the strength to keep moving forward.

Like cold snow that envelops everything, the lyrics strikingly convey a wish to soothe past pain and an anticipation of the warm spring that will eventually arrive.

With its memorable piano melody, this song is perfect for a piano-and-vocal rendition.

It is recommended for those who want to carefully weave the song’s deeply emotional lyrical world together with the sound of the piano.

A Naked Heartaimyon

[Piano Solo Singing] Naked Heart / Aimyon [Full Lyrics]

This heartwarming ballad woven by piano and vocals is the theme song for the TBS drama “My Housekeeper Nagisa-san.” Gently accompanying the feelings of a heroine clumsy in love, it sets the delicate stirrings of a woman’s budding affection to a relaxed piano melody.

Its memorable melodic line sensitively captures shifting emotions—loneliness, envy, and the unease that comes with falling in love.

Sung with simple piano accompaniment, it’s perfect for a piano-and-vocal performance.

A song I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who wants to cherish the feelings of thinking about someone and being true to their emotions.