[Piano] Classic masterpieces you’ll want to listen to and play in winter

Album for the Young, Op. 68 No. 38: In Winter Time IRobert Schumann

Jörg Demus plays Schumann Album für die Jugend Op.68 – 38. Winterzeit I

Album for the Young, written in 1848 by Robert Schumann—one of the leading composers of 19th-century Germany—includes a short piano piece themed around winter.

Although it spans only 16 measures, it carries Schumann’s distinctive Romantic atmosphere, portraying the quiet and chill of winter with a gentle yet introspective melody.

For piano learners, it’s an ideal piece to refine dynamic control and expressive nuance.

Why not play or listen to it at a relaxed pace during the winter season, and experience Schumann’s delicate sensibility?

Ave verum corpusWolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart: Ave Verum Corpus — Pianist Yuki Kondo

This motet was composed by the great master of classical music, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, in the final year of his life.

Though only 46 measures long, it is distinguished by a sublime melody that evokes profound emotion.

The text, praising the true body born of the Virgin Mary, conveys a message of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

While written for chorus with strings and organ, its beauty can be fully appreciated on the piano as well.

It’s a recommended piece for those who wish to find calm in the stillness of winter.

Experience this gem of a masterpiece that distills the essence of Mozart’s genius.

Christmas Time Is HereVince Guaraldi

Christmas Time Is Here – kno Piano Music – Sheet music transcription

This piece portrays a snowy landscape and a gentle festive atmosphere, set to a three-beat waltz.

Written for the December 1965 TV special “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” it has captivated many with its unique world where the transparent harmonies of a children’s choir intertwine with the language of jazz.

The lyrics describe the quiet and hope of Christmas from a child’s perspective, and their simple, unadorned word choice—eschewing excessive virtuosity—speaks directly to the listener’s heart.

The piano’s soft arpeggios and resonant use of silence evoke both the chill and the warmth of winter.

It’s a perfect song for those who seek inner tranquility over flashiness, and for anyone wishing to color moments with family or loved ones through music.

Three Romances, Op. 11 No. 1Clara Schumann

Clara Schumann: Three Romances, Op. 11 No. 1 [36_Dark and Sad Classical Piano Piece with Sheet Music and Commentary]

A piano piece that conceals profound lyricism within restrained expression.

Opening a set of three romantic miniatures, this work was written in 1839, when the composer was nineteen, imbued with feelings for her fiancé, Robert Schumann.

The theme, sung over extended arpeggios, seems to delicately reflect a love and longing kept within.

The piece also appears in the film “Geliebte Clara,” serving as a crucial key to portraying Clara Schumann’s inner world.

It is an ideal piece for a quiet, contemplative night, when you want to listen to the singing tone of the piano and take time to face your own heart.

Songs Without Words, Book V, Op. 62 No. 5, No. 3: “Venetian Boat Song”Felix Mendelssohn

Mendelssohn: Venetian Boat Song No. 3 [04_Dark and Sad Sheet Music with Commentary – Classical Piano Piece]

This is a piece from Felix Mendelssohn’s celebrated collection of piano miniatures, the masterpiece “Lieder ohne Worte” Op.

62.

The 6/8 accompaniment in the left hand deftly depicts a gondola gliding along the canals of Venice, while the right hand sings a melody like a plaintive song echoing over the water.

Its appeal lies in the way it conveys a poised dignity and elegance within sorrow, rather than being merely dark.

Published in 1844, this set is dedicated to Clara Schumann.

It is recommended for those times when you don’t want to force yourself to feel cheerful, but instead wish to surrender to this beautiful melody and savor the sensation of quietly sinking into the depths of your heart.

Serenade from SchwanengesangFranz Schubert

Schubert: Swan Song “Serenade” [33_Dark and Sad Classical Piano Piece with Sheet Music and Commentary]

This is a piece included in Franz Schubert’s renowned song collection Schwanengesang, which he worked on from August 1828 onward.

Its sweet yet heartrending melody is striking, as if whispering hidden feelings to a beloved in the stillness of the night.

The delicate piano accompaniment captures the protagonist’s trembling heart and even the touch of the night breeze, drawing listeners into the world of the story.

It is also known for its use in the 1933 film Gently My Songs Entreat.

The wistfulness that pervades this work gently accompanies nights when one is overwhelmed by sorrow, making it a masterpiece you should listen to when you wish to indulge in sentiment.

Dumka in C minor, Op. 59Pyotr Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky / Dumka – Scenes from a Russian Village / Performed by Hironao Suzuki

This is a piano work by Pyotr Tchaikovsky that conjures up the vast Russian countryside.

Composed in February 1886, it adopts a form whose title in Ukrainian means “a novel in thoughts.” It opens quietly with a deeply plaintive melody, but in the middle section it suddenly turns passionate, like a folk dance, with emotions bursting forth.

In the end, however, it returns to silence and closes with a sound even more resigned than at the opening.

Interweaving sorrow with festive joy, this piece is one to hear when you want to linger in a sentimental mood while also savoring a dramatic unfolding.