10 Essential Piano Pieces

[rodogg]

Sup!
So recently, I haven't been playing many classical piano pieces recently other than Rhapsody in Blue (not exactly classical, but such a blast to play!) and Chopin Waltzes 1 and 2 from Opus 64, and I want to pick back up on some!
What do you think are 10 piano pieces that any pianist should learn?
Here are some other pieces I have played before or have lined up to play:
A few Bach inventions
Gershwin's Three Preludes
Debussy's Suite Bergamasque
Beethoven's Sonata Opus 79 and Moonlight Sonata (and Fur Elise )
Khatchaturian's Sonatina, 1959 (again, not exactly classical, but very fun!)
Hadyn's Sonata in C Major
A few Joplin rags
Chopin's Ballades, as well as other Waltzes, Preludes and Mazurkas
Schumann's Scenes from Childhood

[rmbarbosa]

We dont know what`s your level... Personally I "hate" fur Elise, because everybody wants to play it and it`s a piece that now even appears as ring tone on mobile phones... But it`s your choice.
Best wishes
Rui

[rodogg]

Yeah, I'm not as big a fan of Fur Elise either, learned that a while ago... I feel like I'd be able to do pretty much anything. It took me a while, but I almost memorized the entire Rhapsody in Blue (original) and it just needs some fine tuning. Supposedly it's level 10, so I guess I'm about a 9.
So really, I was looking for just in general for pieces anyone at my level should have in their repertoire.
I also realized I should've put this in the Repertoire discussion, but I'm a newbie, so don't judge me
Thanks for posting!

Ryan

[thinkgreenlovepiano]

About Fur Elise, I think there must be a reason why it became so popular ... Not Beethoven's fault everyone likes it, haha.

I don't know if this applies to any pianist, but for me, what is missing on your list is Chopin's nocturnes. And some Bach Preludes and Fugues? And French Suites? And everything else by Bach! Yeah, I think any pianist should learn those. Just because-- I like them. Not because I'm a repertoire expert, because I'm not!
And I don't think I'm at your level... I wonder when I'll ever be able to even consider learning Chopin's Ballades...

[rodogg]

Haha, thanks, I appreciate your suggestions! Chopin is definitely my favorite, but I'm not a big fan of Bach for some reason. I guess I appreciate more of the feeling and expressitivity of the notes rather than technicality. But I'll pick up some eventually!
And I haven't even attempted the Ballades yet, haha, I just ordered the sheets... but it'll be fun!

[cpessimist]

play the goldberg variations and the french/english suites or maybe some of the partitas.  Especially the goldberg variations has such a wide array of emotions.

[rmbarbosa]

Well, why not some Chopin etudes? And preludes (have a look in youtube Valentina Igoshina playing prelude op.28 no 15 ( Chopin + Valentina = pure beauty, you know? ).
But for me Bach is essential (if someone can play Bach, he/she can play - and understand - everything). Goldberg variations are level 9, I think, and I only could play them after <> 2 years of daily study. But they are beautiful like Cpessimist says. You may wish to see Glenn Gould playing them in youtube; he recorded them like a goodbye to his own life, because he knew he was very ill... and this "toutch" me a lot.
And Scarlatti.
However, one of my personal rules is to play allways something I know (or suspect) people dont know. I`m portuguese and I have, for example, Carlos Seixas (<> similar to Haydn, Vivaldi, etc). Everybody knows Haydn or Vivaldi music, but only a few knows Carlos Seixas. So, I play Seixas and it`s a surprise to the public. You may surprise your listeners by choosing  something like that. Best wishes.
Rui

[alsimon]

@Rui

I totally agree with you concerning Carlos Seixas who is like Antonio Soler unfortunately a much underrated and underplayed composer.

Al

[mnmleung]

Thanks for mentioning Seixas: I have never heard of him and will check out what's in IMSLP.  Ming

[rodogg]

Alright, alright, I get it, I need to play more Baroque
Seixas was an interesting suggestion, never heard of him. But then again, I'm not too familiar with Baroque outside of Bach and Handel, but I'll give some of those other composers a listen!
Thank you all for your suggestions and comments!

[rachmaninoffff]

you might like racmaninoff's 2nd and 3rd conceros, also choins 2nd piano conceroto, 2nd movement