essential works/pieces to listen to as an introduction to classical music

[nish81]

hi all, i'm new to this forum and thanks in advance for any advice

I played piano for many years while I was in school, then I moved abroad for university and i'm just coming back to it now about 3 years later. although I lack a teacher to guide me, i'd like to learn some stuff and get back into shape a bit. however, without a teacher or guidance, i can't pick any pieces/composers to try and learn because i never really got familiar enough with classical music :/

so, to the point, I was hoping that you guys could help me by suggesting a list of piano works/pieces i should listen to in order to develop a 'feel' for the main different composers, their styles and different works. so i can pick something to try and learn without just blindly choosing. there's just so MUCH out there I was hoping you could help me narrow it down by giving me some key pieces. an even exposure to the different periods would be great

thank you very much in advance!

[j_menz]

If you google "100 greatest piano works" you get a variety of lists.  Thsi is one of them, and not a bad start:

https://www.abc.net.au/classic/classic100/piano.htm

[ajspiano]

If you google "100 greatest piano works" you get a variety of lists.  Thsi is one of them, and not a bad start:

https://www.abc.net.au/classic/classic100/piano.htm

That contains the entire WTC, listed as 1 item. I think it should be a top 147.

[ajspiano]

To add, j_menz's suggestion is great..  there's also the option of self discovery..

For example, say you start with chopin..  read a bit about his life as well as listening to some of his music..  You'll find that he was friends with Franz Liszt. Check out Franz Liszt's history, you'll find his teacher at one point was Carl Czerny, who took lessons from beethoven, who took lessons from haydn..   etc. etc.

[j_menz]

Check out Franz Liszt's history, you'll find his teacher at one point was Carl Czerny, who took lessons from beethoven, who took lessons from haydn..   etc. etc.

Liszt was basically the Kevin Bacon of his day. There's probably nobody worth knowing about who isn't six or fewer degrees of separation.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

If you google "100 greatest piano works" you get a variety of lists.  Thsi is one of them, and not a bad start:

https://www.abc.net.au/classic/classic100/piano.htm

Most of those pieces are outrageously overplayed...

[j_menz]

Stupid things music snobs say No. 3:

Most of those pieces are outrageously overplayed...

 

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Stupid things music snobs say No. 3:

 

Classical music is the best music ever!  All other genres of music suck!  Jazz, country, rap, they all freaking suck!  *adjusts glasses and does two snorts*

[outin]

If you google "100 greatest piano works" you get a variety of lists.  Thsi is one of them, and not a bad start:

https://www.abc.net.au/classic/classic100/piano.htm

Interesting. There are some pieces on the list that I haven't really listened to, but had I started listening to classical according to this list I would have driven away pretty soon. I don't hate all the pieces, but the first one that I really like is on 20th place and it doesn't get that much better  

I think the reason for the (alleged) decline in interest towards classical music partly is caused by this strange requirement of homogenous taste. You are expected to like something because everyone else has liked it and it has stood the time. If you don't you are just not well enough educated. No wonder people prefer listening to other genres, where you have every right to like/dislike what ever you want.

People just don't hear the less popular classical music anymore to acquire a taste for it. So those who don't have a "mainstream" taste just never get into it.

But what I wrote above certainly does not apply to the nice folks on this forum  

[j_menz]

Interesting. There are some pieces on the list that I haven't really listened to, but had I started listening to classical according to this list I would have driven away pretty soon.

Well, be that as it may, it does serve as a reasonable introduction to classical music, albeit a slightly quirkier one than many others. It's broad enough that you would pretty much be assured of finding some starting point to explore further.

If the only thing you like is chopsticks, or the relief afforded by Cage's 4'33 (both interesting inclusions) then perhaps you might conclude that your tastes well and truly lay elsewhere.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Interesting. There are some pieces on the list that I haven't really listened to, but had I started listening to classical according to this list I would have driven away pretty soon. I don't hate all the pieces, but the first one that I really like is on 20th place and it doesn't get that much better  

I think the reason for the (alleged) decline in interest towards classical music partly is caused by this strange requirement of homogenous taste. You are expected to like something because everyone else has liked it and it has stood the time. If you don't you are just not well enough educated. No wonder people prefer listening to other genres, where you have every right to like/dislike what ever you want.

People just don't hear the less popular classical music anymore to acquire a taste for it. So those who don't have a "mainstream" taste just never get into it.

But what I wrote above certainly does not apply to the nice folks on this forum  

I kinda made a post similar to that some time ago about how people are kinda supposed to like the recordings of certain pianists or else they'll be frowned upon for having bad taste for something.

I was like,

'Yeah man, what if Martha Argerich, Richter, and Horowitz sucked!  But since you're supposed to think they're good, you kinda trick yourself into believing that they're good!  Almost like you're learning to conform with society?  You know what I mean?'

[outin]

Well, be that as it may, it does serve as a reasonable introduction to classical music, albeit a slightly quirkier one than many others. It's broad enough that you would pretty much be assured of finding some starting point to explore further.

I have no objections to the list itself, after all it has been collected from people who listen to classical.

I can imagine someone would listen to the first ten and if not find anything they like, stop listening. So it would be important to stress that the variation among classical pieces is huge and instead of trying to force yourself to like something by just listening even if you're bored to death (this is how musical education was when I went to school), you should just explore further.

If the only thing you like is chopsticks, or the relief afforded by Cage's 4'33 (both interesting inclusions) then perhaps you might conclude that your tastes well and truly lay elsewhere.

Yeah...

It seems this list presents the musical taste of the people listening to that channel. I am just amazed that it contains the above mentioned plus composers like Pärt, but no Scriabin for example 

[j_menz]

So it would be important to stress that the variation among classical pieces is huge and instead of trying to force yourself to like something by just listening even if you're bored to death , you should just explore further.

Agree entirely. I would add, though, that not all p[ieces are accessible at a first listen through and may grow on you with repeated listening. Also, with time, others may come to be more to your liking, so it's not a once and for all thing.

[outin]

Agree entirely. I would add, though, that not all p[ieces are accessible at a first listen through and may grow on you with repeated listening. Also, with time, others may come to be more to your liking, so it's not a once and for all thing.

I can listen to pieces that I think are horrible/difficult to understand and sometimes even grow to like them, but I cannot listen to something that I still find boring after 5 min or so...My ears just refuse to do it

[outin]

'Yeah man, what if Martha Argerich, Richter, and Horowitz sucked!  But since you're supposed to think they're good, you kinda trick yourself into believing that they're good!  Almost like you're learning to conform with society?  You know what I mean?'

The above mentioned pianists could hardly ruin a nice piece for me.
But I know what you mean, since there is one thing that I probably should not admit...I don't like the way Rubinstein plays Chopin 
I don't even know why, but I just cannot listen to his recordings...

[nish81]

If you google "100 greatest piano works" you get a variety of lists.  Thsi is one of them, and not a bad start:

https://www.abc.net.au/classic/classic100/piano.htm

ill work my way down this list to start with, thanks

To add, j_menz's suggestion is great..  there's also the option of self discovery..

For example, say you start with chopin..  read a bit about his life as well as listening to some of his music..  You'll find that he was friends with Franz Liszt. Check out Franz Liszt's history, you'll find his teacher at one point was Carl Czerny, who took lessons from beethoven, who took lessons from haydn..   etc. etc.

yeah thats true - i suppose i can do that with any of the pieces that i particularly take to


as for the variety in classical music - all the more reason for me to make sure i listen to everything on the list so that i have a good chance of finding something to pursue further

[invictious]

Regarding the issue about pieces being overplayed, I see absolutely no problem with learning overplayed and butchered pieces. After all, they are overplayed because they are probably standard repertoire, and you should of course acquaint yourself with those. Choosing to perform them, however, is a different issue. That, and that you do not get sick of it before you finally master the piece.

[davidjosepha]

'Yeah man, what if Martha Argerich, Richter, and Horowitz sucked!  But since you're supposed to think they're good, you kinda trick yourself into believing that they're good!  Almost like you're learning to conform with society?  You know what I mean?'

Thankfully, I don't have to worry about the possibility of me liking them just cause I'm supposed to, given that since I'm not a huge fan of Horowitz or Argerich, although she does, in my opinion, have the best recording of Liszt's B minor sonata. Now Richter...first time I heard a recording of him playing several of Rachmaninoff's preludes...sold. Absolutely sold. I had never heard the preludes played with so much passion, yet without becoming all mushy and exaggerated like a lot of pianists do.

[49410enrique]

this is a pretty good list, listen to all of these and you'll be more familiar with piano lit rep than many people who claim to be, nice variety from the common practice period(s) (ie. baroque through modern)

should keep anyone busy for a while, i know i'll be whittling thorugh this bit by bit....

[j_menz]

this is a pretty good list, listen to all of these and you'll be more familiar with piano lit rep than many people who claim to be, nice variety from the common practice period(s) (ie. baroque through modern)

should keep anyone busy for a while, i know i'll be whittling thorugh this bit by bit....

I love the instruction "It is highly suggested that you play through the pieces in bold as a method of study"

The bold list alone would keep any pianist busy for life. It's also a pretty eccentric one (as can only be expected). 

In the main list, "various works" is singularly unhelpful and looks like laziness, especially considering the almost comprehensive list of Schumann's piano works.

[49410enrique]

I love the instruction "It is highly suggested that you play through the pieces in bold as a method of study"

The bold list alone would keep any pianist busy for life. It's also a pretty eccentric one (as can only be expected). 

In the main list, "various works" is singularly unhelpful and looks like laziness, especially considering the almost comprehensive list of Schumann's piano works.

well it's from the kids over at peabody (@ johns hopkins...), i think it's supposed to be more of a graduate survey course  vs a comprehensive perusing of the lit?

still for the thread's purpose of a 'start' it has nice variety and some standards and some 'not so' standards