Piano Pieces Every Piano Student Should Know
Assigned listening for piano students
When the pandemic hit and we could no longer attend live performances, I wanted my students to take advantage of the wealth of digital recordings available online.
I realized that many of my students did not recognize the most standard pieces in the piano repertoire, so I created a curated list with links to professional performances. Many of them were delighted to hear things like Clair de lune and other favorites.
I created a brief Google form for students to fill out upon listening, which helped me know what they were hearing and which types of pieces they most enjoyed (as well as which were less appealing!).
Which piano pieces are on the list?
Although the list also includes numerous extra pieces recommended for further listening, the primary list contains:
Bach Prelude in C Major from the Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1
Mozart Sonata in C Major, K.545
Beethoven “Moonlight” Sonata and “Pathetique” Sonata
Schubert Impromptu in E-flat Major, Op.90, No.2
Chopin Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op.9, No.2
Grieg Piano Concerto in A Minor
Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody No.2
Rachmaninoff Prelude in C-sharp Minor, Op.3, No.2
Debussy Clair de lune from Suite Bergamasque
Satie Gymnopédie No.1
Gerswin Rhapsody in Blue
Joplin’s The Entertainer
Ellington’s Satin Doll
Yiruma’s A River Flows In You
I’m sure the list will be helpful to you and your students. Fill out this form to download!
What did students think of the music?
One of the best parts of this exercise was reading student’s responses to my last question on their form, which asks, “Did you like this piece? Why or why not?” I had many candid responses from students of all ages. I will leave you with a few of my favorites.
Bach Prelude in C Major - I do like this piece. My appreciation for and enjoyment of Bach has increased as I have played more Bach and learned more about counterpoint. I also just want to add, who sits down and performs nearly 2 hours of Bach at a time? That's crazy.
Mozart Sonata K.545 - I was not a fan of this piece. It's hard for me to stay interested in pieces that "follow all the music rules." Especially pieces that are meant to teach you something (like scales or fast fingers). That's why I appreciate composers like Debussy who liked to poke fun at traditional composers and all the rules they followed by writing pieces like Dr. Gradus ad Parnassum.
Chopin Nocturne in E-flat Major - Yes, It sounds like a Romantic candlelit dinner.
Debussy Clair de lune - I LOVEEEEEEE this piece so much. I get chills every time I listen to the climax. It's just so beautiful and expressive. I would love to play a piece like it someday.
In closing - a former student also helped create a Spotify playlist of these works. You’ll receive the playlist link along with the listening list by using the form above. (Thanks Madeleine!)
