My favourite classical piano composers

There are so many to choose from! But here are some of my favourites:

Johann Sebastian Bach

The piano was only just being invented during Bach’s lifetime, so the majority of his keyboard compositions were written for the harpsichord. But they are still so relevant today, full of interest, technical challenge and frequently included within the exam repertoire. I love his Prelude No. 1 in C Major (I walked down the aisle to this piece!), the two-part inventions and the Goldberg Variations.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart was a prolific piano composer, and his 18 piano sonatas are fun to play and have something accessible for most levels of experience. He even wrote 12 variations on Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star!

Ludwig van Beethoven

Starting to get passionate now… think of the Moonlight Sonata, the second movement of Sonata Pathétique and Für Elise. His Piano Concerto No. 5 is absolutely splendid, with a ferociously exciting final movement.

Frédéric Chopin

The ultimate in romance, Chopin filled his compositions with rubato (playing expressively and not quite with the beat), flourishes and extensive use of the full range of the keyboard. If you are ever in Warsaw a visit to the Fryderyk Chopin Museum is a must.

Franz Liszt

If you haven’t seen the Tom and Jerry cartoon The Cat Concerto, which features Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, go and check it out now! Seven minutes of pure hilarity combined with wonderful music.

Sergei Rachmaninoff

Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 was famously featured in the classic British film Brief Encounter, but his Piano Concerto No. 3 is equally as beautiful and intense.

Ludovico Einaudi

And now for something completely different! Much more minimalist in style, there’s nothing better for stress relief than to sit down at the end of a hard day and play through Le Onde or I Giorni. Pure bliss!