Great Piano Composers: From Bach to Debussy and Satie

The piano can be a whole orchestra or a quiet voice in a dark room. Over three centuries, a handful of composers explored everything it could do. If you enjoy relaxing piano music today, you are hearing ideas these composers discovered.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)

Bach wrote for the harpsichord and clavichord, the keyboard instruments of his time, but his music is now a cornerstone of piano playing. "The Well-Tempered Clavier" (Book I, 1722) contains a prelude and fugue in every major and minor key, showing that one tuning system could work for all keys. The calm Prelude in C major that opens it is one of the most played pieces in history.

Listen to: Prelude in C major (BWV 846), the Goldberg Variations.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)

Mozart’s piano music is clear, elegant and full of melody. He was also a brilliant pianist who wrote many piano concertos to perform himself. His Piano Sonata No. 16 in C major (K. 545) is often called the "easy sonata" and is a favourite for students.

Listen to: Piano Sonata K. 545, Piano Concerto No. 21 (second movement).

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)

Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas trace his life from youthful energy to deep, searching late works, even as he lost his hearing. He made the piano sound bigger and more dramatic than ever before.

Listen to: "Moonlight" Sonata (1801), "Für Elise", "Pathétique" Sonata.

Franz Schubert (1797–1828)

Schubert was a master of song, and his piano music sings too. His Impromptus and Moments Musicaux are intimate pieces full of warmth and longing.

Listen to: Impromptu in G-flat major, Op. 90 No. 3.

Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849)

Born in Poland and later living in Paris, Chopin wrote almost only for the piano. His nocturnes, waltzes, mazurkas, études and ballades made the piano sing with flowing melodies over rich harmonies. For many people, Chopin simply is romantic piano music.

Listen to: Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 9 No. 2; Ballade No. 1.

Robert Schumann (1810–1856) and Clara Schumann (1819–1896)

Robert Schumann wrote imaginative piano cycles such as "Kinderszenen" (Scenes from Childhood), which includes the gentle "Träumerei". Clara Schumann was one of the greatest pianists of the century and a fine composer herself.

Listen to: "Träumerei"; Clara Schumann’s Piano Trio.

Franz Liszt (1811–1886)

Liszt was the superstar of his day, a pianist of astonishing technique who helped invent the modern solo recital. His music ranges from fiery showpieces to tender, lyrical works.

Listen to: "Liebestraum" No. 3, "La Campanella".

Claude Debussy (1862–1918)

Debussy painted with sound. His impressionist harmonies, built on whole-tone and pentatonic scales and chords that float without resolving, opened the door to jazz harmony, film music and ambient music.

Listen to: "Clair de lune" (from Suite bergamasque), "La fille aux cheveux de lin".

Erik Satie (1866–1925)

Satie wrote simple, slow and slightly mysterious pieces that sound surprisingly modern. His Gymnopédies (1888) are among the calmest piano pieces ever written and a direct ancestor of ambient music.

Listen to: Gymnopédie No. 1, Gnossienne No. 1.

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943)

A towering pianist with huge hands, Rachmaninoff wrote lush, emotional music in the romantic tradition well into the 20th century.

Listen to: Prelude in C-sharp minor, Piano Concerto No. 2.

Easy pieces to start learning

If you are learning piano, these famous pieces have beginner or intermediate versions:

1. Bach – Prelude in C major (BWV 846)
2. Beethoven – "Für Elise" (first section)
3. Satie – Gymnopédie No. 1
4. Schumann – "Träumerei"
5. Chopin – Prelude in E minor, Op. 28 No. 4

Practise slowly with a metronome and raise the tempo only when a passage feels easy. To understand the chords under the melody, read our music theory basics.