Piano

Bacewicz

• Sonata No. 2 (PWM)

• Concert Krakowiak (PWM)

 

Bach

The Well-Tempered Clavier is a significant collection of exercises by Bach. Any one of them are seen as a higher level piece, but some are seen as more difficult than others and below is a list of some that are considered as being of a level above grade 8.

Book 1:

No. 4 in C# minor

No. 5 in D major

No. 7 in Eb

No. 8 in Eb minor

No. 13 in F#

No. 14 in F# minor

No. 19 in A

No. 24 in B minor

 

Book 2:

No. 3 in C# minor

No. 5 in D

No. 6 in D minor

No. 7 in Eb

No. 8 in D# minor

No. 22 in Bb minor

No. 24 in B minor

 

Besides composing in every single key, Bach also composed in several different styles. Below are some more advanced pieces:

 

• Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor, BWV 903

• English Suite No. 2 in A minor, BWV 807

• French Suite No. 4 in Eb, BWV 815

• French Suite No. 5 in G, BWV 816

• Italian Concerto, BWV 971

• Partita No. 2 in C minor, BWV 826

• Partita No. 6, BWV 830

• Toccata in E minor, BWV 914

• Toccata No. 6 in F# minor

 

Bach//Busoni

• Chaconne in D minor

 

Balakirev

• Islamey, Op. 18

 

Barber

• Excursions, Op. 20 (Schirmer) Movement 1 or 4

• Souvenirs, Op. 28 (Schirmer) Movement 3: Pas de deux

• Sonata in Eb minor, Op. 26 (Schirmer)

 

Bartók

• Three Rondos on Slovak Folk Tunes

• Sonata (UE)

• Allegro Barbaro

• Suite, Op. 14

• Ostinato, No. 146 from Mikrokosmos

• Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm, Nos. 148 to 153 from Mikrokosmos

 

Beach

• 4 Sketches, Op. 15

• Barcarolle, Op. 28 No. 1

• Cradle Song of the Lonely Mother, Op. 108

• Capriccii: vol. 1 for piano (Furore Verlag) No. 1 and/or No. 2

 

Beethoven

Beethovens body of work that is most commonly studied by post grade students are his sonatas. Most of them are generally seen as advance except Op. 49 Nos. 1 and 2. Below is a list of some of them as a starting point:

• Sonata in A, Op. 2 No. 2

• Sonata in C, Op. 2 No. 3

• Sonata in D, Op. 10 No. 3

• Sonata in C Minor, Op. 13

• Sonata in Eb, Op. 27 No. 1

• Sonata in D minor, Op. 31 No. 2

• Sonata in C, Op. 53

• Sonata in Eb, Op. 81a

• Sonata in E minor, Op. 90

• Sonata in A, Op. 101

• Sonata in E, Op. 109

• Sonata in C minor, Op. 111

 

Other works that are post grade 8 are:

 • 15 Variations and Fugue in Eb, Op. 35

• Bagatelles Op. 126

• 32 Variations in C minor, WoO 80

• Andante Favori, WoO 57

• Rondo in C, Op. 51 No. 1

• Rondo in G, Op. 51 No. 2

• Fantasie in G minor, Op. 77

 

Berg

• Sonata, Op. 1

 

Bingham

• Byron, violent progress (Peters) Bonis • Ophélie, Op. 165 • Salomé, Op. 100

 

Bonds

• Troubled Water

 

Bonis

• Carillon mystique Chaminade

• Automne, Op. 35 No. 2

 

Boulez

• Sonata No. 1 (Amphion)

 

York Bowen

• Preludes, Op. 102

• No. 11 in F major

• No. 15 in G major

• No. 18 in G# minor

• No. 19 in A major

• No. 20 in A minor

 

Brahms

• Capriccio in F# minor, Op. 76 No. 1

• Rhapsody in G minor, Op. 79 No. 2

• Scherzo in Eb minor, Op. 4

• Intermezzo in A major, Op. 118 No. 2

• Ballade in G minor, Op. 118 No. 3

• Capriccio in B minor, Op. 76 No.2

• Intermezzo in Eb minor, Op. 118 No. 6

• Rhapsody in Eb, Op. 119 No. 4

• Scherzo in Eb minor, Op. 4

• Intermezzo in F minor, Op. 118 No. 4

• Sonatas: Op. 1, Op. 2, Op. 5 Any one sonata

• 11 Variations in D on an Original Theme, Op. 21 No. 1.

• 25 Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, Op. 24

• 28 Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Op. 35

 

Bridge

• Sonata

• Vignettes de Marseille Cage

• Music of Changes (Peters) Any one of Books 1–4

• Rosemary, from Three Pieces for Piano

 

Britten

• Night Piece (Notturno) (Boosey)

 

Burrell

• Constellations I and II (from Spectrum — ABRSM)

 

Busoni

• Sonatina No. 6 Chaminade

• Étude symphonique, Op. 28

• Scherzo, No. 4 from Études de Concert, Op. 35

• Sérénade vénitienne, Op. 154

Chabrier

• Pièces Pittoresques

 

Chaminade

• Ballade, Op. 86

• Études de concert, Op. 35 No. 3: Fileuse and No. 4: Scherzo

• Les Sylvains, Op. 60

• Sea Piece (Marine), Op. 38

• Thème varié, Op. 89 8

 

Chaminade

• Sonata in C minor, Op. 21 Movement 2: Andante

• Tarantelle, Op. 35 No. 6 2. Piano 5

 

Chopin

• Ballades

• Barcarolle, Op. 60

• Études, Op. 10 and Op. 25

• Fantaisie in F minor, Op. 49

• Scherzos Any one or more 11

• Berceuse, Op. 57

• Fantasie-Impromptu, Op. 66

• Nocturne in Bb minor, Op. 9 No. 1

• Polonaise in C# minor, Op. 26 No. 1

• Prelude in C# minor, Op. 45

• Impromptu No. 1 in Ab, Op. 29

• Mazurka in D, Op. 33 No. 2

• Nocturne in B, Op. 9 No. 3

• Trois nouvelles études Any one or more

• Waltz in Ab, Op. 34 No. 1

• Andante Spianato & Grande Polonaise, Op. 22

• Sonata in B minor, Op. 58

• Sonata in Bb minor, Op. 35

 

Clementi

• Sonata in Bb major, Op. 24 No. 2 Any two or more two movements

 

Copeland

• Sonata (Boosey) Crawford Seeger

• Prelude No. 2 (from Preludes 1–5 — Hildegard Publishing Company)

• Three Moods (Boosey)

 

Crumb

• Processional (Peters)

Debussy

Debussys most famous works are his preludes. Most of them are considered a higher level piece, but the ones below are considered diploma level piano:

Book 1:

• La vente dans la plaine

• Les collines d’Anacapri

• Ce qu’a vu le vent d’Oues

• La danse de Puck

• Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l’air du soir

 

Book 2:

• Les fees sont d’exquises danseuses

• La terrasse des audiences du clair de lune

• Ondine, Les tierces alternees

• Feux d’artifce. Bruyères

• Général Lavine — eccentric

• La puerta del vino Eckhardt-Gramatté

 

Other pieces by Debussy include:

• Suite Bergamasque Any two or more movements

• Études Any one or more

• Estampes Any one or more

• Images Any one or more

• L’Isle Joyeuse

• La plus que lente •

• V (Valse Chromatique), from 14 Alphabet Pieces, Vol. 1 (Waterloo Music Co.)

 

Dohnányi

• Rhapsody in C, Op. 11 No. 3 (from 4 Rhapsodies Op. 11 — Weinberger)

 

Doolitttle

• Gliese 581c (Composers Edition)

 

Duncan

• The River, from The Sunken Garden (Canadian Music Centre)

 

Dutilleux

• Sonata (Durand)

Falla

• Nocturno (IMSLP)

• Ritual Fire Dance (Chester)

 

Fauré

• Barcarolle No. 1 in A minor, Op. 26

• Barcarolle No. 6 in Eb, Op. 70

• Impromptu in F minor, Op. 31 No. 2

• Nocturne no. 4 in Eb, Op. 36 Field

• Nocturne No. 4 in A

• Theme and Variations in C# minor, Op. 73

 

Feldman

• Piano (UE) Franck

• Prélude, Aria et Final, Op.23

• Prélude, Choral et Fugue, Op. 21

• Palais de Mari (UE)

 

Finnissy

• Yvaropera 5 (Spectrum — ABRSM)

Gershwin

Gerswins iconic • Rhapsody in Blue (piano solo version) is a fabulous popular piece. Other Gershwin pieces include:

• Meet George Gershwin at the Keyboard (Faber)

• Rialto Ripples Ginastera

• Rondo on Argentine Children’s Folk Tunes (Boosey)

 

Gershwin/Grainger

• Love Walked In (Music Vault)

 

Glass

• Etude, No. 2 from Etudes for Piano, Book 1

 

Gorecki

• Sonata No. 1 (Boosey)

• Sonata No. 6 (Boosey)

 

Grainger

• In Dahomey (Cakewalk Smasher) (Peters)

 

Granados

• Goyescas

 

Grieg

• Sonata, Op. 7 A

• Til våren (To the Spring), Op. 43 No. 6

 

Gubaidulina

• Chaconne (Sikorski)

Handel

• Suite No. 8 in F minor, HWV 433 Prelude and Fuga (Adagio and Allegro)

• Suite No. 5 in E, HWV 430

 

Haydn

• Andante con Variazioni in F minor, Hob. XVII/6

• Sonata in C minor, Hob. XVI/20

• Sonata in B minor, Hob. XVI/32

• Sonata in Ab major, Hob. XVI/46

• Sonata in Eb major, Hob. XVI/49

• Sonata in Bb, Hob. XVI/2

• Sonata in D, Hob. XVI/14

• Sonata in A, Hob. XVI/26

• Sonata in Eb, Hob. XVI/28

• Sonata in C# minor, Hob. XVI/36

 

Henderson

• Ocean Vista (Canadian Music Centre)

 

Hindemith

• Sonata No. 2 in G (Schott) Ireland

• Amberley Wild Brooks (Stainer & Bell)

• Rhapsody (Stainer & Bell)

• Sarnia (Stainer & Bell) • Sonata (Stainer & Bell)

• Sonata No. 3 in Bb Kapustin

• 8 Concert Etudes, Op. 40 (A-Ram / MusT)

 

Hovhaness

• Macedonian Mountain Dance (Peters)

 

Howard

• African Toccata

• Dream Sequences

 

Hyde

• Water Nymph (Australian Music Centre)

• Valley of Rocks

Ibert

• Histoires (Leduc)

• No. 7: Bajo la mesa

• No. 9: La marchande d’eau fraiche

• No. 10: Le cortège de Balkis

 

Ives

• Concord Sonata (AMP)

Janáček

• In the Mists

• Sonata I/X/1905

Kabalevsky

• Rondo Op. 59

 

Kodály

• Dances of Marosszek (UE)

Ligeti

• Arc-en-ciel, from Études pour piano, premiere livre

• Études pour Piano: premier livre

 

Liszt

• Sonetto 104 del Petrarca, from Années de Pèlerinage, 2ème Année, Italie

• 5 Concert Studies Any one or more

• Deux légendes Either or both légendes

• Études d’exécution transcendante Any one or more

• Hungarian Rhapsodies Any one or more

• Les Jeux d’Eau à la Villa d’Este, from Années de Pèlerinage, 3ème Année

 

Leon

• Momentum (Southern Music Publishing)

• Après une Lecture de Dante (Fantasia quasi Sonata), from Années de Pèlerinage, 2ème Année, Italie

• Sonata in B minor

• Liebesträume No. 3 in Ab

• Sonetto 123 del Petrarca, from Années de Pèlerinage, 2ème Année, Italie

 

Lutyens

• Plenum 1 (University of York Music Press)

 

Louie

• Changes (Alexina Louie: Music for Piano — Alfred)

 

Lyadov

• Prelude, Op. 57 Makholm

• 3 Impressions (Billaudot) Any two or more

MacDowell

• Etude de Concert, Op. 36 McCue

• Double Jeopardy (Scottish Music Centre)

 

MacMillan

• Sonata (Boosey) 14 Martin

• 8 Préludes (UE) Martinů

• Sonata No. 1 (Max Eschig)

 

Martines

• Sonata in G

• Sonata in A

• Sonata in E Mozart

• Adagio in B minor, K. 540

• Fantasy in C minor, K. 475

• Sonata in F, K. 280

• Sonata in Bb, K. 570

• 9 Variations on a Minuet by Duport, K. 573

 

Mayerl

• Autumn Crocus (Billy Mayerl: Jazz Master Piano Solos — IMP)

• Marigold (Billy Mayerl: Jazz Master Piano Solos — IMP)

• Sweet William (Billy Mayerl: Jazz Master Piano Solos — IMP)

 

Medtner

• Quatre Contes, Op. 26 Mompou

• Scènes d’enfants (Salabert)

• Sonata Tragica

 

Fanny Mendelssohn

• 4 Lieder for Piano, Op. 2 No. 2 and/or No. 4

• Lied for Piano, Op. 6 No. 4

 

Felix Mendelssohn

• Sonata in Bb, Op. 106

• Andante and Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 14

• Prelude and Fugue in E minor, Op. 35 No. 1

• Prelude and Fugue in B minor, Op. 35 No. 3

• Variations Serieuses, Op. 54

• Songs Without Words Op. 38 No. 6 and/or Op. 67 No. 4

 

Messiaen

• Cantéyodjayâ (UE)

• Plainte Calme, from Préludes pour piano (Durand)

• Le merle noir, from Petites esquisses d’oiseaux (Leduc)

• Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant Jésus (Durand) No. 2: Regard de l’Étoile or No. 4: Regard de la Vierge

 

Milhaud

• Rag-Caprice No. 3 from 3 Rag-Caprices (UE)

 

Miyoshi

• Chaînes (Zen-On)

 

Moszkowski

• Etincelles, Op. 36 No. 6

 

Mozart

Mozarts main body of work for piano is his sonatas. The ones below are considered diploma level:

• Sonata in A minor, K. 310

• Sonata in D, K.311

• Sonata in A, K.331

• Sonata in F, K. 332

• Sonata in Bb, K. 333

• Sonata in F major, K. 533

• Sonata in D major, K. 576

• Sonata in C minor, K. 457

 

Two other pieces by Mozart include:

• Rondo in A minor, K. 511

• 10 Variations on Unser Dummer Pöbel meint, K. 455

 

Mussorgsky

Mussorskys most famous work is the suite of pieces called ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’, which is considered a virtuoso piano piece.

Nielson

• Chaconne, Op. 32 (Wilhelm Hansen)

Pentland

• Shadows (Ombres) (Mayfair Music / Canadian Music Centre)

 

Piazzolla

• Suite para piano, Op. 2 (Tonos Music) Price

• Sonata in E minor (Schirmer) 12

 

Peixun

• Ping Hu Qiu Yue (Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake)

 

Poulenc

• Nocturnes (Heugel) No. 1 in C and No. 6 in G

• 3 Novelettes (Chester) 9 Price • Fantasie Negre, from Black Women Composers: A Century of Piano Music (1893–1990) (Hildegard Publishing Company)

 

Prokofev

• Sonata No. 2 in D minor, Op. 14 (Boosey)

• Sonata No. 3 in A minor, Op. 28 (Boosey)

• Sonata No. 4 in C minor, Op. 29 (Boosey)

• Sonata No. 5 in C major, Op. 38 (Boosey)

• Sonata No. 6 in A, Op. 82 (Boosey)

• Sonata No. 7 in Bb, Op. 83 (Boosey)

• Sonata No. 8 in Bb, Op. 84 (Boosey)

• Sonata No. 9 in C, Op. 103 (Boosey)

• Visions Fugitives, Op. 22

• 10 Pieces from Cinderella, Op. 97 (Sikorski)

• Sarcasms, Op. 17 (Boosey)

Rachmaninoff

Rachmaninoffs preludes are seen as virtuoso pieces. Some of them are below:

• Prelude in C minor, Op. 23

•No. 2 in Bb

•No. 4 in D

•No. 5 in G minor

•No. 7v in C minor

•No. 10 in Gb

• Prelude in B Minor, Op. 32 No. 10

• Prelude in Eb, Op. 23 No. 6

• Prelude in G, Op. 32 No.5 6

 

Other pieces by Rachmninoff include:

• Polichinelle, Op. 3 No. 4

• Etudes-Tableaux, Op. 39

 

Ravel

• Jeux d’Eau

• Menuet Antique

• Miroirs Any two or more

• Toccata, from Le Tombeau de Couperin Saariaho

• Ballade (Chester)

• À la manière de… Borodine

• Pavane pour une infante défunte

• Sonatine Any two or more movements

• Gaspard de la Nuit Reizenstein

• Sonata in B (Alfred Lengnick)

 

Rzewski

• Winnsboro Cotton Mills Blues, from North American Ballads (Zen-On)

Saariaho

• Prelude

 

Saint-Saëns

• Étude en forme de valse, Op. 52 No. 6

 

Scarlatti

Scarlattis main work for piano are his sonatas. Some of the higher level pieces are below:

• Sonata in B minor, K. 27

• Sonata in E major, K. 135

• Sonata in C# minor, K. 247

• Sonata in G minor, K. 347

• Sonata in D, K. 443

• Sonata in D, K. 492

• Sonata in C, K. 502

 

Scriabin

• Etudes, Op. 8 Any two or more

• Sonata No. 2 in G# minor, Op. 19

• Sonata No. 4, Op. 30

• Sonata No. 5, Op. 53

 

 

Schubert

• Fantasy in C, D 760

• Sonata in C minor, D 958

• Sonata in A major, D 959

• Sonata in Bb major, D 960

• Impromptus, Op. 90 No. 2 in Eb and/or No. 3 in Gb

• Impromptu in F minor, Op. 142 No. 1

• Sonata in A, D 664

• Sonata in A minor, D 537

• Sonata in Ab, D 557

• Sonata in A minor, D 537

• Sonata in Ab, D 557

• Sonata in C minor, D 958

• Sonata in A major, D 959

 

Clara Schumann

• Romanze in G minor, Op. 21 No. 3

• Romanze in G minor, Op. 21 No. 3

• Soirées Musicales, Op. 6

• Sonata in G minor

• Variationen über ein Thema von

 

Robert Schumann

• Abegg Variations, Op. 1

• Arabeske, Op. 18

• Aufschwung, from Fantasiestücke, Op. 12

• Carnaval, Op. 9

• Études Symphoniques, Op. 13

• Fantasy, Op. 17

• Klavierstücke I to XI Any one or more

• Kreisleriana Op. 16

• Toccata, Op. 7 Stockhausen

• Novelette in F, Op. 21 No. 1

• Novelette in D, Op. 21 No. 2

• Sonata in F# minor, Op. 11

• Sonata in G minor, Op. 22

• Three Romances, Op. 28 No. 1 or No. 2

• Vogels als Prophet, from Waldszenen, Op. 82

 

Scriabin

• Preludes, Op. 11 Any two or more

• Poèmes, Op. 32 • Sonata No. 3 in F# minor, Op. 23

•Romance in F, Op. 118 No. 5

• Prelude, Op. 11 No. 14

• 8 Études, Op. 42

• Sonata No. 6, Op. 62

• Sonata No. 7, Op. 64

• Sonata No. 8, Op. 66

• Sonata No. 10, Op. 70

 

Schoenberg

• Six Little Pieces, Op. 19

 

Shostakovich

• 24 Preludes and Fugues Op. 87 (Peters). All are seen as a higher level. The main three to plat at this level are:

• No. 7 in A

• No. 10 in C# minor

• No. 24 in D minor

• Three Fantastic Dances, Op. 5

 

Strauss

• Intermezzo, from Stimmungsbilder, Op. 9

 

Strauss/Godowsky

• Wein, Weib und Gesang, from Symphonische Metamorphosen Johann Strauss’scher Themen

 

Stravinsky

• Serenade in A (Boosey)

• Tango

• Trois mouvements de Petrouchka (Boosey)

 

Szymanowski

• Masques, Op. 34 (UE)

• Mazurkas, Op. 50

• Metopes, Op. 29 (UE)

Takemitsu

• Rain Tree Sketch (Schott)

• Rain Tree Sketch II (Schott)

 

Tan Dun

• Eight Memories in Watercolour (Schirmer)

 

Thomas

• Piano Etudes (Schirmer)

• Rain At Funeral — Homage to Morton Feldman and Twitter-Machines — Homage to David Rakowski, Nos. 5 and 6 from Piano Etudes

 

Tippett

• Sonata No. 1 (Schott)

• Sonata No. 2 (Schott)

 

Tower

• No Longer Very Clear (AMP)

 

Turina

• Vals Romantica, from Linterna mágica, Op. 101

Villa-Lobos

• A Prole do bebê (Alfred)

Weir

• The Art of Touching the Keyboard (Novello)