WASO’s Piano Favourites
27.09.2024
From classical favourites to contemporary hits, the piano is one of the most versatile instruments out there and has played a key role in the development of the musical world. In honour of September being National Piano Month, we’ve curated a playlist of some of our favourite piano pieces.
One of three Gymnopédies by French composer and pianist Erik Satie published in 1888, Claude Debussy’s 1897 orchestration helped the public become more familiar with this short, atmospheric work. Since then, the piece has appeared on the soundtracks of several films and television shows, been covered across a range of genres including jazz, and even featured in a Janet Jackson single.
We were thrilled to welcome pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk back to Perth Concert Hall earlier this year to perform this beloved work. Composed by Grieg when he was only 25, the Piano Concerto received great acclaim at its premiere and established Grieg’s reputation as the musical voice of his nation.
Franz Schubert: Piano Sonata No.20
Schubert’s penultimate sonata, written just months before his death, is one of his most popular piano works and it’s easy to see why! From the dramatic, stately opening to the dreamy Andantino, playful Scherzo and lyrical finale, this is a true showcase of Schubert’s skill.
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No.1
Tchaikovsky originally dedicated his Piano Concerto to Nikolai Rubinstein; however, Rubinstein declared the concerto worthless and unplayable on first hearing it, demanding Tchaikovsky rework the composition. Tchaikovsky didn't change a note, published it as it was, and dedicated the concerto to Hans von Bülow instead! The piece has gone on to become one of the best-known and most-loved piano concertos of all time.
We bet you weren’t expecting this one! Many contemporary composers have used the piano to create memorable openings for their songs (the iconic Dancing Queen glissando, for example, is instantly recognisable) and the opening riff of Virtual Insanity is one that hooks you in immediately.
Known for infusing his works with influences of the places he’d visited, Ravel’s Piano Concerto includes the sounds of New York taxis, North American jazz and blues, and spirited cadenza passages.
Inspired by sacred paintings of angels ascending to heaven, Adès uses harmonic and rhythmic manipulation to create a unique sound world in this gripping 20th-century work.
Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.5 Emperor Concerto
Renowned for its grandeur, bold melodies and heroic spirit, the Emperor Concerto is one of Beethoven’s best-known works. Although the composer himself was now too deaf to perform at the piece’s premiere, the Piano Concerto was nonetheless described as “truly symphonic”.
Based on Billy Joel’s real-life experience as a lounge musician in Los Angeles, Piano Man was the breakthrough star’s first Top 40 hit. In 2015, it was one of 25 “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” recordings selected for preservation by the Library of Congress National Recording Registry.
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No.2
Establishing his fame as a concerto composer, the popularity of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No.2 has endured for over a century. The work was a staple of film soundtracks in the 1940s and 50s, and continues to be a frequent music choice for figure skating routines today.
The third of Liszt’s Three Concert Études, Un sospiro (Italian for “a sigh”) is a study in crossing hands that results in a flowingly beautiful soundscape. Like many of the pieces on this list, Un sospiro is one that has permeated popular culture while remaining a staple of the classical repertoire.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concerto No.21 Elvira Madigan
This list would be incomplete without the ever-popular Elvira Madigan Piano Concerto. Written in just four weeks by a 29-year-old Mozart, the work came about at an unprecedently busy time for the young composer, who premiered the piece himself at the National Court Theatre. You can hear this piece performed live at Perth Concert Hall this October by WASO and the incredibly talented Alexandra Dariescu.