1. Scriabin

Although he wrote a lot of mediocre pieces, Scriabin wrote most of my favorites. He also wrote some of the only atonal music that I think isn't dissonant just to be different, he used new chords and strange harmonies to achieve musical ends.

2. Chopin

Every pianist likes Chopin, and for good reason. He was the master of 7th chords, and his pieces are universally high-quality.

3. Ravel

Ravel, like Chopin, was obviously a perfectionist; he hardly wrote a bad piece, in my opinion. Although the impressionism style was still new, his music did not sound experimental (like Debussy, for example). It's too bad he didn't write more music!

4. Schumann

I consider Schumann to be another version of Chopin: a master of the Romantic style who always put together well thought-out pieces. However, I personally like Chopin's more dramatic style more.

Favorite Piano Pieces

1. Scriabin: Sonata-Fantasy (Sonata No. 2), Op. 19

Wow, I just can't believe how good this piece is. I would describe it somewhere between Chopin and Ravel. The first movement is beautiful and dramatic, with many echoing interweaving parts. I didn't realize how many variations of the melody and themes Scriabin interwove in this movement until I very carefully read the sheet music! The second movement is a pure adrenaline rush, and is etude-like with 15 notes per second! There needs to be more piano pieces like this. Anyone who thinks that every Romantic-style piece worth writing has already been written is wrong!

2. Scriabin: Black Mass Sonata (Sonata No. 9), Op. 68

The first times I listened to this piece I thought it was scary, or at least creepy. But after a while, I realized it's a diabolical dance. I think the moment towards the end, when the right hand does some rapid arpeggios up and down, is one of the most unbelievable sounds ever created on a piano (except for some of the tremolos in his tenth sonata, which didn't make this list).

3. Chopin: Ballade No. 4, Op. 52

Normally, I'm not a big fan of repetition, but Chopin does it really well in this piece, creating many variations on a poignant melody.

4. Chopin: Ballade No. 1, Op. 23

This piece I think is truly a Ballade in that it tells a story. It's very beautiful and dramatic, and I think it has a well-deserved place as one of the most performed piano pieces.

5. Ravel: Valses Nobles et Sentimentales

This is a collection of 6 or so waltzes by Ravel. They're all really great and show Ravel at his best in a variety of styles. I especially like the first.

6. Chopin: Etude, Op. 25 No. 12

My favorite Chopin Etude by far, the non-Revolutionary C minor etude. Although it's really difficult to play fast (most recordings I think are too slow), the sonority produced by the arpeggios is truly awesome. The occassionally used nickname "Ocean Etude" I think is very appropriate, since the long arpeggios create an image of waves on a stormy ocean.

7. Kabalevsky: Sonata No. 3, Op. 46

A more modern piece, this Kabelevsky sonata makes excellent use of traditional and non-traditional harmonies to achieve musical ends. All three movements are a lot of fun to listen to.

8. Schumann: Waldszenen, Op. 82

Schumann wrote a lot of great collections of shorter pieces for piano, and this is my favorite. There's not really anything I would single out from these pieces, since I think most of them are really great.

9. Ravel: Gaspard de la Nuit

Probably the hardest solo piece ever written for piano, this piece is based on three poems. The first movement, Ondine, contains watery and erotic imagery with a simple melody. The second movement, which I don't care for, is supposed to be sort of a funeral, with the repeated Bb being the bells. Scarbo, the third movement, is full of extremely fast repeated notes (many of which most pianists miss!) and is mischevious and cool.

10. Chopin: Polonaise-Fantasy, Op. 61

I think this really is Chopin's "other Ballade." It tells a fantastic story. Although not as dramatic as the Ballades, I really enjoy listening to this piece.

11. Scriabin: Etude, Op. 8 No. 12

This piece is famous for its extremely fast octaves. It also requires of reach of 11 keys in the left hand. Although there's nothing special about the harmonies coming from Scriabin, this piece creates a tremendous level of intensity by the end that makes it very fun to listen to.

12. Scriabin: Etude, Op. 42 No. 5

Probably the second most famous Scriabin Etude (which isn't saying much!), this piece is very dramatic and depressing. Its chromatic melody and unusual use of chords are definitely elements from Scriabin's middle period, but it's not as atonal as many of his other pieces around this period. It's also very difficult, just because it has a lot of notes.

13. Scriabin: Vers la Flamme, Op. 72

This piece, with title meaning "Towards the Flame," starts out tense but slow, and eventually explodes into rapid tremolos and dissonant chords. My favorite chord, B-E-G#-A#, plays a prominent role in this piece.

14. Rachmaninoff: Etude Tableau, Op. 39 No. 9

This piece is really insane. Although it's not hard to tell it's Rachmaninoff, with its thick harmonies, it's still quite a bit different from what he usually wrote.

15. Liszt: Trancendental Etude No. 12, Chasse-Neige

My favorite Liszt Etude, this piece is an exercise in tremolos, and uses them to achieve a chilling effect.

16. Schumann: Kreisleriana, Op 16

Another set of Schumann masterpieces.

17. Scriabin: Sonata No. 4, Op. 30

I've really grown to love this rarely-played Scriabin piece. The first movement is erotic, and the second movement is pure fun. I'm still waiting to hear a good recording of it though...

18. Chopin Sonata No. 1, Op 4

Probably the least famous of the Chopin Sonatas, it's still my favorite. Although I like the second's first movement better, all the movements of this piece are really great I think.

19. Liszt-Wagner: Isolde's Liebestod

I think Liszt was the ultimate composer for transcribing other works to piano. He really knew how to create all sorts of effects on the piano. So, give him a great piece by Wagner, and you get a great piece for piano.

20. Chopin: Prelude in C# minor, Op. 45

A very pretty piece by Chopin. There's something magical about this piece that made me want to include it in my top 25.

21. Scriabin: Two Poems, Op. 32

The first piece is played sort of often, probably because Horowitz often played it. It's very erotic. The second piece, I think, is no worse, and is very upbeat, if not giddy. Interestingly, although they are in unrelated keys, both pieces begin with the same chord, just spelled differently: C-D-F#-G#, a common chord in Scriabin's later compositions.

22. Beethoven: Appasionata Sonata, Op. 57

My favorite piano piece by Beethoven. I think he really sucked at writing second movements (Pathetique being a rare exception), so he was at quite a disadvantage on this list. The first and third movements of this piece, however, are very awesome.

23. Prokofiev: Toccata, Op. 11

This is an electrifying and difficult piece. Although it's very chromatic, it doesn't sound too weird and is a lot of fun.

24. Beethoven: Tempest Sonata, Op. 31 No. 2

Another Beethoven Sonata that has first and third movements I really like.

25. Schumann: Toccata, Op. 7

This piece is pretty crazy and upbeat. A good performance of this piece is quite a treat to listen to.

Favorite Piano Plus Orchestra

1. Scriabin: Prometheus, Op. 60

Not actually a piano concerto, but there's still a lot of piano in this piece. Although the level of dissonance makes it tough listening at first, once you get used to the chords, it's just overwhelmingly powerful! One of the more common chord sequences you hear in this piece is Bb-E-A-D-E to E-A-D-F#. In both cases, the top notes are a "normal" chord, but it's the bass note that adds the dissonance. It's amazing how much one note can affect the harmony!

2. Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor

This is just a really nice piano concerto, much better than Chopin's other one. Personally I think Chopin makes really good use not just of the piano, but of the orchestra too.

3. Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major

An interesting variation on the usual style of a piano concerto. The first movement obviously has some jazz influences. The whole piece is consistent with Ravel's perfectionism in composition, and has its share of pretty and dramatic moments.

4. Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor

I think this piece is really depressing (like most of Rachmaninoff's pieces). But its musical complexity makes it worth listening to over and over. Although most pianists play the more virtuousic version of the cadenza in the first movement, I prefer the original cadenza. Yeah, it sounds like the piece is about to end, so it's a bit out of place, but it's just so cool.

5. Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor

A rare upbeat piece by Rachmaninoff.

6. Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor

This piece is overall high quality, although I think the second movement could be scrapped for something better. In particular, I love the third movement, while in most piano concertos I don't care much for it. If it had some more "cool" moments I would have easily put this higher on the list.

7. Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 1

Rachmaninoff is really good at writing piano concertos, what can I say? :)

I was hoping to make a top 10, but I don't like others enough to put up here! This includes Beethoven's, Grieg's, Tchaikovsky's, Prokofiev's, etc., none of which I feel are all that great.

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