ABC Classic surveyed Australian audiences asking them for their favourite works for the piano, here are the five composers who had the highest number of works present in this top 100 ranking:
5. Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann, along with his wife Clara Schumann, composed many notable piano works. Clara, a distinguished pianist in her own right, had a profound impact on Robert; it was her remarkable performance at age nine that inspired him to devote his life to music. Among Robert’s works, Träumerei from Kinderszenen Op. 15 stands out. This piece is the seventh of 13 short pieces in the collection, which translates to “Scenes from Childhood.” In a letter to Clara, Robert wrote, “You once said to me that I often seemed like a child, and I suddenly got inspired and knocked off around 30 quaint little pieces.” Träumerei ranked 17th out of 100. Additionally, Schumann’s works Carnaval, Op. 9, Kinderszenen, Op. 15, Fantasie in C Major, Op. 17, and Arabesque in C major, Op. 18 also made the list, with a total of six compositions by Robert Schumann appearing in the ranking.
4. Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt was a prolific composer and pianist famous for his demanding works and erratic and extravagant performances. Ten works by Liszt appeared in the top 100 ranking, notably his Piano Sonata in B minor S.178 taking the no.28 spot. A groundbreaking work that has stood the test of time. During the 2023 Sydney International Piano Competition this work was programmed by five of the 32 competitors making it the most popular choice of sonata. This work was shortly followed by Liszt’s Grandes études de Paganini, Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, Liebestraum No. 3 and Harmonies poétiques et religieuses for piano in the rankings 30, 33, 36 and 37. Liszt is also famous for transcribing other composers’ works for the piano, two of these transcriptions are featured on this list, his transcription of Robert Schumann’s Widmung, Liebeslied, S. 566 and Franz Schubert’s Ständchen, No. 4 from Schwanengesang, D. 957.
3. Franz Schubert
Franz Schubert’s work Impromptu No. 3 in G flat major, Op. 90 placed sixth overall in the rankings. Schubert’s Impromptus were significant as one of the first solo piano pieces departing the Classical sonata form into the freedom of the Romantic period. Four more of Schubert’s Impromptus are featured in the top 100 ranking, including Impromptu No. 3 in B flat major, Op. 142 which was programmed by Yuanfan Yang, fourth prize winner at the Sydney International Piano Competition. Schubert’s work Piano Sonata No. 21 in B flat Major, D. 960 places nineth overall. This sonata was composed two months before Schubert’s death and was his last and longest sonata. The other works included in the list are Fantasia in F minor for piano four hands, D. 940, Fantasie in C major, D. 760, ‘Wanderer Fantasy’, Ständchen, No. 4 from Schwanengesang, D. 957 (transcribed by Liszt for piano) and Moments Musicaux, D. 780, a total of 10 works.
2. Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was not only a decorated composer but also enjoyed tremendous success as a pianist. Many of his works were composed for his own performances, but in 1807, his hearing deteriorated to the point where he could no longer play publicly.
Six years before, Beethoven composed his ‘Moonlight Sonata’, which topped the list as the most popular work written for the piano. The sonata’s predecessor Sonata ‘Pathétique’ placed fifth in the ranking. Eight more of Beethoven’s sonatas feature in the top 100 ranking, Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57, ‘Appassionata’, Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53, ‘Waldstein’, Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111, Piano Sonata No. 29 in B flat major, Op. 106, ‘Hammerklavier’, Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor, Op. 31/2, ‘The Tempest’, Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109, Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat major, Op. 110 and Piano Sonata No. 26 in E flat major, Op. 81a, ‘Les Adieux’.
Many of these works were performed by competitors in the 2023 Sydney International Piano Competition including the Sonata ‘Les Adieux’ which was performed by the competition winner Jeonghwan Kim to open his semi-final 70-minute recital. There were a total of 12 works composed by Beethoven in the ranking.
1. Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric Chopin had almost twice as many works as Beethoven appearing in the top 100 ranking with a total of 20 works.
Chopin is most known for his works for the piano as they make up the majority of his compositional output. The highest ranking piece was Fantaisie-Impromptu in C sharp minor, Op. 66 at number 13. This piece is known to be Chopin’s most popular work but almost never came to be as the work was not published until after Chopin’s death against Chopin’s wishes to not have any works published posthumously. The work is often compared to Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata due to their similarities in tonality and melodic contour.
Chopin’s other works in the ranking include Berceuse in D♭ major Op.57 at number 56 which Jeonghwan Kim performed both during the 2023 Sydney International Piano Competition and his subsequent winners recitals. Another two works featured in the ranking are Piano Sonata No.2 Op.35 and Andante spianato et Grande polonaise brillante Op.22 ranking at number 60 and 92 which have been programmed by Jeonghwan Kim in his upcoming national tour.
Jeonghwan Kim, First Prize winner of the 2023 Sydney International Piano Competition, is currently touring Australia, performing some of these Australians’ favourite piano works. For all dates, cities, and the full program, click here.