I've had a good old mosey round the forum, done a few searches and checked the 'Important Topics' thread, and couldn't find a thread such as this. So I thought I'd go ahead and create one....

As somebody who loves the sound of the piano but doesn't know his Chopin from his Beethoven, I find its a terribly difficult task to try and find something that moves me enough to want to learn it. I've found the recital threads to be an excellent way of discovering some great pieces that I never would have heard about otherwise, and this is what has inspired me to create this thread. It would be great if you could post your favourite piece (or pieces) that you can play, or that you're learning to play, so that myself and anyone in a similar situation can expand our musical horizons.

If you also have a link to a performance of your chosen piece or the sheet music for it then that would be fantastic!

My favourite piece is something I'm currently trying to learn (as of 2 days ago): Suteki Da Ne , from the Final Fantasy X piano collection. This piece has been an inspiration for me to learn the piano, but I've never been daring enough to try and learn it until now. It should keep me occupied for a good month or so.

I look forward to hearing about all of your favourite pieces!

Cheers.

Yikes... that's like asking which kid is my favorite!

...but if forced to answer, the piece that is my favorite in my current repertoire would have to be Giorni Dispari:

http://www.uky.edu/~harris/dispari1.mp3

Or maybe I Giorni:

http://www.uky.edu/~harris/giorni3.mp3

or maybe Overcome, by David Nevue:

http://www.uky.edu/~harris/overcome1.mp3

Oh boy, it's threads like these that end up costing me money (I'm a sheet music junkie). I may as well pull out my Visa right now

I know what you mean about the recitals being a great way to discover music. In fact, one of my favorite piano pieces in my current repertoire was performed by a fella named Dean (Username = dk21208) in Recital #3. It was a Floyd Cramer song by the name of "Last Date". If you follow the link provided in the sticky thread Important Topics in the ABF you'll be able to track down his recording and if memory serves he also provided a convenient link to the sheet music.

Last Date is a lot of fun to play, it sounds great, many people recognize it (well, at least the over 40 crowd)...but even those that don't recognize it will enjoy the tune cause it's kinda catchy. I recomend it because it's pretty easy to learn and easy to memorize so it makes a quick and easy addition to your repertoire and it's probably different from everything currently in your repertoire.

Here it is here on U tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCEIehhb2E4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I40EW6ARVBw&feature=related

I enjoy Ragtime. It can be raucous, bouncy, jaunty and jangly. Joplin rags can also be unexpectedly poignant within their admittedly strict formulaic frameworks. My two favorites in that mold are Solace (which I suppose is more habanera than rag) and the lovely Gladiolus Rag .

I enjoy many kinds of piano music, good jazz and blues as well as classical. My own favorite in my small repertoire is Bach's Prelude in C from the Well-Tempered Clavier I.

My "repertoire" is constantly changing because I'm only able to maintain about 5 or 6 pieces at a time. I love playing all my pieces but my current favourite is probably Arietta by Gliere and my latest Chopin Waltz a close second.

I don't have much of a repertoire yet. I started my piano journey with fiddling with Chopin's Nocturne in C# minor posthumous, and I think it will by my long lasting favourite. But... I really love everything I play - that's why I play. I think I can't really select the very one to be my fav - it all depends on mood and everything.

At the moment what I like most is Beethoven "Moonlight" 1st movement, because of the sheer beauty of the piece.

But I am working at Scarlatti K.380 which, when completed, will give me more satisfaction in playing...

Chopin's Prelude in B minor. Sounds great even when played slow, isn't very long, and has lots of room for expression. (Oh, you'll want your piano to be in tune for this one!)

Schubert's Impromptu, Opus 90 #3.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6_SbflSwAg

Rob,

It's very tough to choose one piece, but currently I'm working on playing two Keith Jarrett songs. "Country" and "My Song." They are both off his "My Song" album. There are transcriptions of these floating around the internet. The first time I heared "Country" (not the Saturday Night Live version) I just couldn't get it out of my head. It's a great melody, not terribly complicated and can stand alone apart from his combo. "My Song" is a beautiful piece, pretty demanding because of the fingering spread in both hands, but it's not fast-paced (neither is "Country") so you can deal with it on a minimum level.

One of my other favorites right now is "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and I'm trying to do some minor improvisations on it. In my opinion, definitely one of the most powerful pop songs written for the piano. Talk about a signature introduction, "Bridge" puts you in a special place from measure one.

Here's one that's not in my repertoire yet, but I hope to put it there someday: Schumann Romance, Op. 28, No. 2.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a68ACS_nJM

Rob,

I have two favorites. The first I have known since I was a young teenager that will always be my favorite melody of all time because it has become such a part of me.

Beethoven Moonlight Sonata 1st movement:

http://www.box.net/shared/us4qncrnok

This Liszt Consolation #3 is much newer to me yet its melodic content is so hauntingly seductive and peaceful that it literally relaxes me to the point of falling asleep at my computer.

Liszt Consolation No. 3:

http://www.box.net/shared/f0oj3on91a

I've entered each of these pieces in the ABF quarterly online recitals.

I have enjoyed listening to each of the linked pieces in this thread. The two links in this post are to my own recordings. I hope you enjoy.

Regards to all,

Lisztener

R & H's "The Sound of Music"* - and it may be for some time to come as I improve and play better & more complex versions of this wonderful song.

Regards, JF

*Until the next R & H piece I take up.

Hmmm, I'd have to say it's a three way tie between the following composers and a few of their compositions. they are as follows:

Ludovico Einaudi: ("Nefeli", "Le Onde")
Nobuo Uematso: ("Path of Repentance", "To Zanarkand").
David Lanz: ("Cristoforis Dream").

My current favorite piece to play is Mendelssohn's Venetianisches Gondellied (Op. 30 No. 6). I got turned on to this piece when I saw the movie 'Once' a couple months ago. Here's somebody playing it on YouTube (it's not me, but this is about the speed I like to play it even though it's considered too slow) --> Mendelssohn Op. 30 No. 6

Mine is Chopin's Prelude in Db - a big step for me in terms of skill and difficulty, and I think I handle it pretty well. Recording below.

http://www.box.net/shared/qlwp2zyo80

My favorites in my own repertoire? Chopin Fantasy Op. 66, Mendelssohn Rondo Capprioso and Liszt Un Sospiro. I also love the Chopin C minor and D minor Polonaises. I will love these even better when my new grand piano arrives so I can stop wailing on a little spinet!