3 of my favorite but not so famous classical piano pieces

What comes up in your mind when you hear the words ‘classical piano pieces’? Many people may associate it with famous composers such as Bach, Chopin, and Debussy. The pieces I’m going to introduce this time are not said to be from the standard classical music. I’ve been immersed in classical piano since the age of 5. I’m going to introduce my personal favorite pieces in this blog article! Now, let’s get it started.

■ Lyadov, Anatoly Konstantinovich:"Biryul'ki" (Spillikins) Op.2

The first piece is the piano piece Biryulki, Op.2 by Russian composer Anatoly Lyadov. It consists of 14 little pieces, but the character keeps on changing and it keeps me hooked throughout this 12-minute long piece. I’ve always wanted to play it someday, so I’m going to start practicing. By the way, it is said that Lyadov was so lazy that he was always late to get to work on what he was requested.

■ Francis Poulenc: 3 Novelettes

This second piece is the 3 Novelettes by French composer Francis Poulenc. This is a collection of three novelettes: the C major and B-flat minor which were written in 1927-28 when he was in his twenties, and the E minor which was written about 30 years later in 1959. The word ‘novelette’ means “a short story” in French, and as the title suggests, it is a collection of three different types of pieces. The first one is gentle and it has a light tune that makes you feel at ease. The second one has unique rhythms and chords that bring out nostalgic feelings. The third one is a beautiful piece that was composed based on the theme from the ballet El amor brujo by Falla. The first one is my personal favorite!

■ Saburo Takata: Preludes for Piano, “The Sunlight Dances In The Wind”

This third piece is written by a Japanese composer by the name of Saburo Takata! From his Preludes for Piano in F-sharp minor, here the pianist is performing the second movement called “The Sunlight Dances In The Wind”. As the name suggests, this is another beautiful piece that expresses the scene where the sunlight sways among the leaves in the wind. I feel like the fairy of light is saying goodbye and leaving as the music ends. I have played this one. It feels great when I can make the piano sound exactly like the sunlight I can see in my mind.

What did you think? As I wrote this article, I realized for the first time that I liked the piece consisting of several smaller movements. You can’t play the piano well without practicing. Recently, I didn’t have a chance to play classical piano, but I listened to these favorite pieces of mine and I was motivated to practice again. Before ending this article, I would like to show an electronic piano that is recommended for practicing and playing classical piano.

PLAYTECH / PDP300BK with Piano Stool with Storage

The PDP300 uses the ivory-like keyboard that reproduces the touch of a grand piano and gives you high quality playability for practicing and performing. The attached keyboard stand has 3 fully functional pedals. Equipped with a headphone jack, you can practice even at night. This kit comes with a height-adjustable stool that can also store sheet music, so you can get everything you need to enjoy playing the piano.