Better be CHOPIN; I like all of Chopin but my absolute favorite right here ------> Ballade Op.52 on F-minor.

Others:
Bach; Goldberg-Variationen, Toccaten, organ works
Rachmaninoff; Piano Concerti 2 and 3
Beethoven; "Appassionata", All piano concerti
Liszt (a bit of a show-off but whatever); Piano Concerto 1, Études Transcendentale
Mendelssohn; Variations Serieuses, Songs Without Words.

Definitely Lizt`s Rhapsodie Hongroise #2. The chord progressions and scales, and the mix of the two, simply pull me into the music and don`t let me go until the piece is finished. I`ve been trying to learn the piece on and off for the last two months now, because of my erratic schedule, but it is still the most difficult piece I have ever had to play, and I have been playing for well over ten years now. I`d say it is even more difficult and strenuous than Beethoven`s Sonata in F minor, which until I finally got a copy of the Rhapsody, was the most complicated piece I had been able to teach myself.

And to answer an earlier question about the Mephisto Waltz, a friend of mine learned the piece a few years ago for a competition he took part in(He won 1st, out of about a hundred competetors) and it took him over six months of intense pracitce to completely learn it, and even then there are sections that give him difficulty.

And for composer, that would have to be either Lizt or Rachmanninoff, due to the fact that both possesed the ability to draw a person into the music and physically FEEL every note, bringing the listener to an emotional climax at the same time as the musical one, and then to bring the listener out of this "trance", feeling as if perfection had been reached for a few brief moments.

I know this isn`t a classical composer, but he definitely deserves a mention. Stevie Wonder- I love all of his songs but my favourites are `My Cherie Amour` and `As` he`s the genius of our time

Hi! I am new here.
I am above all a Romantic and, talking strictly about piano music, I like Chopin and Rachmaninov most of all.

Chopin for his etudes, especially the Revolutionary, A Minor and C sharp Minor Etudes and Piano Sonata in B flat Minor and Piano Concerto No.2.

Rachmaninov for his beautiful 3rd Piano Concerto and Prelude in G Minor. Scriabin is also good.

Beethoven also appeals to me because of his many nice Klaviersonate, especially the Pathetique and one my favorites, the Appassionata.

I am currently learning to play Mozart`s `Rondo alla Turca`, so I like him as well.

Balakirev`s `Islamey` never fails to captivate me.

There`s heaps. In no particular order...

1. Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet, Peter and the Wolf, Violin concerti (Possibly my favourite composer of all time)
2. Bartok - pretty much everything particularly Concerto For Orchestra (spent a year studying it and still didn`t get sick of it)
3. Elgar - Enigma Variations (gives me tingles)
4. Holst - The Planets (absolutely magnificent)
5. Mendelssohn and Bruch Violin Concertos (wow!!!)
6. Dvorak Cello Concerto no 1 (that first movement is just glorious)
7. Rossini - Introduction, Theme and Variations (Clarinet & Orchestra (great fun)
8. Schubert - Elkonig (The Erlking)..just the one lied(e)
9. Rimsky-Korsakov - Capriccio Espanol and Scheherazhade (full of energy and life)
10.Debussy - Premiere Rhapsodie (enchanting!)
11. Ravel - Gaspard de la Nuit, Mother Goose suite (don`t know why, I just do)
12. Respighi - Pines of Rome (especially third movement with that fantastic clarinet solo )
13. Gershwin - Rhapsody In Blue, Cuban Overture, An American In Paris (great recording of Rhapsody and American in Paris by Columbia Symph and Leonard Bernstein)
14. Beethoven`s 7th Symphony (actually pretty much all the Beethoven`s symphonies but 7 is a particular fave)

I`ve drawn a blank on anything else but there`s heaps more.

CHOPIN & RACHMANINOFF!!!!!

chopin`s etude in E, op.10 no 3

rach`s rhapsody in paganini var 18 (or was it 21?)

I`ve only recently began to play the piano again...but the nicest pieces i can play are

-everything from yann tiersen
-Vangelis-Hymn!!
-michael myman-el piano(still learning this one)
-pachelbel-canon d (also still learning)

and others...

any propositions for other related pieces?

I like Sibelius... I like his orchestral music the most because sometimes its really ..ummm ....creepy i guess but then at the same time its really beautiful...i think he is one of the best composers ever

I can`t choose a single composer (Everyone has written some gems) but I have some favorite pieces. Since I`ve fallen in love with the piano, most of the songs are piano pieces.

(No particular order)

1. Beethoven
Rage Over the Lost Penny (Rondo A Capriccio Op129)
The first and third movement of the Moonlight Sonata (Op27 No2)
5th Symphony
2. Liszt
La Campanella (Etude No3)
3. Chopin
Revolutionary Etude (Op10 No2)
Etude in E (Op10 No3)
Heroic Polonaise (Op 53)
Waltz in C# Minor (Op64 No2)
Fantasie Impromptu (Op 66)
Prelude in E minor (Op28 No4)
Prelude in D-flat major (Op28 No15
Nocturne C# minor
4. Rachmoninoff
3rd Concerto (The Rach-3 for those of you who have seen "Shine")
Prelude in C# Minor (Op3 No2)
Prelude in G Minor (Op23 No5)
5. Prokofiev
Diabolic Suggestion (Op4 No4) (I swear, Prokofiev must have been possessed when he wrote this)
Montagues and Capulets from the Romeo and Juliet Suite
6. Tschaikovsky
Romance Op5
Concerto No1 in B Minor(I`ve only heard the 3rd movement)
7. Brahms
Ballad in G minor (Op118 No2)
8. Schumman
Aufschwung (Op12 No2)
9. Stravinsky
The Firebird- Danse Infernale
10. Saint-Saens
Danse Macabre
11. Mozart
Rondo Alla Turca (Movement III of Sonata in A
12. Schubert
Marche Militaire (Op51 No1)
13. Joplin
Maple Leaf Rag
-This isn`t classical but I love Carol of the Bells
-There are more but my mind`s blank
My knowledge of the music world is still rather small(I started when I was 12 and I`m 13 1/2 now) and these are the only really good ones I`ve heard. But I`ve advanced quickly enough to appreciate it all. (Quickly enough that I can fluently play Rondo Alla Turca and I`m learning Aufschwung)
By the way go to sheetmusicarchive.net to get many of the songs I listed.

hmmmm, top five at the moment are : Liszt La Campanella, scott joplin maple leaf rag, beethoven moonlight sonata 1st movement, Liszt hungarian rhapsody no2 and liszt (again!) hungarian rhapsody no14 all of them are FANTASTIC!

rachmaninovs music touches the soul as you say. too beautiful to sing and makes me wanna cry. concerto no.1+2+3. transcriptions- liebeslied, liebesfrued,
prelude op23 no.6.
!!!!!!!!!

Best song ever: Franz Liszt - Hungarian Rhapsody No.2
(Who hasn`t seen the Cat Concerto and not loved it?)
I am trying to practice this, but it isn`t easy, but I have one of my favourite parts off and quite fast too. I am not the best pianist but some parts in the song are easy to learn, such as the beginning which I love. I have a sample of me playing my favourite part at http://jaguarphil.topcities.com, please e-mail me your comments if you wish, I like being big headed, sorry!

I`d like to say for those who don`t know it, its the best Tom & Jerry episode there was (people do have opinions though, Yankee Doodle Mouse was good) it won alot of oscars and its great how the violence and music just mixed together!

Bradley Joseph is an incredible composer who creates the most stunning contemporary instrumental music I have ever heard in my life! No music has ever touched my soul more than Bradley`s! He is such a magnificent poet through his music, tells the most breathtaking stories of the human spirit, and needs no words to do it! Telling tales of playful childhood memories, love, joy, heartache, and sorrow - emotions we can all relate to. His songs are all appropriately titled and those thoughts are brilliantly expressed nonverbally. Bradley resonates beauty and passion with each and every song! It is easy to see why Yanni asked Bradley to be his touring keyboardist based entirely on his compositions! You are really missing out on something in life if you don`t give him a listen!
www.bradleyjoseph.com

Hmmm quite a few actually. so hard to really say which I like the most, but I narrow it down to 3.
1. Bach`s 2nd movement in the 2nd Brandenburg
2. Planets- Jupiter by Holst
3. Sea symphony- Vaughan Willaims