piano/classical compilation

this may end up being one of my least enjoyed posts. i consider myself open to all kinds of music. i wouldn't categorize my likes into any one genre. this includes the classics. in fact, in 2007 it has been a main focus of mine to aquaint myself more with classical artists. since i've found myself listening to more and more i thought i might make a few suggestions of some piano/classical music. these are just a few of my favorites, and they certainly won't be that way for all. i've been nothing but impressed though with simply how amazing this music really is when you delve into it...you also may be surprised...

[this is a photo of my favorite classical artist, chopin....creepy eh? he's freaking amazing...]

1. chopin - revolutionary etude in c-minor. op. 10, no. 12.

• maybe my favorite classical piece right now. it's the last song i performed in a recital when i was 19 years old. i nearly completely forgot the piece during my two years in korea and have since taken it back up and am about half-way through re-learning it.

2. rachmaninoff - rhapsody on theme from paganini in a-minor - op 43.

• you ever wanna read a cool story check out paganini. he was maybe the greatest violinist of the 19th century but a prolific gambler and even gambled away his most amazing violin. after that someone gave him another one and it is still in use today.

3. franz liszt - hungarian rhapsody no. 02 in c-sharp-minor

• you've all heard this one before (especially if you've seen who framed roger rabbit) but maybe didn't know what it was called. check out the song starting at the 4:58 mark...goodness!

4. claude debussy - claire de lune

• you may remember this one from the end of the movie "ocean's eleven" when they are standing gazing back at the hotel they just robbed. so melodic.

5. chopin - nocturne for violin and piano

6. john schmidt - all of me

• granted this song is not a classical piece but i did say piano/classical so i think i can put this in. its awesome. learning this song on piano made me not quit playing. thanks john.

7. george gershwin - rhapsody in blue

8. mozart - k.310 piano sonata in a-minor

• i'm halfway through learning this one. this is actually about 80 bpm faster than mozart wrote it but impressive anyway.

9. beethoven - moonlight sonata

10. chopin - polinaise in a-flat major "heroic" op. 53

11. mozart - k. 626 - requiem in d-minor.

• literally written on mozart's death bed and finished by his closest apprentice just after. amazing. it reeks of death.

12. danny elfman - victor's piano solo (corpse bride)

13. theme - legends of the fall.