Knowing the great piano composers deepens your appreciation for music and inspires you to play the piano with greater passion and understanding.

A Spanish piano virtuoso, best known for works such as Tango in D, No. 2 from Suite España. This piece is one of the most famous tangos in concert music. Some of his compositions even influenced Debussy’s style.

A German composer who bridged the Baroque and Classical periods, and whose writings on the keyboard even influenced Mozart and Beethoven. He composed several short pieces found in the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach, once attributed to his father, J. S. Bach.

A German composer of the late Baroque period, regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time. His works include Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, Arioso, and Air on the G String, many of which have been rearranged for piano. He also created influential keyboard collections such as The Well-Tempered Clavier and pieces like Bourrée in E Minor, among many others.

A German composer who bridged the Classical and Romantic periods, he is regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time. His works are among the most frequently performed in the classical repertoire, including Für Elise, the Moonlight Sonata, and Symphony No. 5. Despite suffering from hearing loss, he continued to compose groundbreaking works, such as his final Symphony No. 9 (with the "Ode to Joy" theme) and his last piano concerto, the Emperor Concerto.

An American composer often hailed by Gershwin as "the greatest songwriter that has ever lived." Jerome Kern once remarked, "Irving Berlin has no place in American music, he is American music." Influenced by Scott Joplin, Berlin transitioned from ragtime to love songs and composed memorable hits such as I Love a Piano, a witty ragtime-style love song.

A French composer of the Romantic period, best known for his operas such as Carmen, one of the most popular operas of all time. From the same work comes the lively Soldiers' Chorus, a melody so recognizable that it has been widely rearranged for piano and many other instruments.

A German composer of the mid-Romantic period. His music, such as Rhapsody No. 2 in G minor, is notable for its strong rhythmic drive combined with expressive counterpoint, weaving together powerful patterns and lyrical melodies.

A Polish composer of the Romantic period who wrote primarily for solo piano. He is renowned for technically demanding yet highly expressive and innovative works, including the Heroic Polonaise, several Nocturnes and Waltzes, including the Minute Waltz, and the Mazurka in B-flat, among others.

Discover how knowing the composers behind the music deepens appreciation and inspires more passionate piano playing.

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