Piano Greats

Following is a list of 10 people who did fantastic things on the keys!

Modest Mussorgsky

Frederic Chopin

Johannes Sebastian Bach

Muzio Clementi

Scott Joplin

Thelonious Monk

Bill Evans

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Franz Liszt

Claude Debussy

Modest Mussorgsky

One of The Russian 5, a.k.a. the Five or the Mighty 5.

The Russian 5 also includes:

  • Mily Balakirev

  • Alexander Borodin

  • Cesar Cui

  • Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

 
 

Frederic Chopin

His music is heard everywhere, not that we can name his pieces.

These Nocturnes are played by Arthur Rubenstein, an excellent composer and pianist in his own right.

Johannes Sebastian Bach

Bach is probably a name that most people know when they think “classical music”.

He’s more than just the Toccata in D minor!

These pieces are performed by Glenn Gould, who is best known for his interpretation of Bach’s works.

 
 

Muzio Clementi

If Clementi is known for anything, he’s known for being the “easy” place to start for classical piano.

But he’s pretty cool:

  • He competed against Mozart

  • He was an influence for Beethoven and Chopin

  • He made pianos

  • His full name was Muzio Filippo Vincenzo Francesco Saverio Clementi

Scott Joplin

Because diversity is important, introducing, the King of Ragtime!

Don’t knock it til you try it. Rags are so much harder to perform than they sound!

 
 

Thelonious Monk

One of the Three (Bebop) Kings!

  • The other Bebop Kings are: Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie

Just because he didn’t have great technique doesn’t give you an excuse to not practice! If you can play and compose like Monk, only then will you maybe get a free pass.

Bill Evans

Because Jazz diversity! White folks play(ed) Jazz, too!

 
 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

A questionable fellow who wrote fun music.

Franz Liszt

Here’s a guy you should really Liszt-en to.

 
 

Claude Debussy

Claire de Lune is not the only thing he wrote!