# In Search Of: Laid Back & Melodious Piano Composers



## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

SSIA, thanks in advance.

For example, Chopin runs through too many scales for me. Debussy doesn't really have strong melodies going for him.

Suggestions?


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Mompou is a nice fit, actually.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Try the nocturnes by John Field.


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## mikeh375 (Sep 7, 2017)

Captainnumber36 said:


> Mompou is a nice fit, actually.


You beat me to it C'pn.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)




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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Gabriel Fauré, perhaps? He wrote a lot of piano music but based on their popularity you may want to dip into the _Nocturnes_ and _Barcarolles_ first (he wrote thirteen of each) just to see what you think. Then again, these are not mere salon pieces so perhaps they won't be as 'laid back' as you might want them to be. As it happens, I will be listening to Fauré later today.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Captainnumber36 said:


> SSIA, thanks in advance.
> 
> For example, Chopin runs through too many scales for me. Debussy doesn't really have strong melodies going for him.
> 
> Suggestions?


Howard Skempton






What about Pärt?






Philip Glass also






There's also this piece that Brian Ferneyhough wrote for his puςςy cat


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

There are some easy and very melodic miniatures written by Elie Siegmeister that I've heard recently. Unassuming and lovely music that I've really liked.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

norman bates said:


> There are some easy and very melodic miniatures written by Elie Siegmeister that I've heard recently. Unassuming and lovely music that I've really liked.


I enjoyed that, thanks.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

*In Search Of: Laid Back & Melodious Piano Composers*

I take it what you are _really_ searching for is laid back and melodious piano _music_, rather than a piano _composer_. Even the most laid back musician can produce fiery music. I consider that when I see photos of the Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, Keith Richards of the Stones, or Glenn Gould, I see what appear to be "laid back" and, visually, "melodious" folks whose music can wreck havoc with the best.

It seems to me that nearly every composer of piano music (one who has produced a reasonably sound amount of it) will have pieces that are "laid back and melodious" while at the same time having pieces which might light the sky on fire with scales and pyrotechnics galore. Even Chopin shies away from scaler runs in various of his pieces. Beethoven may not be thought of as "laid back" in the usual sense, but the opening movement of his _Moonlight_ Sonata seems the definition of "laid back and melodious." One will find the same true of Franz Liszt and his music, which spans a wide range through a vast oeuvre. Or the piano music of Schumann, Grieg, Mendelssohn, or ... well, nearly any of the big guns.

There is a two disc recording titled _The Most Relaxing Piano Album In The World... Ever!_, on the EMI label: 7243 5 67526 2 7, released in 2000.









The track list is inclusive:

*CD 1* 
1-01	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Stephen Hough, Hallé Orchestra, Bryden Thomson- "Elvira Madigan" Piano Concerto - Andante
1-02	Ludwig van Beethoven, Dame Moura Lympany- "Moonlight" Sonata - Adagio Sostenuto
1-03	Johann Sebastian Bach, Dame Moura Lympany- Jesus Bleibet Meine Freude
1-04	Frédéric Chopin, John Ogdon-	Nocturne No. 2 In E Flat
1-05	Claude Debussy, Dame Moura Lympany- "Claire de Lune"
1-06	Edvard Grieg, Cécile Ousset, The London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Neville Marriner- Piano Concerto - Adagio
1-07	Isaac Albéniz, Dame Moura Lympany-	Tango
1-08	Franz Liszt, John Ogdon- Liebestraum No. 3 in A Flat
1-09	Frédéric Chopin, Dmitri Alexeev-	Waltz No. 9 In A Flat
1-10	Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff, Cécile Ousset, City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle- Rhapsody On A Themem Of Paganini - Variation 18
1-11	Robert Schumann, Dame Moura Lympany- Traumerei
1-12	Enrique Granados, Magda Tagliaferro-	La Maya Y El Ruisenor
1-13	Frédéric Chopin, Maurizio Pollini-	Nocturne No. 5 In F Sharp Minor
1-14	Erik Satie, Aldo Ciccolini- Gymnopedie No. 1
1-15	Ludwig van Beethoven, Dame Moura Lympany- "Fur Elise"
1-16	Frédéric Chopin, John Ogdon-	Etude In E "Tristesse"
1-17	Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Daniel Adni- "Fruhlingslied"
1-18	Dmitri Shostakovich, Dmitri Alexeev, English Chamber Orchestra, Jerzy Maksymiuk- Piano Concerto No. 2 - Andante
*CD 2* 
2-01	Ludwig van Beethoven, Walter Gieseking-	"Pathetique" Sonata - Adagio Cantabile
2-02	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Annie Fischer, Philharmonia Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult- Piano Concerto No. 20 In D Minor - Romanze
2-03	Johann Sebastian Bach, Maria Tipo- Goldberg Variation - Aria 4
2-04	Frédéric Chopin, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Jerzy Maksymiuk- Piano Concerto No.1 In E Minor - Romance
2-05	Isaac Albéniz, Gonzalo Soriano-	Granda
2-06	Johannes Brahms, Dame Moura Lympany-	Waltz No.15 In A Flat
2-07	Johann Sebastian Bach, Andrei Gavrilov, The Academy Of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Sir Neville Marriner- Keyboard Concerto No.5 In F Minor - Largo
2-08	Edvard Grieg, Daniel Adni-	An Den Fruhling
2-09	Frédéric Chopin, Daniel Adni- Nocturne No. 10 In A Flat
2-10	Ludwig van Beethoven, Walter Gieseking, Philharmonia Orchestra, Alceo Galliera- "Emperor" Concerto - Adagio Un Poco Mosso
2-11	Claude Debussy, Dame Moura Lympany- La Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin
2-12	Frederic Mompou, Gonzalo Soriano- Cancons I Dansas No. 1
2-13	Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff, Cécile Ousset, City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle- Piano Concerto No. 2 - Adagio Sostenuto
2-14	Frédéric Chopin, Dmitri Alexeev-	"Raindrop" Prelude
2-15	Erik Satie, Aldo Ciccolini- Gnossienne No. 1
2-16	Gabriel Fauré, Jean-Philippe Collard, Bruno Rigutto- Berceuse
2-17	Ludwig van Beethoven, Dame Moura Lympany- Minuet In G
2-18	Frédéric Chopin, Peter Donohoe-	Berceuse In D Flat

There are, of course, a great many albums of such music. I only hope you are not one who seeks piano music "to fall asleep to." Music should invigorate rather than numb.

I recall seeing on the tube, years ago, an interview with pianist Richard Clayderman on the eve of the release of a new album of his, where the female host said to the pianist: "I really love your music," at which Clayderman smiled, till she added: "I find it so relaxing. I put it on when I want to fall asleep," at which Clayderman's face took a turn for the worst. Imagine, having someone admire your musicianship because it puts them to sleep.

In any case, Clayderman's TELDEC album (6.24900 AU) _Träumereien 3 • Die Schönsten Melodien Von Richard Clayderman_ featuring music by Olivier Toussaint and Paul de Senneville, seems to fit the bill of music that is "laid back and melodious." In fact, I suspect one could say the same about Clayderman the pianist!









But I'm not sure _this_ is what you want in music, either.

In my case, when I want music to fall asleep to, I go for something boring. Heavy metal does it for me every time.

May I recommend some Iron Maiden?


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

FInd the piano works of Lyadov and Rubenstein. Some of my favorite piano music.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

norman bates said:


> There are some easy and very melodic miniatures written by Elie Siegmeister that I've heard recently. Unassuming and lovely music that I've really liked.


A disc a long time in my record collection features Siegmeister's _Western Suite_. It's written for orchestra, but well worth a listen to even by fans of piano music.

_Western Suite_ 
I. Prairie Morning 5:59
II. Round-Up 2:30
III. Night-Herding 4:14
IV. Buckaroo 3:29
V. Riding Home 4:25


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Barry Manilow .


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

Try Grieg's Lyric Pieces. Not all of them laid back, but a good proportion of gentle music.


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

Usually when people recommend stuff, it comes with a lot of fluff. We just want the pure music.

Check out Chopin's Piano Concertos though, but, original piano works by Beethoven and Uematsu (here and throughout that channel.)

And this is one of my favorite solo piano melodies.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Thanks everyone. I also would like to add Satie, one of my favorites!


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

I would add:

John Ireland
Vladimir Rebikov
Nikolai Roslavets
Nikolai Myaskovsky
Felix Blumenfeld
Sergei Lyapunov
Florent Schmitt
Erkki Melartin
Selim Palmgren
Eduard Tubin


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## chipia (Apr 22, 2021)

Nikolai Kapustin does some pretty melodic modern piano music.


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## RICK RIEKERT (Oct 9, 2017)

Try Lowell Liebermann's beautiful and evocative _Nocturnes_.


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## VoiceFromTheEther (Aug 6, 2021)




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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Captainnumber36 said:


> Debussy doesn't really have strong melodies going for him.
> 
> Suggestions?


You may want to reconsider. Debussy's piano music is full of exquisite melody as well as many other wonderful qualities.


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## golfer72 (Jan 27, 2018)

Parry the English Composer might fit the bill


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