Can you recommend some melancholy piano pieces?

April 9, 2011 1:01 AM

Looking for melancholy piano performances.

Like the piano piece in the Noah takes a photo video, and Philip Glass's Metamorphosis 1.
There are a couple of similar questions; however I'm looking for piano solos.

Thanks in advance. Love you guys.

posted by blahtsk to media & arts (40 answers total)

Köln Concert, part 4
posted by Namlit at 1:11 AM on April 9, 2011

Moonlight Sonata.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:13 AM on April 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

A couple of Philip Glass's piano Etudes have a melancholy edge.
posted by misteraitch at 1:14 AM on April 9, 2011

Phillip Glass' Morning Passages
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:18 AM on April 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

"Together We Will Live Forever"
posted by Rhaomi at 1:22 AM on April 9, 2011

Maxence Cyrin. Weird pianist who covers contemporary pop and rock songs in such a way thay all become melancholic classical piano pieces.

So even The Sixies become something from eighty years before.
posted by ijsbrand at 1:25 AM on April 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

Eric Satie.
posted by joannemullen at 1:39 AM on April 9, 2011 [8 favorites]

Michael Nyman's "The Heart Asks Pleasure First." Many versions have a string section for a small part of it, but this one doesn't.
posted by Monsieur Caution at 1:41 AM on April 9, 2011

There's Beethoven's "Pathetique" piano sonata, 2nd part.
posted by ambulatorybird at 2:10 AM on April 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

Oh, there's also the piano arrangement for "To Zanarkand" from the Final Fantasy 10 soundtrack.
posted by ambulatorybird at 2:13 AM on April 9, 2011

The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
posted by XhaustedProphet at 2:15 AM on April 9, 2011

There's a nice Keith Jarret album (understatement) that features a track called You don't know what love is. Utterly sublime and melancholy

Also, Herbie Hancock's Little One
posted by the noob at 2:54 AM on April 9, 2011

... Keith Jarret album is Live at the Dear Head Inn
posted by the noob at 2:55 AM on April 9, 2011

Federico Mompou, Musica Callada
posted by trunk muffins at 2:58 AM on April 9, 2011

Brad Mehldau doing "She's Leaving Home"
posted by neroli at 5:51 AM on April 9, 2011

Seconding Moumpou's Musica Callada. The brand-new rendition by Jenny Lin is supposed to be great.
posted by John Cohen at 6:22 AM on April 9, 2011

Trois Gymnopedies, by Satie.
posted by Buffaload at 6:27 AM on April 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

Plenty of Bill Evans.
posted by Beardman at 6:41 AM on April 9, 2011

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence" by Ryuichi Sakamoto http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWuptY2C9Xg
posted by dorgla at 6:45 AM on April 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

Perhaps these: "Ashokan Farewell" from the soundtrack to the PBS series "The Civil War",

and "The Sacrifice" from the soundtrack to "The Piano".
posted by Ginesthoi at 6:58 AM on April 9, 2011

La Valse d'Amélie by Yann Tiersen.
posted by threeants at 7:35 AM on April 9, 2011

"Avril 14" by Aphex Twin

"Egon and Wally Embrace and Say Farewell" by Rachel's
posted by milk white peacock at 7:50 AM on April 9, 2011

The minecraft soundtrack.
posted by empath at 8:55 AM on April 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

Satie's Gnossiennes. Here is one. There are more.
posted by hollyanderbody at 9:19 AM on April 9, 2011

Vladimir Horowitz plays Schumann's Traumerei in Moscow. Notice the crying in the audience.
posted by beisny at 9:33 AM on April 9, 2011

Tori Amos has a couple piano-only b-sides that may fit the blil:

Over It

All the Girls Hate Her

Scriabin's Op.17 No.3

I love Brahms' intermezzos for their emotional quality, although perhaps not quite as minimalist as you're looking for. I think of them as melancholy:
Intermezzo Op.116 No.2
Intermezzo Op.116 No.4
Intermezzo Op.117 No.1
Intermezzo Op.118 No.2 (my favorite)
posted by wondermouse at 9:36 AM on April 9, 2011 [2 favorites]

pretty much any and everything by Arvo Pärt. Fur Alina especially.
posted by spindle at 9:46 AM on April 9, 2011

The Lonely Man Theme from the Incredible Hulk TV series (not kidding).
posted by SNWidget at 9:47 AM on April 9, 2011 [2 favorites]

Nocturne by Robyn Hitchcock, from I Often Dream of Trains. The "prelude" is piano only; the "demise" is piano accompanied by electric guitar. The latter never fails to wedge a thumb firmly into my heart.
posted by bakerina at 10:51 AM on April 9, 2011

Where Is My Mind, covered by Maxence Cyrin.
posted by clockzero at 11:38 AM on April 9, 2011

Dietro Casa, by Ludovico Einaudi.
posted by nobodyyouknow at 11:53 AM on April 9, 2011

I wasn't thinking of the Brahms because there was a certain motor element to your examples which these lack, but that's of course a very good recommendation.

Now here's some Schubert f-minor (and other) music. Impromptu , another 2 Impromptus, a Moment Musical and a Hungarian Melody.

If you want to hear this music on pianos for which it was composed, that can open a whole new world, too:
posted by Namlit at 1:10 PM on April 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

The Graceful Ghost by William Bolcolm. This rendition is done by my brother.
posted by plinth at 2:39 PM on April 9, 2011 [2 favorites]

http://www.christopheroriley.com/
He does piano covers of Radiohead songs that definitely qualify as melancholy. I haven't listened to his other work though.
posted by anotherkate at 2:50 PM on April 9, 2011

Gymnopédies by Erik Satie is what leapt to my mind right away. Also Tori Amos, but can't think of titles.
posted by Ellemeno at 2:53 PM on April 9, 2011

Maybe it's because Dinu Lipatti died so young, but this piece of Chopin is just achingly melancholic.
posted by Harry at 2:56 PM on April 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

Radio Ballet by Eluvium.
posted by sugarbiscuit at 5:11 PM on April 9, 2011

From the Jane Campion film "The Piano" - The Heart Asks Pleasure First. Heh, most of that film consists of melancholy piano music... since it's about a melancholic pianist. You could check out the rest of the film's soundtrack :)
posted by aielen at 5:38 PM on April 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

The first song that popped into my head was David Bazan's "Hard to Be"
posted by shortyJBot at 7:01 PM on April 9, 2011

Chopin's Prelude No. 4 Op. 28
posted by elektrotechnicus at 10:51 PM on April 9, 2011