Canon
Where to start with Chopin
Essential works to know this composer by — spread across their styles-
KeyboardNocturnes, op. 9
-
OrchestralPiano Concerto no. 1 in E minor, op. 11
-
ChamberCello Sonata in G minor, op. 65
-
VocalCzary, B.51 — Song
-
KeyboardPolonaise no. 6 in A flat major, op. 53, "Heroic"
-
KeyboardPreludes, op. 28
-
KeyboardSonata no. 2 in B flat minor, op. 35
-
OrchestralAndante spianato et grande polonaise brillante, op. 22 — For piano and orchestra
-
KeyboardWaltzes, op. 64
-
KeyboardBallade no. 1 in G minor, op. 23
-
KeyboardBallade no. 2 in F major, op. 38
-
KeyboardBallade no. 3 in A flat major, op. 47
-
KeyboardBallade no. 4 in F minor, op. 52
-
KeyboardEtudes, op. 10
-
KeyboardEtudes, op. 25
Listening guide
Hand-curated paths into Chopin's catalogueMost Popular
-
Nocturne in E-flat Op. 9 No. 2
-
Ballade No. 1 in G minor Op. 23
-
Étude Op. 10 No. 3 ”Tristesse”
-
Fantaisie-Impromptu Op. 66
-
Polonaise in A-flat Op. 53 ”Heroic”
Most Acclaimed
-
Ballades (all 4)
-
Études Op. 10 & 25 (complete)
-
Préludes Op. 28 (complete)
-
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor Op. 35
-
Scherzo No. 2 in B-flat minor Op. 31
Most Weird
-
Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor Op. 58the finale is perpetual motion — shockingly modern for 1844
-
Berceuse Op. 57hypnotic — the left hand plays the same chord for the entire piece while the right hand ornaments
-
Barcarolle Op. 60the most harmonically adventurous large work he completed
-
Mazurka in F minor Op. 68 No. 4his last piece — 20 bars, written while dying; he asked it be destroyed
-
Nocturne in C-sharp minor Op. posth.the minor key nocturne found among his papers
Similar composers
Same era, overlapping styles — by genre & period affinityWorks 114
- Keyboard
- ● Nocturnes, op. 9
- ● Polonaise no. 6 in A flat major, op. 53, "Heroic"
- ● Preludes, op. 28
- ● Sonata no. 2 in B flat minor, op. 35
- ● Waltzes, op. 64
- Ballade no. 1 in G minor, op. 23
- Ballade no. 2 in F major, op. 38
- Ballade no. 3 in A flat major, op. 47
- Ballade no. 4 in F minor, op. 52
- Etudes, op. 10
- Etudes, op. 25
- Scherzo no. 1 in B minor, op. 20
- Scherzo no. 2 in B flat minor, op. 31
- Scherzo no. 3 in C sharp minor, op. 39
- Scherzo no. 4 in E major, op. 54
- Sonata no. 3 in B minor, op. 58
- Allegro de concert, op. 46
- Andantino for piano in G minor, B.117
- Barcarolle in F sharp major, op. 60
- Berceuse, op. 57
- Boléro, op. 19
- Bourrées, B.160
- Cantabile in B flat major, B.84
- Ecossaises for piano, op. 72 no. 3
- Fantaisie-impromptu in C sharp minor, op. 66
- Fantasie in F minor, op. 49
- Fugue in A minor, KKIVc/2
- Funeral March in C minor, op. 72 no. 2
- Impromptu no. 1 in A flat major, op. 29
- Impromptu no. 2 in F sharp major, op. 36
- Impromptu no. 3 in G flat major, op. 51
- Largo in E flat major, B.109
- Mazurka in A flat major, B.85
- Mazurka in A minor, B.134, "Notre temps"
- Mazurka in A minor, B.140, "Émile Gaillard"
- Mazurka in B flat major, B.73
- Mazurka in C major, B.82
- Mazurka in D major, B.4
- Mazurka in G major, B.39
- Mazurkas, op. 17
- Mazurkas, op. 24
- Mazurkas, op. 30
- Mazurkas, op. 33
- Mazurkas, op. 41
- Mazurkas, op. 50
- Mazurkas, op. 56
- Mazurkas, op. 59
- Mazurkas, op. 6
- Mazurkas, op. 63
- Mazurkas, op. 67
- Mazurkas, op. 68
- Mazurkas, op. 7
- Moderato in E major, B.151, "Feuille d'album"
- Nocturne in C minor, B.108
- Nocturne in C sharp minor, B.49, "Lento con gran espressione"
- Nocturne in E minor, op. 72 no. 1
- Nocturnes, op. 15
- Nocturnes, op. 27
- Nocturnes, op. 32
- Nocturnes, op. 37
- Nocturnes, op. 48
- Nocturnes, op. 55
- Nocturnes, op. 62
- Nouvelles études, B.130
- Polonaise in A flat major, B.5
- Polonaise in B flat major, B.3
- Polonaise in B flat minor, B.13, "Adieu à Guillaume Kolberg"
- Polonaise in F sharp minor, op. 44
- Polonaise in G flat major, B.36
- Polonaise in G minor, B.1
- Polonaise in G sharp minor, B.6
- Polonaise-fantaisie in A flat major, op. 61
- Polonaises, op. 26
- Polonaises, op. 40
- Polonaises, op. 71
- Prelude in A flat major, B.86
- Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 45
- Rondo in C major, op. 73
- Rondo in C minor, op. 1
- Rondo in E flat major, op. 16
- Rondo à la Mazur in F major, op. 5
- Sonata no. 1 in C minor, op. 4
- Sostenuto in E flat major
- Souvenir de Paganini, B.37
- Tarantelle in A flat major, op. 43
- Variation on a March by Bellini, B.113 — Part of the collective work Hexaméron
- Variations on a German Air, B.14
- Variations on a Theme by Hérold, op. 12
- Waltz in A flat major, B.21
- Waltz in A flat major, op. 42
- Waltz in A minor, B.150
- Waltz in A minor, B.150
- Waltz in E flat major, B.133, "Sostenuto"
- Waltz in E flat major, B.46
- Waltz in E flat major, op. 18, "Grande valse brillante"
- Waltz in E major, B.44
- Waltz in E minor, B.56
- Waltzes, op. 34
- Waltzes, op. 69
- Waltzes, op. 70
- Orchestral
- ● Piano Concerto no. 1 in E minor, op. 11
- ● Andante spianato et grande polonaise brillante, op. 22 — For piano and orchestra
- Variations on La ci darem la mano, op. 2 — For piano and orchestra
- Fantasy on Polish Airs, op. 13 — For piano and orchestra
- Krakowiak, op. 14 — For piano and orchestra
- Piano Concerto no. 2 in F minor, op. 21
- Chamber
- Cello Sonata in G minor, op. 65
- Grand Duo on Themes from Robert Le Diable, B.70 — For cello and piano
- Introduction and Polonaise in C major, op. 3 — For cello and piano
- Piano Trio in G minor, op. 8
- Variations on 'Non più mesta', B.9 — For flute and piano
- Vocal
- Czary, B.51 — Song
- Dumka, B.132 — Song
- Polish Songs, op. 74