Solo Piano Recommendations

nervous_twitch

I've only recently started listening to popular solo piano pieces and it's really floored me how some of this music can be much more affective than the more verbose genres I'm accustomed to. Big, dramatic (and a tad sad/melancholic ) pieces I find endearing and I was wondering if anyone could recommend music in a similar vein to the compositions below;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZJDNSp1QJA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Su8LXNS16A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjvspeLgeww

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E3znZoFnN8

Are these styles more contemporary? Excuse my ignorance, I'm a complete novice. Light orchestral music as featured in Perpetuum Mobile is OK too! Thanks.

OxfordComma

Yup, these are all contemporary classical (minimalist, mostly) pieces. I hadn't heard the Michael Nyman piece before and it's beautiful, thank you.

If you love this type of music, Philip Glass is an excellent minimalist composer to listen to. He wrote several film scores including that of The Hours (as well as the Truman Show, if I'm not mistaken!), which I adore:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FniHgiyaTY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imbwn6iVryQ

Arvo Part is another great minimalist composer - not sure if this is exactly what you're looking for though! (Might not be dramatic enough...)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtFPdBUl7XQ

Can't really think of anything else off the top of my head

nervous_twitch

Yeah, it was actually Glass that sparked this curiosity; I loved the OST for The Truman Show, and later, The Hours. Then after Amelie I started listening to Tiersen, and Michael Nyman after The Piano. Cinema is the only real exposure I have to this type of music.

Thanks, though - now I know what I'm looking for. I googled Minimalist Piano Composers and have got a list to work through. That Arvo Part piece is exactly what I'm looking for; its beautiful.

PhiliousPhogg

Arabian Dance from The Nutcracker on piano.

Norrdeth

A great song and a great movie also!

Dr Gradus

Try Ludovico Einaudi,

very approachable piano music and has the sweeping beauty of that micahel nyman piece and the clint mansell.

Norrdeth

Also just remembered last night a very unique piano piece by Cage.

wonton

Erik Satie - Gymnopedie n.1

greensleeves has to be one of my favourite melodies ever

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5ItNxpwChE

WakeUp

Mark Joggerst - The Pursuit of Perfection:)

nervous_twitch

..totally forgot about this thread! Thanks again for all the suggestions, the Pursuit of Perfection has burnt a hole through my mp3.. Einaudi is amazing as well, a definite recommendation for anyone who enjoys similar kinds of music!