Piano Literature
Piano Literature
A comprehensive survey of keyboard repertoire from the Baroque era to the present day
This course examines the full arc of solo keyboard literature through lecture, score study, listening, and performance. The curriculum is structured in two parts — the first tracing the Baroque and Classical tradition from Bach through Beethoven, the second exploring the Romantic and modern repertoire from Chopin to the present day. Particular attention is given to period performance practice, analytical frameworks, and building a working knowledge of repertoire for teaching and performance.
What You’ll Explore
Baroque & Classical
From Bach’s contrapuntal mastery and Scarlatti’s sonatas to the Viennese Classical tradition of Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven.
Romantic Masters
Deep study of Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms, and Rachmaninoff — their signature works, compositional language, and lasting influence.
Modern & Contemporary
From Debussy’s Impressionism and Bartók’s folk-driven modernism to 20th-century American voices and the music of our own time.
Performance Practice
Historical and cultural context, period instrument awareness, analytical score study, and applying repertoire knowledge to teaching and performance.
Part One · Baroque to Classical
Week 1
Introduction to the BaroqueOverview of the Baroque period; J.S. Bach — Inventions & Sinfonias
Week 2
J.S. BachWell-Tempered Clavier; Baroque performance practice and ornamentation
Week 3
Domenico ScarlattiKeyboard sonatas; Scarlatti’s unique binary form and idiomatic writing
Week 4
HandelKeyboard suites and sonatas; Handel’s influence on the English tradition
Week 5
Midterm ExamAssessment of Baroque repertoire and style
Week 6
Transition to the Classical PeriodOverview of the Classical style; Mozart’s keyboard sonatas
Week 7
MozartSonatas and variations; Classical-era performance conventions
Week 8
HaydnKeyboard sonatas and variations; Haydn’s formal innovation
Week 9
ClementiSonatas and their relationship to early Romantic style
Week 10
BeethovenEarly keyboard works; sonatas and variations of the middle period
Week 11
Late Classical PeriodOverview of the late Classical style; bridges to Romanticism
Week 12
SchubertPiano sonatas and Impromptus; Schubert’s lyrical keyboard language
Week 13
Final Exam ReviewConsolidation of Part One repertoire and analysis
Week 14
Final ExamWritten and listening assessment
Part Two · Romantic to Contemporary
Week 1
Introduction to the Romantic EraOverview of the Romantic period; Chopin — Etudes
Week 2
ChopinEtudes, Ballades, and Scherzos; Chopin’s harmonic language and rubato
Week 3
SchumannKreisleriana and Carnaval; literary Romanticism and the piano cycle
Week 4
LisztTranscendental Etudes and Années de pèlerinage; virtuosity and tone-painting
Week 5
Midterm ExamAssessment of early Romantic repertoire and style
Week 6
BrahmsIntermezzi and Klavierstücke; late Romanticism and Classical restraint
Week 7
RachmaninoffEtudes-Tableaux and Moments musicaux; late Romantic piano texture
Week 8
DebussyEstampes and Images; Impressionism, colour, and non-functional harmony
Week 9
BartókMikrokosmos and Out of Doors; folk-music integration and modern technique
Week 10
20th-Century American MusicGershwin, Copland, and Bernstein; jazz influence and American voice
Week 11
21st-Century Piano MusicRepresentative contemporary works; new notation and extended techniques
Week 12
Final Exam ReviewConsolidation of Part Two repertoire and analysis
Week 13
Final ExamWritten and listening assessment
Week 14
Student PerformanceEnd-of-course recital and reflective discussion
The schedule above is indicative and may be adjusted depending on the availability of resources and the preferences of the instructor.
Required Reading
Gordon, Stewart
A History of Keyboard Literature: Music for the Piano and Its Forerunners
Schirmer Books, New York, 1996
Hinson, Maurice
Guide to the Pianist’s Repertoire — Third Edition
Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 2001
Todd, R. Larry
Nineteenth-Century Piano Music — Second Edition
Routledge, London, 2004
Burge, David
Twentieth-Century Piano Music
Scarecrow Press, Lanham MD, 2004
Enroll in Piano Literature
To register your interest or discuss course placement, contact Dr. Chen directly. Enrollment is subject to availability and assessment.
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