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Published: Monday, 06 January 2025 at 17:08 PM
Relaxing piano music: 12 beautiful works to bring you inner calm and tranquillity
If you’re looking to unwind, reduce stress, or create a peaceful atmosphere, few things work as well as relaxing piano music. The gentle tones and soothing melodies of the piano have a unique way of calming the mind and lifting the spirit. This list brings together some of the most tranquil and beautiful piano pieces, perfect for relaxation, meditation, or simply enjoying a moment of calm.
We’ve thought long and hard (and calmly) and come up with six of our personal selections for some of the most relaxing piano music.
After that, we asked British pianist and record producer Tokio Myers to name us the piano music he turns to when he needs to relax. We finish with Tokio’s carefully (and calmly) chosen nominations: a list of some of the most relaxing piano music in the repertoire.
Most relaxing piano music: our choices
1. Debussy: La fille aux cheveux de lin (from Préludes Book 1)
You probably thought we’d go for ‘Clair de Lune’, didn’t you? Well, we thought we’d steer away from the obvious choice. And to be honest, there is plenty of dreamily atmospheric music form the fertile pen of the great French composer Claude Debussy that could serve us well here.
We’ve opted for ‘La fille aux cheveux de lin’ (‘The Girl with the Flaxen Hair’ from the first book of the composer’s Préludes. The latter contain some of Debussy’s most hazily impressionistic music, and ‘La fille…’ is perhaps the apogee of this mood, with its dreamy harmonies and gentle flowing melodies that create a serene, otherworldly atmosphere.
2. Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major, K. 545
Light, cheerful, and elegantly structured, this “sonata facile” exudes effortless charm, and its balance and clarity are soothing to the ear. The sonata is in three movements, and you’ll find the Allegro first movement and Andante second movement the most soothing.
3. Ludovico Einaudi: Nuvole Bianche
Much of Ludovico Einaudi‘s music generates an atmosphere of calm, reflection and contemplation. Among all the current so-called ‘ambient classical’ composers, Einaudi is one of the most accessible and emotionally articulate. Newcomers to Einaudi could do far worse than start with ‘Nuvole Bianche’ from his 2003 album Piano italiano. This piece’s repeating motifs and emotive simplicity create a blissfully meditative state.
Relaxing piano music: Chopin, Liszt and more
4. Chopin: Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2
Another composer who wrote with beautiful eloquence for the piano, although in a very different emotional tempo, was the great Frédéric Chopin. Where to start with Chopin? We might steer you towards one of his loveliest Nocturnes, the Opus 9 No. 2. Lyrical, singing lines, gentle dynamics and tender ornamentation make this a quintessential evening wind-down piece.
5. Arvo Pärt: Spiegel im Spiegel
A master of minimalism, Arvo Pärt creates sonic landscapes of calm, tranquillity and reflection. A prime example is his 1978 work Spiegel im Spiegel (Mirror in the Mirror), whose repetitive patterns create a hypnotic, reflective mood. Originally written for piano and violin, but often perfomred with a viola or cello replacing the violin, Spiegel im Spiegel embodies both Pärt’s minimalist style and the ‘tintinnabuli‘ technique that he pioneered, creating a profoundly meditative and introspective atmosphere.
6. Schumann: ‘Träumerei’ (‘Dreaming’) from Kinderszenen
Robert Schumann composed some wonderful cycles for solo piano, many of them bearing a specific theme. One of the most memorable is Kinderszenen – ‘Scenes from childhood’ – which evokes the feelings and experiences of childhood in vivid detail. One of the most eloquent (and of interest to use her, most relaxing) sections is Träumerei’ (‘Dreaming’) – a nostalgic lullaby that evokes childhood dreams.
7. Liszt: Liebesträume No. 3
Relaxation is not, perhaps, the quality you would most readily associate with Franz Liszt. Perhaps the most passionately Romantic composer, most of Liszt’s creations prioritise drama and virtuosity over meditation. A dazzling virtuoso and inventor of the piano recital, Liszt liked to make strong demands of his performer.
The set of three nocturnes known as Liebesträume (Dreams of love), however, find Liszt in more contemplative mood. Number 3 is perhaps the most eloquent: a romantic meditation on love, with graceful, flowing arpeggios and heartfelt melodies.
The most relaxing pieces of piano music, as chosen by Tokio Myers
These piano works have become my refuge – a safe place to retreat to when life gets difficult. I take them with me wherever I go, whether it’s to my local shop or travelling to the other side of the world.
8. Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini, Variation 18
Rachmaninov has created a wonderful journey piece based on a set of variations on Paganini’s Caprice No. 24, originally written for violin. When you listen closely, you hear how Rachmaninov very cleverly inverts the melody theme. In other words, the A minor Paganini theme is literally played ‘upside down’ in D flat major.
Rachmaninov himself recognised the appeal of this variation, saying ‘This one is for my agent!’. The best way to experience this piece is to sit back, close your eyes and allow it to pull gently on your heart strings.
Recommended recording:
Stephen Hough (piano), Dallas Symphony Orchestra/Andrew Litton
We included this in our round-up of the best recordings of Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.
9. Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5: II. Adagio un poco mosso
This piece is more commonly known as the Emperor Concerto, and for good reason. Beethoven perfectly captured the feeling of a momentous royal occasion: this movement is steeped in melodic beauty, to be played with grace and delicate control.
Recommended recording:
Krystian Zimerman (piano), London Symphony Orchestra/Simon Rattle
10. Satie: Gymnopédie No. 1
One of three wonderful pieces first published in Paris in 1888, Satie claimed that his Gymnopédies were inspired by reading Gustave Flaubert’s novel Salammbô. The novel’s themes of lust, freedom and death make it a great source of material for the composer. Part of what makes this particular Gymnopédie really sing for me is its simplicity. Wonderful, relaxing piano music.
Recommended recording:
Noriko Ogawa (piano)
11. Eydís Evensen: Bylur
Eydís Evensen’s Icelandic roots have had a profound impact on her music. She is a classically trained pianist and a post-classical composer. The natural world that surrounded her in Iceland continues to be at the heart of her music to this day. During grey days in London, this sense of being immersed in natural beauty is much needed!
Evensen creates mournful, sophisticated, melancholic arrangements that have a notable beauty and are driven by her emotions. She represents moments of her life through the music: much like a snowstorm, there are ups and downs, chaos and calm.
Recommended recording:
Eydís Evensen Bylur
12. Max Richter: The Departure (from The Leftovers TV series)
It would be hard not to mention Max Richter when you’re thinking about relaxing piano music.
Departure is such a powerful theme: it’s one that can really transport you to another place emotionally, almost within an instant. For me, Max Richter’s The Departure is one of the most uplifting forms of melancholy created in recent years, capturing both dark and light with such care and precision.
Recommended recording:
Max Richter: The Leftovers – Music from the HBO Series, Season One