Wonderful music, performed with charm, affection and, when required, fabulous virtuosity, by pianist Mark Viner; a superb follow up to his equally impressive first volume of Chaminade. Curiously, ‘Clair de Lune’ also means ‘Moonlight’– but there’s a stark contrast between Beethoven’s Romantic classicism and Debussy’s Impressionism. Don’t be fooled by the initial simplicity of ‘Clair de Lune’: it took Debussy 15 years to write the third movement of the Suite Bergamasque, and the result is a work that sounds simple, but demands the very best from its performers. Get it right, and it allows the most accomplished pianists to shine. A completely triumphant – and entirely authoritative – survey of William Bolcom’s rags, performances filled to the brim with all the character these glorious pieces require. The broken chord accompaniment in Sting's 1983 megahit is iconic enough on its own, but the way it combines with a relatively simple melody turns "Every Breath You Take" into something truly special. Throughout the introduction and verses, each chord is an added ninth—played as broken chords. This takes a progression that might otherwise sound ordinary and gives it a wistful, yearning edge that fits what have been called the world's most misinterpreted lyrics.

A list of pop classics wouldn't be complete without a song from The Beatles. We could've chosen any of the eight Beatles songs available to learn on flowkey for this article, but something about the melancholy melody of "Yesterday" gives us goosebumps—probably the same thing that makes it the most covered song of all time (according to This Day In Music). Clara Schumann was one of the best known pianists of her time, but sadly she moved away from composing, saying " I once believed that I possessed creative talent, but I have given up this idea; a woman must not desire to compose – there has never yet been one able to do it. Should I expect to be the one?". This beautiful piano concerto gives us an idea of her incredible pianism and musical imagination.A fascinating and thought-provoking piece of programming – spanning the Baroque to the 21st century – that works wonderfully, thanks of course to Inon Barnatan’s hugely impressive pianism. Klára Würtz’s Goldbergs explores Bach’s extraordinary and revered set of variations with selfless commitment and personality, bringing delicacy, drama and architectural splendour to this great music. Three masters of variation form – Beethoven, Brahms and Mozart – are explored, and very clearly enjoyed, by pianist Simon Trpčeski on this delightful album. By 1854, Liszt had put the finishing touches to his monumental Piano Sonata in B minor, and took the music to perform at a private soirée. Among the guests was another composer, Johannes Brahms. Liszt took his seat at the piano and began to play. When he reached a section of the piece of which he was particularly proud, so the story goes, he glanced over at Brahms to see what he thought… only to find his fellow composer snoozing. Kenneth Hamilton offers a richly rewarding and brilliantly played Liszt survey, clearly deeply thought-through, and furthermore recorded on a fabulous sounding piano.

The piano version manages to capture the same epic, swirling sense of emotion in the famed original, especially through the gorgeous middle section. Due to the mixture between chords and melody, the flowkey version is best suited to advanced players. The big question: what is a Wonderwall? Noel Gallagher has never answered this, but said it's a "song about an imaginary friend who's gonna come and save you from yourself." 11. No Doubt – Don't Speak (1995) Despite its unfortunate first outing, this sonata has become one of the best-loved and most performed piano works. Traditionally, sonatas have four movements – but Liszt was never one to play by the rules. The Sonata in B minor is one unbroken stretch of music, built around a handful of motifs which re-appear in various guises throughout.Alexander Gadjiev – the second-placed pianist at last year’s Chopin Competition – further enhances his reputation with an adventurous and brilliantly played Russian programme. Chopin composed his most well-known nocturne at the tender age of 20, which perhaps accounts for its youthful passion. The build-up from the main theme and waltz-like accompaniment to the dramatic trill-filled finale makes the Nocturne in E-flat Major a strong contender for the most beautiful piano work ever written. All those ninth chords make the piano cover suitable for more advanced pianists, but even less experienced players can enjoy playing either the left- or right-hand part of the song on its own. 8. Alphaville – Forever Young (1984) The sonata’s third movement Rondo alla Turca is so popular, it is often played as its own musical entity. The movement imitates the sound of Turkish military bands, which was in vogue with European composers at the time. If you’re feeling sombre and brooding, the Sonata Pathétiqueis the perfect accompaniment. Timeless and joyously recognisable for the unique motif line Beethoven uses throughout, it’s no surprise this sonata remains one of the composer’s most celebrated compositions.