20 Captivating Intermediate Piano Pieces You Need To Learn
Looking for intermediate piano pieces that sound rewarding and are worth the practice time? This list has 20 captivating repertoire picks: 10 early intermediate and 10 late intermediate, so you can match the music to where you are now.
Early intermediate pieces suit players who already read notation and have solid basic technique. Late intermediate pieces ask for cleaner fingering, stronger reading fluency, and more control. If you want guided practice, find a piano teacher through The Best Piano Teachers.
New to repertoire lists? Beginners can start with our 15 easy piano songs. Once you pick a piece here, these 16 tips for mastering any piano song can help you practice more efficiently.
Early Intermediate Piano Pieces
1. Vivace
Composed by Franz Joseph Haydn, Vivace from Twelve Easy Pieces is yet another classical piece that soothes your soul. Vivace features arpeggiating left-hand melodies along with a bouncy right-hand rhythm. It also consists of frequent accidentals and relatively advanced tunes.
2. Sonatina in C, Opus 36, No. 1
Sonatina in C is another beautiful representation of classical music. Composed by Muzio Clementi, this piece consists of a couple of 1-octave arpeggios and scale-like passages. For intermediate learners, Sonatina in C is a must-learn for its beautiful melody.
3. Wild Rider, Opus 68, No. 8
Composed by Robert Schumann for the album For The Young, Wild Rider is a romantic piece consisting of a basic rhythmic line. In the B section, its melody slowly moves to the left hand. Wild Rider's carefully curated staccato notes make it a masterpiece to try out for intermediate pianists.
4. Minuet in G, BWV Anh. 114
Minuet in G, BWV Anh. 114 (Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach) — long attributed to J.S. Bach; many scholars credit Christian Petzold — is a brilliant starting point for Baroque music. This captivating piece consists of an easy accompaniment and rhythmic phrases. It will also give you a chance to refine your staccato techniques.
5. Solfeggietto
Composed by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Solfeggietto is another classical beauty that goes right to your heart. This is usually a late-intermediate or early-advanced project (fast perpetual motion), not early intermediate. Treat it as a stretch until patterns stay even at a steady tempo.
6. Prelude in E minor, Opus 28, No. 4
Prelude in E minor is a piece of romantic style music composed by Frederic Francois Chopin. The piece is known for its beautiful melody, and the challenge lies not in its notes but in how you can play the notes. You'd need impeccable phrasing, balancing, and musical expression to breathe life into this piece.
7. Horseman
Horseman, from Children's Pieces Opus 27, consists of rich harmony and bouncy melodies. Composed by Dmitri Kabalevsky, this contemporary piece gives you ample scope to work with different accidentals using its chromatic chords.
8. Prelude In C Major
The Book I Prelude in C Major from The Well-Tempered Clavier (prelude only — not the fugue) is yet another masterpiece composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. A beautiful representation of Baroque style, this piece can give you a range of opportunities to explore and experiment with dynamic changes in its tone. Make sure you practice this piece multiple times to execute the release and tension right.
9. Arietta, Opus 12, No. 1
Composed by Edvard Grieg, Arietta is a romantic masterpiece that demands getting your fingering right. If you're still struggling with fingering techniques, we'd suggest you try this piece later. Featuring a simple rhythm, Arietta's tune is divided into three voices with a flowing arpeggiation.
10. Sonatina in G
Often published under Beethoven's name (authenticity is disputed), Sonatina in G elegantly demonstrates the classical piano style. This piece consists of arpeggiated left-handed chords and occasional 2-note slurs.
Late Intermediate Piano Pieces
11. Für Elise
Yes, you've probably dreamt of playing Für Elise by Beethoven from the start of your piano journey. This classical beauty is one of the finest musical pieces in the piano world. While the introductory section is easy to play, you'd require absolute patience and dedication along with advanced skills to learn the entire piece.
12. Invention No. 8 in F Major, BWV 779
Composed by Sebastian Bach, Invention No.8 in F major is a nice starting point for advanced playing. You'd require the perfect coordination between your left and right hand throughout the piece. There are intricate tunes in several places of the piece. Slow and steady practice is key.
13. Movement 3 (Rondo Alla Turca)
You didn't really think we'd curate a list of captivating piano pieces and not include Mozart, did you?
Rondo Alla Turca by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart consists of a series of exotic tunes that soothes your mind. Your right hand will have to have precise articulation while your left-hand shifts between strongly rolled chords and a simple accompaniment.
14. Sonata in A, K. 113, L. 345
Composed by Domenico Scarlatti, Sonata in A is a beautiful Baroque-style composition that's a must-explore for piano enthusiasts. This piece requires complex finger work and quick hand crossing techniques.
15. Sonata in D Hob. XVI/37
Composed by Haydn, Sonata in D Hob is a piece that features some of the common elements of the classical sonata, including but not limited to left-hand accompaniment, scale-like passages, and precise articulation.
16. Gymnopédie No. 1
Composed by Erik Satie, Gymnopédie is a contemporary masterpiece. As easy as the tune sounds, it's actually quite difficult to master. You'd have to approach the music with caution and care. Your left hand would have to get into a leaping rhythmic pattern with a higher chord and lower bass note. Make sure you go slow and steady with the notes.
17. Prelude in D-flat Major, Opus 28, No. 15
Composed by Chopin, this romantic piece practically takes you through a thunderstorm. The piece begins with the soothing sound of raindrops, followed by a theatrical bout of lightning and thunder before going back to the sound of rain again. A complete, controlled performance is typically early advanced — treat this late-intermediate listing as a stretch goal, ideally with a teacher-selected edition. The "raindrop" middle needs careful voicing and dynamic control, not just the opening calm.
18. The Entertainer
Scott Joplin's contemporary piece, The Entertainer, is a brilliant representation of a ragtime style. This piece consists of bass patterns on your left hand, syncopated rhythms, and quick progressions on your right. You'd need to have plenty of technical skills to play this captivating music.
19. Clair de Lune
Clair de Lune is one of the most popular contemporary pieces composed by Claude Debussy. The melodies are quite complex and thus takes on a journey of various musical sections throughout the entire piece. This is standard advanced repertoire — keep it only as an advanced stretch goal. You'll need a soft yet controlled touch, long pedaling awareness, and patient layering of the melody.
20. Movement 1 (Moonlight Sonata), Opus 27, No. 2
When you're trying to master advanced pieces, you can't get enough of Beethoven. Moonlight Sonata is one of his finest musical compositions, and while its introductory section may seem relatively simple, you soon realize why it's listed under late intermediate pieces.
Movement 1 needs steady triplet control in the right hand, careful voicing of the melody, and soft dynamic control. It is still a late-intermediate / early-advanced project for most students — not a beginner "easy famous piece." You'll hear multiple voices throughout the piece, and every one of them demands special attention to details.
Final Words
These 20 pieces give you a clear early-to-late intermediate path through classics from Bach and Clementi to Chopin, Debussy, and Beethoven. If you want help choosing the next piece or refining technique, working with a piano teacher is a smart next step. With The Best Piano Teachers, you can find a tutor who fits your goals - just send a lesson request. There's no cost to students.
Which of these captivating pieces will you start with? Tell us in the comments below.