The Peaks of Difficulty

It has been asked many times: “What are the most difficult solo piano pieces for the performer?” According to Maurice Hinson, the most challenging in terms of technical difficulty, compositional complexity, and interpretative sophistication might include the following: (in alphabetical order)

Mily Balakirev, Islamey Fantasy
Samuel Barber, Sonata, Op. 26
Ludwig van Beethoven, Sonata in B-flat Major, Op. 106 (“Hammerklavier”)
Johannes Brahms, Paganini Variations, Books I and II, Op. 35
Frédéric Chopin, Ballade in F Minor, Op. 52
Aaron Copland, Piano Fantasy
Claude Debussy, Etudes, Books I and II
György Ligeti, Etudes pour piano, (première livre)
Franz Liszt, Transcendental Etudes
Maurice Ravel, Gaspard de la nuit
Karlheinz Stockhausen, Klavierstück X
Iannis Xenakis, Evryali

To that list, some might add the following:

Sergei Rachmaninoff, Piano Sonata No. 2
Elliott Carter, Piano Sonata
Olivier Messiaen, Vingt regards sur l’enfant-Jésus
Alexander Scriabin, Piano Sonatas
Boulez Pierre, Piano Sonatas

– Dr. Steven L. Havens