Top 10 Most Difficult Songs to Play

#10: The Black Page #1 (1977)

Frank Zappa

Frank Zappa was a man who was known to challenge his listeners and his own musicians. So when he decided to write the frankly ridiculous drum-composition The Black Page, the piece gained incredible notoriety. Zappa was famous for constantly cycling through band members; and with The Black Page #1, he had the perfect way of auditioning new drummers. Over the years, the piece eventually evolved into the more friendly-on-the-ears The Black Page #2, and even a version that incorporates reggae and ska. But for our money, its the original that truly melted our brains the first time we heard it.

#9: Variations on The Last Rose of Summer (1864)

Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst

Celtic music and poetry provided the roots for what eventually became the beloved Irish song The Last Rose Of Summer. But in the mid-nineteeth century, when Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst got his hands on it, this once-quaint tune became a spiralling mess of arpeggios, pizzicato, and some very difficult fingered harmonics. Ernst was a true virtuoso in every sense of the word but to this day, his take on this song remains a mountain that only a small few violinists have the skill to even attempt to climb. It remains his most popular composition and its by far his most difficult to play.

#8: Molto Arpeggiosa (2000)

Yngwie Malmsteen

Surely, you expected this legendary Swede to make an appearance before too long. When it comes to the furious shredding of the great Yngwie Malmsteen, most budding guitarists realize pretty quickly that theyll never be able to play most of his songs at half-speed. Malmsteen has a lot of melodic sensibility, sure. But when he decides to go for broke and simply show off his speed and insane technique, you end up with a piece like Molto Arpeggiosa, a tour de force in speed-picking and masterful accuracy. Elements of the song appear in his famous video Arpeggios From Hell, but to get the full effect, we suggest putting on some headphones and listening to the album track.

#7: Mysterium (1903-15)

Alexander Scriabin

How about a piece that is truly impossible to play Or at least it is now. Alexander Scriabin was commissioned to write this project in 1903, calling it Mysterium. He envisioned a truly bizarre feast for all of the senses that would break the confines of what a musical composition could be. Dancers, physical touch, and the listener's sense of smell would be attacked by this week-long composition. Yes, you heard us the initial idea was for the piece to last an entire week. Unfortunately, 12 years into its creation, Scriabin died, leaving it only partially written. We also very nearly gave the nod to another extremely difficult Scriabin piece, Sonata No. 5 , but Mysterium is simply on another level.

#6: The Noonward Race (1971)

The Mahavishnu Orchestra

In the long pantheon of great jazz fusion musicians, it could be said that no greater unit was ever put together than the classic lineup of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, led by guitarist John McLaughlin. These guys took the world of progressive rock and jazz fusion by storm in the 70s, introducing a level of virtuosity that has yet to be surpassed. You could probably find a dozen tracks that are worthy of a mention here, but if youve watched their legendary BBC performance from 1972, youll know that The Noonward Race is a dizzying spectacle of everything that made this group so revered.

#5: Studies for Player Piano (1992)

Conlon Nancarrow

When someone claims that their composition is too difficult to actually be played by anyone, most people usually roll their eyes and assume theyre just trying to hype up their work. But for Conlon Nancarrow's Studies for Player Piano, that was actually the point. He created these 49 movements to test the limits of the player piano, or the self-playing piano. What he ended up with was a series of musical études that are legitimately impossible to play. No human now, or any human who will ever live, will be able to perform these compositions from start to finish. This might make them one step further than difficult to play, but it still fits the criteria for our list.

#4: Lescalier du diable (1988)

György Ligeti

You wont hear a more anxiety-inducing piece of music than the aptly-named Lescalier du diable, composed by György Ligeti. That title alludes to the famed work of Dutch graphic artist M. C. Escher and a mathematical function. Known in English as The Devils Staircase, the work sounds like youre literally descending into the depths of Hell. Its equal parts scary and enthralling and it just so happens to be incredibly difficult to play on the piano. Hungarys Ligeti gets a ten out of ten for concept, execution, and complexity on this one. This is a piece that will tie your hands in knots.

#3: Gaspard de la Nuit (1908)

Maurice Ravel

Some pieces are written to be beautiful. Others are simply written to be difficult, a real pain to play. Somehow, Maurice Ravels 20th century masterpiece Gaspard de la Nuit succeeds in both areas. You dont just need to be fast and accurate to pull this one off. No, theres a level of grace and elegance that you need to have in your playing to make it sound right. When performing a musical composition is likened to solving never-ending quadratic equations, you know youve got a real kicker on your hands. Its first and, in particular, second movements are considered to be some of the most challenging piano pieces ever written.

#2: La Campanella (1851)

Franz Liszt

La Campanella is a true jack of all trades when it comes to its difficulty. Not only is the tempo incredibly challenging, but the leaps that are needed are a constant issue. And you need the dexterity and accuracy of a true master just to ensure that youre landing on the right notes. Playing them with the correct sensitivity is another issue entirely. 99.9% of piano players will barely be able to approach small sections of this one. And the fact that a piece this hard to play sounds so incredibly good on a melodic level is a testament to just how skilled and talented a composer Franz Liszt was.

#1: Piano Concerto No. 3 (1909)

Sergei Rachmaninoff

When the legendary pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff came to the US for the first time, he knew he needed something in his arsenal to dazzle his audiences. And so his Piano Concerto No. 3 was born. Initially, it divided audiences, due to its overbearing displays of its composers speed and virtuosity. But once the world realized just how insane a piece of music this was, they accepted it as a generational composition from the Russian master. The level of skill needed to pull this one off makes it a very rare feat to accomplish, even among great pianists. And to this day, it remains one of Rachmaninoffs most celebrated creations.

What do you consider to be the most difficult song ever composed? Let us know in the comments.