Which major composer wrote the least solo piano music?

[MusicTurner]

Even if we drop Enigma Variations, Elgar wrote a dozen works specifically for piano. While these are rather short works, it is enough (about 40 minutes of music) to disqualify Elgar from being THE major composer who wrote the least solo piano music. Especially the claim that Concert Allegro is his ONLY solo piano work doesn't hold water.

I agree with your wording. My collection only consists of LPs, McCabe playing In Smyrna, Concert Allegro, May Night, Skizze, Minuet, Adíeu, Serenade, and the Sonatina, plus Ogdon playing the Concert Allegro, Adieu, Serenade, and the Sonatina.

[71 dB]

The reverse question's answer is indisputable: Liszt is the major composer who wrote the most amount of solo piano music: about 100 CDs worth. 

Liszt certainly wrote A LOT, but aren't many of these works solo piano transcriptions of music by other composers?

[Florestan]

Liszt certainly wrote A LOT, but aren't many of these works solo piano transcriptions of music by other composers?

Sure, but how original solo piano music has to be? 

[Jo498]

Disregarding some or all transcriptions and multiple versions (and it's not obvious that one should do so), Liszt probably still has more than other major composers. If you take Bach's keyboard+organ (also containing some dubious works and arrangements of other music, both his own and other composers) you get about 40 discs, I think. The 500 Scarlatti sonatas are around 30, complete Beethoven piano music probably around 15-16 discs only. Even if we discount more than half of Liszt, he still seems sufficiently far ahead.

[MusicTurner]

Sorabji is probably up there quanta-wise, but a lot hasn't been recorded, and he is still in the obscure camp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_Kaikhosru_Shapurji_Sorabji#Works_for_piano

Valen, likewise rather uknown, would be there too, if one includes his 25,000 etudes, never played in concerts, none ever recorded, and likely basically technical exercises.

[Jo498]

Czerny (200 or 300 opus numbers and many probably collections) is probably there as well or other 19th century composers. But none of them is regarded as "major".

[Karl Henning]

25,000 etudes? Yikes!

[MusicTurner]

25,000 etudes? Yikes!

Yes, someone should at least make us hear a few, so that the mystery is solved.

[Florestan]

Disregarding some or all transcriptions and multiple versions (and it's not obvious that one should do so), Liszt probably still has more than other major composers.

Fixed. I am not aware of any other composer, major or minor, whose complete recorded piano music spreads over 100 CDs.

If you take Bach's keyboard+organ (also containing some dubious works and arrangements of other music, both his own and other composers) you get about 40 discs, I think. The 500 Scarlatti sonatas are around 30, complete Beethoven piano music probably around 15-16 discs only. Even if we discount more than half of Liszt, he still seems sufficiently far ahead.

This.

[Florestan]

Sorabji is probably up there quanta-wise, but a lot hasn't been recorded, and he is still in the obscure camp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_Kaikhosru_Shapurji_Sorabji#Works_for_piano

If you added up all his works for piano listed above as "all of his known works" you wouldn't even begin to get close to a tenth of Liszt's.

Valen, likewise rather uknown, would be there too, if one includes his 25,000 etudes, never played in concerts, none ever recorded, and likely basically technical exercises.

If we sticked to the OP requirement of "major composer", then neither Sorabji nor Valen would be worth mentioning.

[Mandryka]

Bach wrote no piano music at all.

[DaveF]

Bach wrote no piano music at all.

Guillaume de Machaut was sparing in his use of the instrument as well... but we know what they mean.

Isn't Chopin unique in being the only composer all of whose works feature the piano?

[Florestan]

Bach wrote no piano music at all.

Nor did Monteverdi.

I took the OP as meaning composers who were contemporaries with pianos.

[MusicTurner]

(...)

Isn't Chopin unique in being the only composer all of whose works feature the piano?

Same applies to Samuil Feinberg, who should be better known.

Maybe Godowsky.

[Florestan]

Isn't Chopin unique in being the only composer all of whose works feature the piano?

As a major composer, most probably.

Other composers all of whose works feature the piano, otomh: Medtner, Alkan, Thomas Tellefsen, Halfdan Kjerulf, Henri Herz, Friedrich Kalkbrenner, John Field. I'm sure there are many others.

[Mandryka]

Nor did Monteverdi.

I took the OP as meaning composers who were contemporaries with pianos.

The difference is that Bach knew about pianos, and had access to pianos, but I see no piano sonata etc. I think scholars believe that Scarlatti, who also knew about pianos, is different, and that some of his sonatas seem to fit piano better than any other keyboard instrument.

[MusicTurner]

As a major composer, most probably.

Other composers all of whose works feature the piano, otomh: Medtner, Alkan, Thomas Tellefsen, Halfdan Kjerulf, Henri Herz, Friedrich Kalkbrenner, John Field. I'm sure there are many others.

A good list/reminder, thanks. Kjerulf has some choral works though.

[Florestan]

Kjerulf has some choral works though.

Didn't know that. Where they ever recorded?

[MusicTurner]

There are at least a few of the male chorus works on NFK 30022 and 50018-2, maybe more recordings too.

[Florestan]

The difference is that Bach knew about pianos, and had access to pianos, but I see no piano sonata etc.

He might have known about, and had access to, early fortepianos. About genuine pianos, even early ones, he had no clue.   

(Valid also for Domenico Scarlatti).