h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've always liked haunting, simple music played on just a piano. Of course, if you're going about your business and hear such music it's impossible to trace it like you can most music because there's no lyrics to search for online! Can anyone recommend such pieces, or composers who perhaps specialise in that area? I've tracked down some to Erik Satie and want more.

Bear McCreary, the composer for the ressurected Battlestar Galactica, has done some fantastic simple piano music for the show.

I can particularly recommend the 'Roslin and Adama' and 'Starbuck's Destiny' themes.

Chopin would be perhaps the classic choice, but there's some lovely stuff written for piano by some of the Spanish composers. Try Isaac Albeniz or some de Falla.

B

One of my favourite piano pieces is "Farewell To Stromness" by Peter Maxwell Davies

Someone playing it on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ek11B_3klM

I wouldn't necessarily describe it as haunting, but I like Ludovico Einaudi.

I'll second Chopin, especially Prelude No. 4 in E minor, Opus 28. One page of music, better than most symphonies.

Yann Thiersen, who did music for Amelie / le fabuleus destin du Amelie Poulain

Beethoven's Emperor piano concerto. I first heard it on the radio, when I was about 7, and wrote to the BBC to ask what it was.

Satie. Gnossienne No. 1.

TRiG.

What Mila (post 7) said, especially track 4 from the Amelie soundtrack. Track is called "Comptine D'un Autre ete: L'apres-midi", which someone else will have to translate. There are youtube videos to that track, just search for it. It's lovely.

Y.

Debussy - Sunken Cathedral as well as the more famous Clair de Lune.

For tracing music, find someone with an iPhone and that Shazam application. It'll "listen" to any piece of music and then tell you what it is (and connect you to Amazon to buy or download it etc....)

I highly recommend you check out Maksim Mrvica: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkKue_MEnkk - Theme from "Somewhere in Time" and his own website: http://www.maksim.co.uk/ for downloads

Traveller in Times listening music
"Some mentioned have some strong haunting moments.
How about Colin Towns with his 'Full Circle' theme ?
This is really giving me the creaps crawling over my back. "