Explore the Music of Idil Biret
From prodigy to legend, Idil Biret’s artistry spans generations. Experience the timeless recordings that shaped the world of classical music.
Experience Idil Biret Perform
Beethoven
Piano Sonatas
Brahms
Hungarian Dances N.1, 2 & 3. I
Chopin
Etude op. 25, Nos. 11 & 12–played on Chopin’s Pleyel piano (1848)
Chopin
Piano Concerto No. 2 (1/3) (Yale Symphony Orchestra)
Chopin
Piano Concerto No. 2 (2/3) (Yale Symphony Orchestra)
Chopin
Piano Concerto No. 2 (3/3) (Yale Symphony Orchestra)
Chopin
Nocturnes
Rachmaninoff
Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, op. 30 (1963, live)
Ravel
Gaspard de la nuit: III. Scarbo
Ravel
La valse (version for piano solo)
Shumann
Concerto
Wagner/Liszt
Istanbul Music Festival, Tannhäuser Ouverture: Paraphrase de concert (I)
Wagner/Liszt
Istanbul Music Festival, Tannhäuser Ouverture: Paraphrase de concert (II)
Find Idil’s recordings of COMPOSERS You love
Composer
Work
Label
Format
Alkan
Le chemin de fer
IBA
CD
Bach J. S.
WTC Bk. I Prelude and Fugue No. 3 (1949)
Chromatique Fantasie et Fugue (1953)
Concertos in D Minor, F Minor
Concertos for 2, 3, 4 pianos
Partita No. 1, French Suite No. 5, English Suite No. 3
Well Tempered Clavier Bks. I, II 48 Preludes & Fugues
Italian Concerto, Chromatique Fantasie et Fugue
IBA
CD
Bach Ph. E
Solfegietto
IBA
CD/LP
Bach / Kempff
Chorale transcriptions
Marco Polo / IBA
CD
Bach/ Liszt
Fantasy and Fugue in G Minor
IBA
CD
Bach/ Brahms
Presto in G Minor, Chaconne (for left hand)
IBA
CD
Bach / Rachmaninov
Prelude, Gavotte, Gigue
IBA
CD
Balakirev
Islamey
IBA
CD
Bartok
Roumanian Dances, Allegro Barbaro,
IBA
CD
Beethoven, L. van
Complete Piano Sonatas
Complete Piano Concertos
Diabelli Variations
Bagatelles
Symphony Transcriptions by Liszt (1–9)
IBA
CD
Top 10 Classical Composers by Popularity
Mozart
Tchaikovsky
Enormous popular appeal through works like The Nutcracker, 1812 Overture
Debussy
Distinctive impressionist style maintains strong modern popularity
Handel
Enduring popularity through Messiah and other major works
Beethoven
Consistently ranks as the most performed and recorded classical composer with enormous global recognition
Bach
Foundational composer with massive influence and recording catalog
Chopin
Piano works remain among the most recorded and performed globally
Rachmaninov
Romantic works, especially piano concertos, enjoy consistent popularity
Schubert
Prolific output across multiple genres maintains steady appreciation
Notable omissions from the top 10 include Wagner (influential but more specialized appeal), Ravel (slightly less mainstream popularity than Debussy), and Schumann (while respected, has somewhat less broad appeal than those above).
Learn about the MUSICIANS Cited in Idil Biret’s memoir, Life and Music
Abdülmecit I (1823-1869)
A reformer Ottoman sultan. He initiated the Gülhane Hatt-ı Hümayun and Tanzimat-ı Hayriye period.
Akses, Necil Kazım (1908-1999)
Turkish composer, administrator of artistic institutions, and educator.
Alkan, Chales-Valentin (1813-1888)
French pianist and composer.
Alnar, Hasan Ferit (1906-1978)
Turkish composer, conductor and educator.
Amar, Licco (1891-1959)
Violinist and educator of Hungarian origin. Worked at the Ankara State Conservatory between the years 1938-1957.
Auer, Leopold (1845 – 1930)
Hungarian violinist. Worked as a soloist and educator in St. Petersburg. Settled in the USA in 1918.
Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685-1750)
German composer. A great master, one of the greatest creative minds in the musical arts.
Backhaus, Wilhelm (1884 – 1969)
Pianist of German origin, later passed to Swiss citizenship. Known for his interpretations of Beethoven.
Barère, Simon (1896 – 1951)
Russian pianist. Lived in Berlin and Stockholm. He died of a heart attack in New York, while performing a concerto of Grieg at Carnegie Hall.
Barth, Heinrich (1847 – 1922)
German pianist and educator. Student of Carl Tausig, who was taught by Hans von Bülow and Liszt. Worked for many years as an educator at the conservatory in Berlin. His students include Arthur Rubinstein and Wilhelm Kempff.
Bartòk, Bela (1881 – 1945)
Hungarian composer, pianist and folklorist. Having come to Turkey, he conducted ethnomusicological research around Adana-Osmaniye region. Passed his final years living in difficulty in the USA.
Beecham, Sir Thomas (1879 – 1961)
English conductor. Founded the London Philharmonic (1932) and the Royal Philharmonic (1946) orchestras.
Celebrate the Legacy
Idil Biret’s music lives on in the hearts of listeners worldwide. Help us continue to preserve and promote her extraordinary legacy. Join our community and be part of this inspiring mission.
