1. Piano Sonatas: Beethoven composed 32 piano sonatas over his lifetime. Each sonata exhibits unique musical characteristics and technical challenges. Some of his well-known sonatas include:
- Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 ("Pathétique")
- Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2 ("Moonlight")
- Piano Sonata No. 16 in G major, Op. 31 No. 1
- Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 ("Waldstein")
- Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 ("Appassionata")
- Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat major, Op. 106 ("Hammerklavier")
2. Bagatelles: Beethoven composed a collection of short piano pieces known as bagatelles. These smaller compositions range in character and musical complexity.
3. Rondos: Beethoven wrote several rondos for the piano, including:
- Rondo in C major, Op. 51 No. 1
- Rondo in G major, Op. 51 No. 2
4. Variations: Beethoven created sets of variations based on existing themes or melodies. Notable examples include:
- Variations on a Theme from Mozart's "The Magic Flute," Op. 66
- Variations on "Diabelli's Waltz," Op. 120
5. Concertos: Beethoven composed five piano concertos for solo piano and orchestra:
- Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15
- Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 19
- Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37
- Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58
- Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 ("Emperor")
These compositions reflect Beethoven's mastery of the piano and his deep understanding of musical structure and expression. He continually pushed the boundaries of what was technically possible on the instrument.