Piano

1. I. Albeniz's Asturias (Leyanda) from his Suite espanola. (This piece is often called a Prelude as well.) This piece is so suggestive of guitars that it is often played in transcription. It is in three sections with the outer two a flurry of interlocking notes punctuated at points by great leaps to distant chords and the middle slow dance-like section.
2. F. Busoni's transcription of J. S. Bach's Toccata in C major, BWV 564, originally for the organ. This lovely piece that's really in three movements, Prelude, Intermezzo, and Fugue, is a massive work both in scope and technique. The three movements fit together seamlessly. For the author, the Adagio part of the Intermezzo is particularly appealing for its tranquil restrained beauty. The author would recommend this little known piece more often were it not for the fact that to play it well requires a large hand. One of the great recordings of this is V. Horowitz's Carnegie Hall recording. Originally, I had thought to put this on the above recital, but then the recital would consist of pieces only from the Romantic Era. Also, with the lack of time, I am not sure it would be ready any time soon.
3. F. Busoni's transcription of J. S. Bach's Chaconne in D minor, BWV 1004, originally for solo violin. Busoni added a number of notes here and there. The result is still very idiomatic. In fact, at the turn of this century, the transcription was better known than the original.
4. L. von Beethoven's Pathetique, Moonlight, and Appassionata Sonata.
5. The Fourth Ballade in F minor Op. 52 by Chopin. One of the pinnacles of the Romantic Era both musically and technically. The piece requires the technique of no less than six of Chopin's Etudes and structurally contains elements of the sonata, rondo, and variation forms among others. Some consider this one of the crowning achievements of Chopin's mature genius.  I have played this piece better than what was recorded.  :-)
6. F. Chopin's Etudes. Op. 24, No. 1 and No. 7. No. 1 is the Aeolian Harp Etude and No. 7 is a nocturne-like piece which is a study in balancing melodies in both hands.
7. Chopin's 2nd Nouvelles Etude which appeared in Moscheles "Methode des Methodes", KK II b/3 Nr. 2. This short piece written for Moschele's instruction book is a study of a triplet of chords in the right hand versus two notes in the left hand.
8. F. Chopin's Mazurka Op. 17, No. 4 in A minor. This short piece is, as is the case with all of Chopin's Mazurkas, technically straightforward, but is difficult to play well, as one needs to have a good grasp of the rhythm of the piece. In the Mazurka form, often the primary beat comes in the middle of the measure. This is one of my favorite Mazurkas.
9. The Heroic Polonaise Op. 53 by Chopin. This work has a similar octave passagework like the Funerailles by Liszt, but the motivation for pursuing this work is for a technical review of playing dense chordal passages. It seems to be one of the less troubled works of Chopin on the surface, but there is an underlying darkness (as is present in almost all of Chopin's music) that must be brought out. 
10. M. Clementi's Sonata in F-sharp minor Op. 25 No. 5 (old opus: Op. 26, No. 2). Clementi was born in 1752 (4 years before Mozart), was the father of the piano sonata form, and had a profound influence on Beethoven. This sonata (which some describe as poignant) was considered Beethoven's favorite. The sonata has the style of the late Classical Era despite the fact it was written during Mozart's time.
11. Liszt's Third Consolation. This short nocturne-like piece is a good piece in which a pianist can attempt to master the elusive art of the bel canto tone. It is characterized by a singing melody over a flowing accompanyment punctuated with long bass notes.
12. F. Liszt's Funerailles (Burial), Octobre 1849, is dedicated to Chopin's death. It is perhaps Liszt's darkest piece. I believe the middle repeating octave section was a tribute to Chopin's Heroic Polonaise.
13. Liszt's transcription of the Liebestod (Love-Death) from Wagner's opera Tristan und Isolde. Technically, this is not one of Liszt's more difficult works, but to play it properly requires a good understanding of the application of color and bel canto. Other than the introductory four measures, this transcription is faithful to the score. Interestingly, the name Liebestod came from the fact that this scene was not called by Wagner that, but since Liszt's transcription propagated faster in Europe than the opera, Liszt's name for that scene is how it is remembered today. Interpretively, even though the imagery is there, it requires care to build up to the climax in a logical progression.
14. Liszt's transcription of Schubert's Staedchen (Serenade). This transcription of one of the most famous Schubert Lieder (Song). The piece goes through variations on the theme. In the last variation, the piano must sound as if played by three hands from the echoing effect of the melody.
15. W. A. Mozart's Piano Sonata K. 333 in B-flat major. One of the most dramatic of Mozart's piano sonatas in a major key as well as the most well structured. It has the distinction of having a small cadenza in the third movement.
16. Three Sonatas by D. Scarlatti, L. 23, 33, and 430. All of Scarlatti's Sonatas were actually called Exercises as they tested some part of harpsichord technique. The first one is an exercise in repeated notes, the second is for multi-timberal legato, and the third for the independence of the 1, 2, and 5 finger in the right hand. The outer two are sprightly pieces while L. 33 is a slow, almost Romantic, piece.
17. F. Schubert's Piano Sonata D. 960 in B-flat major. This is the last piano sonata Schubert wrote and was completed only a couple of months before his death. Schubert was never about virtuosity and the closest he came to that was his Fantasie in C major. This sonata is not about virtuosity, but rather about an extended musical dialog. Schubert's last three sonatas are great works in the classical literature worthy to stand alongside those written by his hero (who Schubert could never muster up the courage to meet), Beethoven.
18. R. Schumann's Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) suite. This is probably the most famous of Schumann's works for the solo piano --- especially the piece Traeumerei (Dreaming). Technically, they are not difficult, yet interpretively one of the most difficult suites to play. It must be played in a reminiscent vein. Great control is needed throughout the set.
19. Three Etudes by A. Scriabin. A) Op. 2, No. 1. This famous etude was written when the composer was 15. It is an astonishingly mature Russian thenoldy. The study is on balancing melodies, pedaling, and voicing of chords. B) Op. 8, No. 8.  This work was written as a love poem for Scriabin's first love, Tatiyana.  C) Op.8, No. 12. This turbulent work (and possibly his most well known composition) is a study in octaves, jumping in both hands, repeated loud chords, and jumps chords in the left hand. Some find it akin to Chopin's Revolutionary Etude (Op. 10, No. 12).
20. Ver la flamme (Toward the Flame) by A. Scriabin, Op. 72. This is Scriabin's most famous late solo piano work. It depicts a bird soaring upward toward the Sun. Scriabin believed that the world would be consumed by fire and this psychedelic piece depicts this. It is based on a 10-tone scale (as opposed to the usual 8-tone [octave] scale). Technically, this effect of a bird flying is created by double note tremolos.