This paper takes the historical evolution of Western piano music styles from the late 18th century to the mid-20th century as its central thread of inquiry. It selects Clementi’s Sonatina Op. 36 No. 2, Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in G Minor Op. 49 No. 1, Schubert’s Impromptu Op. 90 No. 1, Tchaikovsky’s May, and the fourth and eleventh movements of Ligeti’s Ricercare as core analytical texts. Organized around historical periods, the study is divided into two major sections for in-depth formal analysis. Building on the preceding analysis, the third part conducts a systematic stylistic comparison of piano works from different historical stages, focusing on core dimensions such as the construction of harmonic language and the logic of harmonic function to identify similarities and differences. This approach aims to deepen the theoretical understanding of the principles of harmonic application and the aesthetic shifts in piano music from the late 18th century to the mid-20th century.
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