History Main / LonelyPianoPiece

* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022'': In "[[Recap/InterviewWithTheVampire2022S1E5AVileHungerForYourHammeringHeart A Vile Hunger for Your Hammering Heart]]", a [[https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8kzmnu sad piano piece]] is the BackgroundMusic in a scene where Louis and Lestat are both feeling very lonely even though they live together. Louis is bereft without their vampire daughter Claudia, who fled from their home seven years prior and refuses to respond to any of his psychic messages. As for Lestat, it was his ToughLove lesson in "[[Recap/InterviewWithTheVampire2022S1E4TheRuthlessPursuitOfBloodWithAllA ...The Ruthless Pursuit of Blood with All a Child's Demanding]]" that pushed Claudia away, so in revenge, Louis neglects his boyfriend with an austere mix of SilentTreatment and LysistrataGambit. Lestat can't help but suspect that Louis doesn't really love him after being deprived of emotional and physical intimacy for so long.

* Partial {{Trope Namer|s}}, ''Series/{{The Incredible Hulk|1977}}'s'' end piece "The Lonely Man".
* ''{{Series/Lucifer}}'' has the main character himself sadly playing "Knocking on Heaven's Door" after an episode where against all odds he ended up in an OddFriendship with a Priest (who knew exactly who Lucifer was). It helped that not only was Father Frank a GoodShepherd despite his DarkAndTroubledPast and Lucifer's attempts to prove otherwise, but he was a CoolOldGuy and a superb pianist, leading to an "adorable" DuetBonding moment. The sad part comes in where Father Frank proved to be TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth and performed a HeroicSacrifice, though Chloe comes and [[YouAreNotAlone joins him on the piano]].
* Over half the TearJerker sequences in ''Series/DoctorWho''. The other half is PlayingTheHeartStrings.
* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'' has a piece which repeats quite a lot.
* ''Series/RedDwarf'' actually did this with Rimmer in "Better than Life", but it was short lived, while he stands on the observatory, staring out. Lister comes up and the music stops, and a serious scene goes on. It works really well, especially for a comedy.
* An episode of ''Series/KamenRiderDenO'' focuses on a nameless pianist, whose music is [[DoItYourselfThemeTune his rendition of the series' battle tune]]. The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XylY1JA9y2k&feature=related third iteration]] in particular seems quite lonely.

* The end of the final episode of season 1 of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' has the Buffy theme music being played over it, slowly, on a piano.
** In addition to that, there's the Buffy/Angel love theme, "Close Your Eyes" that first plays as Buffy brutally smashes the Master's bones in "When She Was Bad", and continues to tinkle gently through a baker's dozen of other gutwrenching scenes.
* The piece [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igiJHTrLqqg "Win One for the Reaper"]] from ''Series/{{Lost}}'' plays during the funerals for most of the characters who died as well as during other sad moments in the series.
* The very end of the ''Series/{{Warehouse 13}}'' season 3 finale.
* ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'' has one of these as a recurring theme throughout the series that's usually played when referencing John's past (hence the title 'War' on the soundtrack), but becomes even more of a TearJerker in ''The Reichenbach Fall'' when the theme is extended in the track "Prepared To Do Anything" and played [[spoiler:when Sherlock steps off the roof]].
* Parodied by comedians Hale and Pace. The character walks across a street, and the piano plays - [[LeftTheBackgroundMusicOn the character hears it]] and begins to experiment with the effect - pull back camera to reveal that [[spoiler: he's standing on a giant Steinway]].
* ''Series/{{Community}}'' - in the ChristmasEpisode ''Regional Holiday Music'', Abed's suggestion that the gang might stand in for the glee club is met with deaf ears - as he's left alone, sad piano music plays - [[LeftTheBackgroundMusicOn played by the head of the glee club]].
* Parodied in ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'' with a running gag (mostly in one episode) where a character dejectedly walks away while the instrumental version of [[WesternAnimation/ACharlieBrownChristmas "Christmastime Is Here"]] plays.

* Metamorphosis One by Music/PhilipGlass plays during [[spoiler: Reese's last stand]] in the GrandFinale of ''Series/PersonOfInterest''.
** The same song was used in an episode of ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'' to great effect.

* A slowed-down, piano-based version of the series theme tune plays as the characters go over the top [[spoiler:and to their deaths]] in the final scene of ''Series/BlackadderGoesForth.''

* Subverted in ''Series/GameOfThrones'' with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS-gbqbVd8c ''Light of the Seven'']], which plays during a sequence of [[ActionFilmQuietDramaScene quiet scenes]] building up to [[spoiler: Cersei]]'s EvilPlan getting carried out. The piece is initially this trope, later transforming into PlayingTheHeartStrings, an eerie CherubicChoir, and finally OminousPipeOrgan. The simplicity of each of the parts, as well as the use of piano, whish is a first for the series, is in contrast to the rest of the soundtrack being composed of full orchestral pieces.
** The trope is used in Season Seven with the piece [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmMaZXAahCs ''Winter is Here'']] which plays over a bleak scene of snowfall on King's Landing and helps set the tone for what is to come.
** Used again to great effect in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1frgt0D_f4 ''The Night King'']] during the Battle of Winterfell, [[spoiler:over Theon's death, and when the battle appears lost.]] Much like Light of the Seven, the piece begins with soft piano music before building up into a full orchestra.
** In ''Series/HouseOfTheDragon'', "The Prince That Was Promised" begins with piano music and a cello in the background.

*** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Nq-gEG-E04 Midna's Desperate Hour.]] It's actually a variation on the [[{{Leitmotif}} Hyrule Field theme and Midna's theme.]] It's also a theme for the Bridge of Eldin in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', though there it's SoundtrackDissonance.

* One of the Eight Melodies in ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER|1}}'' is a mysterious piano that lies in an abandoned mansion... [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ePCB0ndgB4 Here it is, playing the melody once you find it]].

* ''VideoGame/AceCombat5TheUnsungWar'' contains a song titled "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWZuLtCTZPU 15 years ago]]", which plays on only two occasions: during the appropriate flashback and during [[ActionFilmQuietDramaScene the optional quiet drama scene]] in the final mission, when you and your wingmen literally remain the only ones in the skies over Oured (not counting the BonusBoss who can be ignored).

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* Subverted in ''Series/GameOfThrones'' with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS-gbqbVd8c ''Light of the Seven'']], which plays during a sequece of [[ActionFilmQuietDramaScene quiet scenes]] building up to [[spoiler: Cersei]]'s EvilPlan getting carried out. The piece is initially this trope, later transforming into PlayingTheHeartStrings, an eerie CherubicChoir, and finally OminousPipeOrgan. The simplicity of each of the parts, as well as the use of piano, whish is a first for the series, is in contrast to the rest of the soundtrack being composed of full orchestral pieces.

* ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist'' has a simple yet heart-tugging piano solo, which coincidentally is titled [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTEOpVvS1Sc "Alone"]].

* ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'': A piano mix of Carolina's theme plays [[spoiler:during her brief fight/breakup with York]].

* ''Anime/CodeGeass'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfbAeMu6dfk This]] song which plays during the following:
--> 1) Xing-Ke's promise flashback
--> 2) Cut finger scene (between Lelouch and C.C.)
--> 3) Ohgi's confession of love
--> 4) And, of course, Lelouch's last words before he [[spoiler:dies]].

* "Will of the Heart" from the first ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' soundtrack by Sagiso Shiro, and "Swan Song" from the second, though the latter is a guitar piece.

* ''[[VideoGame/CastleOfShikigami Castle of Shikigami III]]'''s [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qiWRu5bXkA ending]].

** Heard in ''[=DoDonPachi=] Daifukkatsu'' right before your carrier gets shot down and you fight Hibachi.

** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k1qMsGZC84#t=2m25s ending]] to ''Ray Crisis''. Since Ray Crisis is a prequel to ''VideoGame/RayForce'', ForegoneConclusion means that despite your success in shutting down Con-Human, the damage has already been done, and indeed, TheWarHasJustBegun. With the piano single as the background music, the lone pilot sorties off...

* The World 3 background music from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2''.

* The final mission in ''[[VideoGame/{{Darius}} Dariusburst: Chronicle Saviours]]'' has this for its background music, titled "Dream Road".

Subtrope of SimpleScoreOfSadness. If a character is constantly lonely, or even an entire cast, this may be a {{Leitmotif}}. The Lonely Piano Piece has a tendency to show up at [[ItAlwaysRainsAtFunerals funerals, especially when it's raining]], or [[SnowMeansDeath when it snows]]. Always expect {{Angst}}. If the story has a happy end, you can also expect YouAreNotAlone. May play with the OneWomanWail, though typically the Wail tends towards more epic points.

*** It has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-0G_FI61a8 "To Zanarkand"]]. Unique in that it's the ''very first piece of music'' that plays in the entire game. A bit more uplifting than usual, though.

[[AC:For the best reading experience, play the music from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-_cHAvCar8 this video]] while reading on.]] [

* It is extremely easy to play multiple notes at once on a piano keyboard. Woodwinds and brass instruments cannot play more than a single note at a time, which means you need more than one performer the instant you want to play anything more complicated than a simple melody on an oboe or trumpet. With bowed string instruments like the violin, it ''is'' possible to play more than one note at once across their different strings, but it's not the easiest thing for a string performer to do. With a keyboard, you're pretty much only limited by the size of your hands and number of your fingers, meaning it's much easier to produce fuller sound and harmonization while still having only a single performer.

The violin or acoustic guitar are also common instruments for these kinds of pieces. The timbre of a solo violin piece is well-known enough to be referenced in mockery (see WorldsSmallestViolin). The guitar, on the other hand, is a plucked string instrument with a relatively wide range and is almost as frequently played solo as it is in ensembles, thus making it suitable for solo pieces in much the same way as the piano.

[[AC:For the best reading experience, play the music from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-_cHAvCar8 this video]] while reading on.]] [[note]] It really does make fate seem [[Pun inevitable]][[/note]]

[[AC:For the best reading experience, play the music from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-_cHAvCar8 this video]] while reading on.]]
[[note]] It really does make fate seem [[Pun inevitable]][[/note]]]]

[[AC:For the best reading experience, play the music from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-_cHAvCar8 this video]] while reading on.]] [[note]]It really does make fate seem [[Pun inevitable]][[/note]]]]

[[AC:For the best reading experience, play the music from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-_cHAvCar8 this video]] while reading on.]][[note: It really does make fate feel [[Pun inevitable]]]]

[[AC:For the best reading experience, play the music from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-_cHAvCar8 this video]] while reading on.]]

Basically, this is a piece of music that plays in a scene that represents that someone is left all alone and is stuck at a dead end with no allies or means of solving the problem at hand. The music is usually slow paced and the notes are often lower pitched to show that the character has run out of momentum or that he or she has hit rock bottom.

While this can be done with just about any instrument, the piano just seems to be a common instrument to do it with, perhaps because if there's ever a piano being played, there's rarely a second piano. The violin or acoustic guitar are usual replacements.

Subtrope of SimpleScoreOfSadness. If a character is constantly lonely, or even an entire cast, this may be a Leitmotif. The Lonely Piano Piece has a tendency to show up at [[ItAlwaysRainsAtFunerals funerals, especially when it's raining]], or [[SnowMeansDeath when it snows]]. Always expect {{Angst}}. If the story has a happy end, you can also expect YouAreNotAlone. May play with the OneWomanWail, though typically the Wail tends towards more epic points.