Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum "40 Pieces A Year Club" for 2016

Thank you so much JoBert

I am steadily closing in on 40. Next year hopefully I can record more of them. This year has just been crazy with our relocation. Now I have a little more time to play, so hopefully I will be able to record at least one more before year end!

My list now is:
1. Kirnberger -Passepied in D Major
2. Telemann - Fantasia in E Minor
3. Hoffman - On the Lake
4. Handel - Air in D minor
5. Kuzmenko - Romance
6. Rebikov - Valse Miniature
7. Schoenmehl - Cyclone
8. Beethoven Sonata in Bb Op.22 Minuet and Trio (quarterly recital piece)
9. Schumann - Waltz in A Minor
10.Rebikov - In the Meadow
11. Haydn Sonata in D Major Hob.Xv11:D1 Finale
12. Yan Tiersen Comptune D'un Autre ete L'apres - midi
13. dello Joio - Prayer of the Matador
14, Bertini - Etude in C minor
15. Bach Prelude BWV 941
16. Chopin - Prelude in E Minor op. 28 #4
17. Streabbog - A Sad Story
18, Handel -Suite #8 in G Major: Aria
19. Mingxin Su - Shui Cao Wu (Watergrass Dance) quarterly recital piece.
20. Hoffman - Elegie
21. Godard - First Sorrow op. 147 #6
22. Coldplay - The Scientist
23. Krebs - Sonatina in Bb
24. Clementi - Sonatina in C major 36-3
25. Dido Armstrong- White Flag
26. Burgmuller - OP 100 #24 The Swallow
27. Swinstead - Study in G Major
28. Telemann - Solo in F Major II Bourree
29. Gurlitt - Serenade
30. Gliere - op 47, #7 Arietta
31. Kowalchyk - Autumn Afternoon
32. Bach - Invention 1 in C major
33. Beethoven - Bagatelle op. 19 #1
34. Ibert - Serenade sur L'eau
35. Bortkiewicz - Erster Schmerz
36. Handel - Minuet in G
37. Heller - Etude in C Major op. 47 #19

29. Seventh Street Blues by Martha Mier
from Jazz, Rags & Blues Book 1
( https://youtu.be/sSPBBG6gt74 )

01. Aurora Borealis (Faber) (OC)
02. King William's March (Clarke) (OF)
03. Toccata in C (Op. 101, No. 29) (Czerny) (OF)
04. Maple Leaf Rag (Joplin) (AR)
05. Menuet en Rondeau (Rameau) (OF)
06. Climbing Mountains (Faber) (OC)
07. Maple Leaf Etude (Faber) (OC)
08. Windy Scales (Beyer) (OF)
09. Distant Bells (Streabbog) (OF)
10. In The Hall Of The Mountain King (Grieg) (AR)
11. Arabesque (Burgmuller) (OF)
12. Great Escape (Faber) (OC)
13. Medieval Fair (Faber) (OC)
14. Excalibur (Faber) (OC)
15. Allegro Grazioso (Biehl) (OF)
16. Sonatina In C (Lynes) (OF)
17. Transitions (Mov. 1 - Midnight) (BrianDX) (OC)
18. Transitions (Mov. 2 - Echoes) (BrianDX) (OC)
19. Madrid (BrianDX) (OC)
20. Wampus Cats (Faber) (OC)
21. Moonlight Sonata (1st Mov) (Beethoven) (AR)
22. Strawberry Malt (Faber) (OC)
23. French Minuet (Lully) (OF)
24. Mazurka In F Major (Faber) (OC)
25. The Spy (Faber) (OC)
26. Silver Rain Etude (Faber) (OC)
27. Polka (Primo) (Hummel) (OF)
28. Dance in F Major (Mozart) (OF)
29. Minuet in C Major (Mozart) (OF)
30. Mazurka (Szymanowska) (OF)
31. Springtime (BrianDX) (OC)
32. In The Garden (Gurlitt) (OF)
33. Soldier's March (Schumann) (OF)
34. The Happy Farmer (Schumann) (OF)
35. Old French Song (Tchaikovsky) (OF)
36. Ecossaise (Beethoven) (OF)
37. Bourree (Graupner) (OF)
38. Sonatina In G (Mov 1) (Beethoven) (OF)
39. Sonatina In G (Mov 2) (Beethoven) (OF)
40. Long Gone Blues (McKay) (OF)
41. Waltz Macabre (Faber) (OC)
42. Grand Central Station (Faber) (OC)
43. Volga Boatman (Trad.) (OC)
44. Chanson (Faber) (OC)
45. Seaside Suite - Sailboats In The Wind (Faber) (OC)
46. Seaside Suite - Mysterious Cove (Faber) (OC)
47. Seaside Suite - Surfboards (Faber) (OC)
48. Gypsy Legend (Chovan) (OF)
49. Farewell To Fiunary (MacLeod) (AR)
50. Ceremony For Peace (Faber) (OC)
51. Summer Solstice (Faber) (OC)
52. Wild Flowers (Faber) (OC)
53. Gigue In A Major (Anonymous) (OF)
54. Great Barrier Reef (Faber) (OC)
55. Prelude In C (J.S. Bach) (OF)
56. Sahara Trek in A Major (BrianDX) (OC)
57. Midsummer Nights Dream (Streabbog) (OF)
58. Jazz Suite - New Orleans 1928 (Faber) (OC)
59. Jazz Suite - Kansas City 1928 (Faber) (OC)
60. Jazz Suite - Manhatten 1928 (Faber) (OC)
61. Jazz Relection (Faber) (OC)
62. Allegro In A Major (Hassler) (OF)
63. Cadence Etude (Faber) (OC)

I had to fix an audio issue with this video (reason for the broken link above). Every time I work on a video I learn something new.

These are just short, sight-reading, rhythm exercises.

29. Seventh Street Blues by Martha Mier
from Jazz, Rags & Blues Book 1
( https://youtu.be/NXGDbkQah4A )

30. Ol' Rockin Chair Blues by Martha Mier
from Jazz, Rags & Blues Book 1
( https://youtu.be/UF23aD-yR40 )

1. What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor <Recording> (arranged by Jan Kolácek)
2. Greensleeves <Recording> (arranged by Jan Kolácek)
3. Träumerei <Recording> (by Robert Schumann, No. 7 in Kinderszenen, Op. 15)
4. El Condor Pasa <Recording> (arranged by Jan Kolácek)
5. We Are The Champions <Recording> (by Freddy Mercury / Queen, arranged by Jan Kolácek)
6. Erster Verlust (First Loss) <Recording> (by Robert Schumann, from Album für die Jugend, Op. 68)
7. Summertime <Recording> (by George Gershwin)
8. I Won't Hold You Back <Recording> (by Steve Lukather / Toto)
9. The Hobbit - Theme <Recording> (by Howard Shore, arranged by Jan Kolácek)
10. The Godfather Love Theme <Recording> (by Nino Rota, arranged by Jan Kolácek)
11. Nachklänge aus dem Theater <Recording> (by Robert Schumann, from Album für die Jugend, Op. 68)
12. Happy Birthday (Blues Version) <Recording> (arranged by Jan Kolácek)
13. One Year Of Love <Recording> (by John Deacon / Queen)
14. Luzie, der Schrecken der Straße (Lucie, postrach ulice) <Recording> (by Angelo Michajlov, arranged by Jan Kolácek)
15. Gnossienne No. 3 <Recording> (by Erik Satie)
16. Skyfall <Recording> (by Adele)
17. Star Wars - Imperial March <Recording> (by John Williams, arranged by Jan Kolácek)
18. Fröhlicher Landmann, von der Arbeit zurückkehrend <Recording> (by Robert Schumann, from Album für die Jugend, Op. 68)
19. Maya the Bee (Die Biene Maja) <Recording> (by Karel Svoboda, arranged by Jan Kolácek)
20. Mignon <Recording> (by Robert Schumann, from Album für die Jugend, Op. 68)
21. Bagatelle in A minor - "Für Elise" <Recording> (by Ludwig van Beethoven, OoW 59)
22. Ein Choral <Recording> (by Robert Schumann, from Album für die Jugend, Op. 68)
23. No. 1 <Recording> (by Carl Czerny, from 100 Progressive Studies - "Hundert Übungsstücke", Opus 139)
24. No. 2 < ---- " ---- > (by Carl Czerny, from 100 Progressive Studies - "Hundert Übungsstücke", Opus 139)
25. No. 3 < ---- " ---- > (by Carl Czerny, from 100 Progressive Studies - "Hundert Übungsstücke", Opus 139)
26. No. 4 < ---- " ---- > (by Carl Czerny, from 100 Progressive Studies - "Hundert Übungsstücke", Opus 139)
27. No. 5 < ---- " ---- > (by Carl Czerny, from 100 Progressive Studies - "Hundert Übungsstücke", Opus 139)
28. Von fremden Ländern und Menschen <Recording> (by Robert Schumann, No. 1 in Kinderszenen, Op. 15)
29. Piano Sonata No. 12, 3rd Mvt., Maestoso andante, Marcia funebre sulla morte d'un Eroe <Recording> (by Ludwig van Beethoven)
30. Armes Waisenkind <Recording> (by Robert Schumann, from Album für die Jugend, Op. 68)
31. Es wird scho glei dumpa <Recording> (a traditional tyrolian christmas song)
32. Aba heidschi bumbeidschi < ---- " ---- > (an old bavarian christmas song)
33. Leise rieselt der Schnee < ---- " ---- > (The Snow Falls Quietly - well known German Christmas song)
34. Harlem Nocturne <Recording> (by Earle Hagen)

For my #34, I put together a backing track with the Windows program "ChordPulse". This tool is able to send MIDI signals to the digital piano, so that the backing track is played with the piano's own voices (for drums, bass, etc.). Then I played the piano voice over this backing track and recorded everything together.

JoBert, that was impressive. I am going to look into ChordPulse, thank you for sharing.

JoBert,
Very nice. I started going back through peoples lists listening to recordings. Listened to a bunch of yours a few weekends ago. Liked a lot of them and saved the names to my "play some day" list.

Almost done for 2016...

01. Aurora Borealis (Faber) (OC)
02. King William's March (Clarke) (OF)
03. Toccata in C (Op. 101, No. 29) (Czerny) (OF)
04. Maple Leaf Rag (Joplin) (AR)
05. Menuet en Rondeau (Rameau) (OF)
06. Climbing Mountains (Faber) (OC)
07. Maple Leaf Etude (Faber) (OC)
08. Windy Scales (Beyer) (OF)
09. Distant Bells (Streabbog) (OF)
10. In The Hall Of The Mountain King (Grieg) (AR)
11. Arabesque (Burgmuller) (OF)
12. Great Escape (Faber) (OC)
13. Medieval Fair (Faber) (OC)
14. Excalibur (Faber) (OC)
15. Allegro Grazioso (Biehl) (OF)
16. Sonatina In C (Lynes) (OF)
17. Transitions (Mov. 1 - Midnight) (BrianDX) (OC)
18. Transitions (Mov. 2 - Echoes) (BrianDX) (OC)
19. Madrid (BrianDX) (OC)
20. Wampus Cats (Faber) (OC)

21. Moonlight Sonata (1st Mov) (Beethoven) (AR) Sticker
22. Strawberry Malt (Faber) (OC)
23. French Minuet (Lully) (OF)
24. Mazurka In F Major (Faber) (OC)
25. The Spy (Faber) (OC)
26. Silver Rain Etude (Faber) (OC)
27. Polka (Primo) (Hummel) (OF)
28. Dance in F Major (Mozart) (OF)
29. Minuet in C Major (Mozart) (OF)
30. Mazurka (Szymanowska) (OF)
31. Springtime (BrianDX) (OC)
32. In The Garden (Gurlitt) (OF)
33. Soldier's March (Schumann) (OF)
34. The Happy Farmer (Schumann) (OF) Sticker
35. Old French Song (Tchaikovsky) (OF)
36. Ecossaise (Beethoven) (OF)
37. Bourree (Graupner) (OF)
38. Sonatina In G (1st Mov.) (Beethoven) (OF)
39. Sonatina In G (2nd Mov.) (Beethoven) (OF)
40. Long Gone Blues (McKay) (OF)

41. Waltz Macabre (Faber) (OC)
42. Grand Central Station (Faber) (OC)
43. Volga Boatman (Trad.) (OC)
44. Chanson (Faber) (OC)
45. Seaside Suite - Sailboats In The Wind (Faber) (OC)
46. Seaside Suite - Mysterious Cove (Faber) (OC)
47. Seaside Suite - Surfboards (Faber) (OC)
48. Gypsy Legend (Chovan) (OF)
49. Farewell To Fiunary (MacLeod) (AR)
50. Ceremony For Peace (Faber) (OC)
51. Summer Solstice (Faber) (OC) Sticker
52. Wild Flowers (Faber) (OC)
53. Gigue In A Major (Anonymous) (OF)
54. Great Barrier Reef (Faber) (OC)
55. Prelude In C (J.S. Bach) (OF) Sticker
56. Sahara Trek in A Major (BrianDX) (OC)
57. Midsummer Nights Dream (Streabbog) (OF)
58. Jazz Suite - New Orleans 1928 (Faber) (OC)
59. Jazz Suite - Kansas City 1928 (Faber) (OC)
60. Jazz Suite - Manhatten 1928 (Faber) (OC)

61. Jazz Relection (Faber) (OC)
62. Allegro In A Major (Hassler) (OF)
63. Coral Reef Etude (Faber) (OC)
64. Sonatina (Op. 36 No.1) (3rd Mov.) (Clementi) (OF)
65. Vivace (OF) (Gurlitt)

OK, going for it. count me in for 2017

Final list for 2016...

01. Aurora Borealis (Faber) (OC)
02. King William's March (Clarke) (OF)
03. Toccata in C (Op. 101, No. 29) (Czerny) (OF)
04. Maple Leaf Rag (Joplin) (AR)
05. Menuet en Rondeau (Rameau) (OF)
06. Climbing Mountains (Faber) (OC)
07. Maple Leaf Etude (Faber) (OC)
08. Windy Scales (Beyer) (OF)
09. Distant Bells (Streabbog) (OF)
10. In The Hall Of The Mountain King (Grieg) (AR)
11. Arabesque (Burgmuller) (OF)
12. Great Escape (Faber) (OC)
13. Medieval Fair (Faber) (OC)
14. Excalibur (Faber) (OC)
15. Allegro Grazioso (Biehl) (OF)
16. Sonatina In C (Lynes) (OF)
17. Transitions (Mov. 1 - Midnight) (BrianDX) (OC)
18. Transitions (Mov. 2 - Echoes) (BrianDX) (OC)
19. Madrid (BrianDX) (OC)
20. Wampus Cats (Faber) (OC)

21. Moonlight Sonata (1st Mov) (Beethoven) (AR) Sticker
22. Strawberry Malt (Faber) (OC)
23. French Minuet (Lully) (OF)
24. Mazurka In F Major (Faber) (OC)
25. The Spy (Faber) (OC)
26. Silver Rain Etude (Faber) (OC)
27. Polka (Primo) (Hummel) (OF)
28. Dance in F Major (Mozart) (OF)
29. Minuet in C Major (Mozart) (OF)
30. Mazurka (Szymanowska) (OF)
31. Springtime (BrianDX) (OC)
32. In The Garden (Gurlitt) (OF)
33. Soldier's March (Schumann) (OF)
34. The Happy Farmer (Schumann) (OF) Sticker
35. Old French Song (Tchaikovsky) (OF)
36. Ecossaise (Beethoven) (OF)
37. Bourree (Graupner) (OF)
38. Sonatina In G (1st Mov.) (Beethoven) (OF)
39. Sonatina In G (2nd Mov.) (Beethoven) (OF)
40. Long Gone Blues (McKay) (OF)

41. Waltz Macabre (Faber) (OC)
42. Grand Central Station (Faber) (OC)
43. Volga Boatman (Trad.) (OC)
44. Chanson (Faber) (OC)
45. Seaside Suite - Sailboats In The Wind (Faber) (OC)
46. Seaside Suite - Mysterious Cove (Faber) (OC)
47. Seaside Suite - Surfboards (Faber) (OC)
48. Gypsy Legend (Chovan) (OF)
49. Farewell To Fiunary (MacLeod) (AR)
50. Ceremony For Peace (Faber) (OC)
51. Summer Solstice (Faber) (OC) Sticker
52. Wild Flowers (Faber) (OC)
53. Gigue In A Major (Anonymous) (OF)
54. Great Barrier Reef (Faber) (OC)
55. Prelude In C (J.S. Bach) (OF) Sticker
56. Sahara Trek in A Major (BrianDX) (OC)
57. Midsummer Nights Dream (Streabbog) (OF)
58. Jazz Suite - New Orleans 1928 (Faber) (OC)
59. Jazz Suite - Kansas City 1928 (Faber) (OC)
60. Jazz Suite - Manhatten 1928 (Faber) (OC)

61. Jazz Reflection (Faber) (OC)
62. Coral Reef Etude (Faber) (OC)
63. Allegro In A Major (Hassler) (OF)
64. Sonatina (Op. 36 No.1) (3rd Mov.) (Clementi) (OF)
65. Vivace (Gurlitt) (OF)
66. Blue Etude (Faber) (OC)
67. Come Back To Sorrento (de Curtis) (AR)

Brian, here you have it, scorpio is willing to do the hard work next year.

Edit: Reading now the first post on this thread, I don't really think getting that list with the numbers of pieces for each is a good idea. Writing the names of the participants already sounds like hard work! We don't want scorpio to leave the forum because he gets tired of it.

I have been waiting to see if Anne checks in with us. I will contact the administrators and get things set up for the new thread.

At the same time, I will look into updating the badges for the current year.

31. Hallelujah! by Martha Mier
from Jazz, Rags & Blues Book 1

( https://youtu.be/F7-_KcolBhU )

I agree!

Jobert: Nice playing on the Harlem Nocturne. Did you play it or record it without the accompaniment? As I listened, I was very attracted to some of the bass part, but was distracted from it by the percussion. I was speculating to myself that the song, without percussion, might have some really nice contours and harmonies played purely as solo piano. In any event, you played it very well.

scorpio: Very smooth and precise. And I liked the tunes. The coming end-of-year has me reflecting some, and, I'd like to offer a suggestion. Your playing is always very precise and faithful to the score. I'm wondering if, in the case of these blues selections, if you might make your performances even more enjoyable by taking some liberties with the music through slight modifications on the tempo or dynamics to make them more expressive. I think your skill is far more than adequate to support the music while you play around with it and do some things to make these pieces more your own. Maybe, let your hair down a little.

As for me, I do not anticipate being able to get back to the piano before January, so, I think I'm done posting for the year. My recovery is going well, but too slowly for my tastes. I'm itching to get back to it.

As for the question of keeping or dropping the "Official Tracker" on the first post of this thread, I think my opinion will be different depending on how well the Tracker is maintained. If maintained, it might be nice (though, I never look at it, myself). However, after reading Albunea's comment above, I went back to look, and had this concern. During the course of the year, prospective participants might logically read that first post to see what this activity is all about. If someone looked at it in a later month, let's say, August, and the numbers were very small from not being updated, it might give the impression that this activity is not successful, or popular among the existing participants. This, in turn, could discourage prospectives from investigating further or from joining. So, for that reason, I could be happy with either dropping it, or keeping it up to date.

This was my first year in the Challenge. It was SO GOOD for me that there is no way I will miss it in 2017. I'm in, and I hope the rest of you are, as well. I've enjoyed your company along the way.

And, welcome aboard, johan d!

MOYD has a tracker for participants and their excused dates, and I think this thread was patterned after that. I maintain the MOYD, and it does not take much time. That said, I am happy with having a tracker or not having a tracker on this thread. It looks like everyone pretty much maintains their own tracker on this thread anyway.

Ralphiano, thank you for your comments. You are on point. My teacher is struggling with this exact issue for me. I have a difficult time letting go. My progress has slowed substantially this year, and I believe it goes back to this issue. I am definitely more tense at the keyboard than I realize. And I often describe sitting at the keyboard as a "battle" (the keys vs. me), even though I enjoy it! This is a regrettable and dreadful description for this process.

The irony is that I started the 40 piece challenge to combat tension and strive for perfection. Alas, my personality is getting in the way. Maybe this is why I enjoy Baroque so much. Haha!

Anyways, one of my larger goals for 2017 is to "let my hair down" and go wild. Well, at least I am going to try (and my teacher is going to try, bless his soul).

Ralphiano, I truly appreciate your insightful words. These are the type of comments that make all of us better. I look forward to your return to the piano, and a speedy recovery.

Well I did it. When I started this challenge it seemed like a long shot but I found it was very doable. I also found it challenging and very helpful. That's it for this year. I'm already thinking about next years challenge.

1. Canzonetta, Geza Horvath (Fundamental Keys)
2. Half-time Band (Faber AAiO1)
3. A Merry Dance, F Couperin ( Festival Collection)
4. Evening Song, Chovan (FK)
5. Greensleeves (Faber AAiO1)
6. Five Note Sonatina - Oscar Bolck
7. Romance (from A Little Night Music) - Mozart (Faber AAiO1)
8. Summer Mountain Rain - (Faber AAiO1)
9. Chinese Kites - (Faber AAiO1)
10. New Age Sound - (Faber AAiO1)
11. Elegant Dance, Alexander Reinagle (Festival Collection)
12. Aria from The Marriage of Figaro (Faber AAiO1)
13. Danny Boy (Faber AAiO1)
14. Viva la France (Faber AAiO1)
15. Trumpet Voluntary, Jerimiah Clark, (Faber AAiO1)
16. Little Waterfall, Allysia Kerney
17. Waltz, Carl Czerny
18. A Short Story, Ferdinand Beyer
19. Children's Song, Louis Kohler
20. Carefree, DG Turk (Fundamental Keys)
21. Village Dance, Heinrich Wohlfahrt (Fundamental Keys)
22. Lullaby, Carl Czerny
23. Rise & Shine, Trad. (Faber AAiO1)
24. March in G, DG Turk (Festival Collection)
25. Little Invention, Bela Batok
26. Song without Words, Louis Kohler
27. Lyrical Piece, Op. 101, No. 39, Ferdinand Beyer
28. Running the Race, JC Bach (Festival Collection)
29. A Day in the Country, A Reinagle (Festival Collection)
30. Cord Etude, (Faber AAiO1)
31. The Entertainer, (Faber AAiO1)
32. Minuet in G, C Pezold, (Faber AAiO1)
33. Bells on a G Scale, (Faber AAiO1)
34. Melody, Ferdinand Beyer
35. A Serious Event, Konrad Kunz
36. Alexander March, Beethoven, (Faber AAiO1)
37. Amazing Grace, (Faber AAiO1)
38. French Dance, (Faber AAiO1)
39. Polovtsian Dance, Alexander Borodin, (Faber AAiO1)
40. For He's a Jolly Good Fellow, (Faber AAiO1)
41. Music Box Etude, (Faber AAiO1)
42. Relay Race, Cornelius Gurlitt