Piano music from my later life

A fellow of mediocre talent will remain a mediocrity, whether he travels or not; but one of superior talent will go to seed if he always remains in the same place.

— Mozart, 1778

If you want to realize your potential it is essential to play a wide variety of music styles. Here are 200 pieces from around the world that had a positive impact on my passion for the piano as an adult:

1. Georg Händel: Passacaglia (Germany, 1720, HMV 432)
2. J.S. Bach: Prelude in C major (Germany, 1722, BWV 846)
3. J.S. Bach: Jesu (Germany, 1723, BWV 147)
4. J.S. Bach: Badinerie (Germany, 1739, BWV 1067) / Original version
5. Georg Händel: Arrival of the queen of Sheba (England, 1748, HWV 67)
6. The Sailor’s Hornpipe (UK, 1770)
7. Luigi Boccherini: Minuet (Spain, 1771)
8. Gaudeamus igitur (Germany, 1782)
9. W. A. Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 11 – Rondo a la Turca (Austria, 1783)
10. W. A. Mozart: Eine kleine Nachtmusik (Austria, 1787, K525)
11. Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata in C minor (Austria, 1798, Op. 13, No. 8)
12. Jamaica Farewell / Iron Bar (Jamaica)
13. Frédéric Chopin: Polonaise in A major (France, 1838, Op. 40, No. 1)
14. Johann Strauss Sr: Radetzky march (Austria, 1848) / duet version / 6-hand version
15. Richard Wagner: Ride of the Valkyries (Germany, 1851)
16. Louis Gottschalk: Souvenir de Porto Rico (USA, 1857)
17. Johann Strauss Jr: On the beautiful blue Danube (Austria, 1866)
18. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: Flight of the bumblebee (Russia, 1899)
19. Ralph Willams: The vagabond (UK, 1907)
20. George Botsford: Black and white rag (USA, 1908)
21. Frederick Ricketts: Colonel Bogey March (UK, 1914)
22. Hubert Parry: Jerusalem (UK, 1916)
23. Hāvā nāgīlā (1918)
24. Misirlou (Middle East, 1920s)
25. Ben Ryan: The gang that sang ‘Heart of my heart’ (USA, 1926)
26. Levan polkka (Finland, 1928)
27. Walter Donaldson: My baby just cares for me (USA, 1930)
28. Herman Hupfeld: As time goes by (USA, 1931)
29. Carlos Gardel: Por una cabeza (Argentina, 1935)
30. Ross Parker: We’ll meet again (England, 1939)
31. Glen Miller: In the mood (USA, 1939)
32. Aram Khachaturian: Sabre dance (Armenia, 1942)
33. Arthur Smith: Dueling banjos (USA, 1954)
34. Lord Burgess: Come back Liza (USA, 1956)
35. Paul Desmond: Take five (USA, 1959)
36. Ben E. King: Stand by me (USA, 1961)
37. Elvis Presley: I can’t help falling in love with you (USA, 1961)
38. Monty Norman: James Bond theme (UK, 1962)
39. Antônio Carlos Jobim: Garota de Ipanema (Brazil, 1962) / tutorial
40. Herbie Hancock: Watermelon man (USA, 1962)
41. Herbie Hancock: Cantaloupe island (USA, 1964)
42. Paul McCartney: Yesterday (UK, 1964)
43. Julius Wechter: Spanish flea (USA, 1965)
44. The Wellerman (New Zealand, 1966)
45. Paul McCartney: Penny Lane (UK, 1966) / keyboard view
46. Lalo Schifrin: Mission: Impossible theme (USA, 1966)
47. Frank Sinatra: My way (USA, 1968)
48. Francisco Simó Damirón: Oye mi Piano (Dominican Republic, 1970)
49. Agadoo (Morocco, 1970) – Club Med. theme song
50. Cy Coleman: Rhythm of life (USA, 1970)
51. Karen and Richard Carpenter: Close to you (USA, 1970)
52. John Denver: Country roads (USA, 1971)
53. Elton John: Tiny dancer (UK, 1971)
54. Jimmy Page: Stairway to heaven (UK, 1971)
55. Nino Rota: Speak softly, love Godfather love theme (USA, 1972) / original
56. Billy Joel: Ballad of Billy the kid (USA, 1972)
57. Billy Joel: Piano man (USA, 1973)
58. Billy Joel: You’re my home (USA, 1973)
59. Wally Johnson and Bob Brown: Give me a home among the gum trees (Australia, 1974)
60. Freddy Mercury: Bohemian rhapsody (UK, 1975)
61. Don Felder: Hotel California (USA, 1976)
62. Billy Joel: Angry young man (USA, 1976)
63. Billy Joel: New York state of mind (USA, 1976)
64. Billy Joel: Scenes from an Italian restaurant (USA, 1977)
65. Billy Joel: She’s always a woman (USA, 1977)
66. Billy Joel: Only the good die young (USA, 1977)
67. Freddy Mercury: We are the champions (UK, 1977)
68. John Kander: New York, New York theme (USA, 1977)
69. Dennis DeYoung: Come sail away (USA, 1977)
70. John Paul Young: Love is in the air (Australia, 1977)
71. Jimmy Barnes: Khe Sanh (Australia, 1978)
72. Al McKay: September (USA, 1978)
73. Village People: Y.M.C.A., You can’t stop the music, In the navy (USA, 1978/1979)
74. Paul de Senneville: Mariage d’amour (France, 1979) – Clayderman version
75. Peter Allen: I still call Australia home (Australia, 1980) / Fazioli version
76. Claude-Michel Schönberg: Look down (France, 1980)
77. Claude-Michel Schönberg: At the end of the day (France, 1980)
78. Claude-Michel Schönberg: Who am I (France, 1980)
79. Claude-Michel Schönberg: Castle on a cloud (France, 1980)
80. Claude-Michel Schönberg: Master of the house (France, 1980)
81. Claude-Michel Schönberg: Do you hear the people sing (France, 1980)
82. Claude-Michel Schönberg: One day more (France, 1980)
83. Claude-Michel Schönberg: On my own (France, 1980)
84. Jim Peterik: Eye of the tiger (USA, 1982)
85. Phil Lynott: Old town (UK, 1982)
86. Bonnie Tyler: Total eclipse of the heart (USA, 1982)
87. David Paich: Africa (USA, 1982)
88. Cyndi Lauper: Time after time (USA, 1983)
89. Van Halen: Jump (USA, 1984)
90. Leonard Cohen: Halleluja (Canada, 1984)
91. Compay Segundo: Chan Chan (Cuba, 1984)
92. Roland Orzabal: Mad world (UK, 1984)
93. Bruce Hornsby: The way it is (USA, 1985)
94. Andy Qunta: You’re the voice (UK, 1986)
95. Guns N’ Roses: Sweet child o’ mine (USA, 1987)
96. Mark Gable: Run to paradise (Australia, 1987)
97. Mike Post: Doogie Howser theme (USA, 1989)
98. Michael Land: Monkey Island theme (USA, 1990)
99. Bryan Adams: Everything I do (Canada, 1991)
100. Eric Clapton: Tears in heaven (USA, 1991)
101. Ace of Base: All that she wants (Sweden, 1992)
102. Gordon Sumner: Fields of gold (UK, 1992)
103. John Williams: Jurassic Park theme (USA, 1993) / Another version
104. Gary Baker and Frank Myers: I swear (USA, 1993)
105. Nestor Alexander Haddaway: What is love? (Germany, 1993) / A slower version
106. Michael Nyman: The heart asks pleasure first (UK, 1993)
107. Tony Hendrik: What is love? (Germany, 1993)
108. Henry Samuel (Seal): Kiss from a rose (UK, 1994)
109. Mariah Carey: All I want for Christmas (USA, 1994)
110. The Corrs: Runaway (Ireland, 1994)
111. Alan Silvestri: Forrest Gump theme (USA, 1994)
112. Ben Folds: Philosophy (USA, 1995)
113. Ben Folds: Army (USA, 1995)
114. Robert Miles: Children (Italy, 1995)
115. Robert Miles: Fable (Italy, 1996)
116. Toby Smith: Virtual insanity (UK, 1996)
117. Kenneth Gorelick: The Moment (USA, 1996)
118. Jean-Jacques Goldman: Aïcha (France, 1996)
119. Paul Spencer (Dario G): Sunchyme (UK, 1997)
120. Tony Scalzo: The way (USA, 1997)
121. Alice Dejay: Better off alone (USA, 1997)
122. Vegas Vacation theme (USA, 1997)
123. Paquito Hechavarría: Spice up your life (UK, 1997)
124. The Corrs: So young (Ireland, 1997)
125. The Corrs: What can I do (Ireland, 1997)
126. Itaal Shur: Smooth (USA, 1998)
127. Ben Folds: Magic (USA, 1999)
128. Toby Smith: Canned heat (UK, 1999)
129. Red Hot Chili Peppers: Californication (USA, 1999)
130. Gabriel Yared: Lullaby for Cain (USA, 1999)
131. The Corrs: No frontiers (Ireland, 1999)
132. Ville Virtanen: Sandstorm (Finland, 1999)
133. Staffan Olsson: One in a million (Sweden, 2000)
134. The Corrs: Breathless (Ireland, 2000)
135. Michael Kamen: Band of brothers theme (USA, 2001)
136. Ben Folds: The Luckiest (Australia, 2001)
137. Chris Martin: Clocks (UK, 2002)
138. Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer: He’s a pirate (Germany, 2003)
139. Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez: There’s a fine fine line (USA, 2003)
140. Alicia Keys: No one (USA, 2007)
141. Joe Arroyo: La rebelión (Colombia, 2007)
142. Mark Foster: Pumped up kicks (USA, 2010)
143. Robert Lopez: Let it go (USA, 2012) – you must hear this cover!
144. Park Jae-sang: Gangnam style (Korea, 2012)
145. Taylor Swift: Shake it off (USA, 2014)
146. LunchMoney Lewis: Bills (USA, 2015)
147. Luis Fonsi: Despacito (Puerto Rico, 2017)
148. Ed Sheeran: Perfect (UK, 2017)
149. Karla Camila Cabello: Havana (USA, 2017)
150. Karla Camila Cabello: Señorita (USA, 2019)
151. Jacob Dodge Lawson: Golden hour (USA, 2022)
152. Laufey Jónsdóttir: Promise (Iceland, 2023)