T. 24--Don Quixote

I was taking piano lessons at the time I wrote this piano solo. This piece was based on a composition prompt from a piano magazine for children, which was to write a piano piece based on a favorite fictional character. At the time I had read or was reading Don Quixote for my World Literature class. I thought it would be fun to write a piece based on Don Quixote’s epic battle against the windmills. I wanted the piece to be heroic and comedic. 

I imagined Don Quixote and Sancho Panza riding across the countryside when they confront the windmills (represented in the invigorating march melody repeated throughout the piece). Our hero charges towards the windmills, conviced the they are enchanted giants (a high, repeated string of four notes represents the windmills). Everything appears to be in slow motion as the inevitable impact approaches. Once it does (clashing sforzando chords), Don Quixote is overpowered by the windmill arms and is flung off his steed, and up and away from his formidable foe. He bounces on the ground several times before finally coming to rest (a couple of low notes before a few seconds of silence). But, in typical Quixotean fashion, he mounts his steed and charges forth to seek another quest as if nothing has happened. 

This is one of my favorite solo piano pieces to play. :)