Favorite warm-up exercises

Prompted by a friend and fellow pianist, here are some of my favorite warm-ups, courtesy of this book by Ernst von Dohnanyi...if you don't happen to have this excellent volume just search the hive mind and you will be rewarded.  I would warn people to stay away from Nos. 1-11, however; these have the potential to damage small hands and build large amounts of unhealthy tension.

   No. 12 – quarter = 92.  Rotation within five-finger patterns (major/minor/diminished) w/loose wrist, combined with finger independence.

   No. 14 – quarter = 72+, Scales crossing the thumb over all fingers in turn, repeated in all keys.  Flexibility and accuracy across awkward crossings.

   No. 15 – quarter = 72+.  Accurate repetition with loose wrist while accenting each finger in turn.

   Nos. 18-21 – quarter = 60-92.  Major and harmonic minor scales in all keys, one beat per octave.  Building velocity while remaining efficient and loose.

   No. 24a-d – quarter = 72-92.  Full-chord arpeggios (major/minor/diminished/dominant); building endurance while remaining free of unnecessary tension.

   No. 25a – quarter = 46-60.  Keyboard geography and accurate full-chord leaps (> an octave) without visual cues.

   No. 26 – quarter = 72+.  Double notes within a five-finger pattern (major/minor/diminished), remaining efficient in the fingers and loose in the wrist.

   No. 28-30 – quarter = 60-92.  Scales in double thirds, fourths and tritones.

   No. 38 – quarter = 104-132.  Scales in octaves.  Small hands should ONLY play 1-5 rather than 1-4 on black keys.

   No. 39 – quarter = 72-92.  Arpeggios (major/minor/diminished/dominant) in octaves.  Superb accuracy work.

   No. 40 – quarter = 46-60.  Double chromatic scales in octaves.  More fun than any human being should be allowed to have.  Practice with thumbs first.  Repeat in all keys.