B. Goren. Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Having already held a discussion about our favorite works for solo piano, It's time to find out what are your favorite pieces written for two pianos, or one piano with 4 hands? I'll start with 3 pieces: 1. Mother Goose (Ma mère l'oye), Maurice Ravel. 2. Cinderella Suite, Prokofiev. 3. The 4 hands version of "The Right of Spring", Igor Stravinsky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tapscott Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 When I saw the thread title I immediately thought of this one: I know that's not what you had in mind, but it's still one of my favorites! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Goren. Posted January 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 When I saw the thread title I immediately thought of this one: I know that's not what you had in mind, but it's still one of my favorites! I can't blame you and I appreciate your good taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/4 Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 3. The 4 hands version of "The Right of Spring", Igor Stravinsky. There's a whole bunch of piano reductions by the composer of Stravinsky's music. I love 'em all! There's even a special version of The Firebird for soloist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Assuming arrangements are OK, I'm really fond of these piano four-hand arrangements of two Mahler symphonies... Mahler 6, arranged by Alexander von Zemlinsky Mahler 7, arranged by Alfredo Casella And I since I file this in with my classical CD's (and feel it's right at home in that section), I'll also mention... Anthony Braxton, Opus 95 for two pianos (Arista, 1980 - from the recent Mosaic) There's also a TON of Brahms arrangements for piano four-hands (done by Brahms himself), of all his symphonies, both piano concerti, and maybe a dozen other multi-movement chamber works. I have about half of them on various Naxos CD's, and they're lots of fun (particulary for the works with themes I really know by heart). Liszt also did solo-piano arrangements of all of Beethoven's symphonies, except the ninth - which is for two pianos, and lots of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTMX Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Really liked a piece I heard on the radio this morning: Lance Hulme: Manic Music (“for two maniacal pianists”) (1995) performed by Quattro Mani. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontooneous Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 We mention Stravinsky's reductions, but we don't mention his original work for the medium. The Concerto for Two Pianos (no orchestra) is one of his best things from the period. Would Bartok's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion count? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Goren. Posted January 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 (edited) Would Bartok's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion count? Definitely! Edited January 19, 2012 by B. Goren. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 (edited) How about Ives' piece(s?) for two pianos, tuned one quarter-tone apart? There's also a similar piece I remember by John Corigliano, where the conclusion ends with the the famous "doxology" theme, with each fragment of the famous melody stated in segments that go up in quarter-tone increments. Hard to explain in words, but imagine this (where each "^" means the tonality of the melody goes up one quarter tone)... "Praise God from whom all blessings flow" (^"...blessings flow"). ^"Praise Him, all creatures here below" (...^"here below") ^"Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host" (...^"ye heav'nly host") ^"Praise Father, Son, ^and Holy Ghost" ...or something like that. The whole thing speeds up too, so it sounds like a tape recording going faster and faster and faster. Edited January 19, 2012 by Rooster_Ties Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontooneous Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 Shouldn't forget Debussy's "En blanc et noir." \ Or Messiaen's "Visions de l'Amen." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Goren. Posted January 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2012 (edited) I'll add one more work to this list: Sergei Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances op. 45, version for 2 pianos. Edited January 27, 2012 by B. Goren. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted January 27, 2012 Report Share Posted January 27, 2012 Bizet - Jeux d'enfants and Milhaud - Scaramouche are fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarThrower Posted February 27, 2012 Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 Poulenc-Sonata For Two Pianos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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