Dear friend
Two piano music is the core of ensemble music. It is often said to reflect the idea of the human relationship – The Art of Two. The art form, however, suffers from the misconception of the literature being very limited and not really among the greats of classical music repertoire.
We beg to differ. It is richly represented across many style forms and periods of classical music. Many of the “Big B’s” – Bach, Bruch, Berlioz, Bartok for instance – wrote concertos, sonatas and other pieces for 176 keys, and many others wrote music for 4 hands, one piano.
Many solo concertos and symphonies were also written in two piano arrangements by their composers or arranged for performance in that configuration in order to present the experience of orchestral sound without the expense or space limitations.
One of the great and beloved 2 piano concertos was composed by Mozart, the Piano Concerto No.10 for 2 Pianos and Orchestra in E-Flat Major, K.365
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart may have begun writing the concerto in 1775, but there seems to be agreement that it was composed and completed in 1779, presumably to play it with his sister, Nannerl. It was originally scored with two oboes, two bassoons, two horns and strings, only later-on expanding the score to include strings.
Life has been quite discombobulated with the quarantines, the half-opening measures, the insecurity concerning vaccines, and all the rest of this past year, but now the ground seems to re- appear under our feet. That is why beginning with this week, we will return to our monthly newsletter while still continuing our Music Mondays.
The first newsletter will focus on the first live Dranoff concert on March 26. In the meantime, here is the link to the Miami Dade Auditorium, Dranoff’s partner in presenting Orlando and Orlay Alonso In Cuba Symphonic.
Two very different sides of a rich musical art form.
Warmly,
Gabriele Fiorentino
President,
The Dranoff 2 Piano Foundation
Piano Slam
