Music for Two Pianos Vol. 1: Copland, Infante, Bartok, Rachmaninov and Bennett

On this CD:

1. Danzón Cubano, for piano duet (orch. 1945)
Composed by Aaron Copland

2. Danzas Andaluzas for 2 Pianos, Nos 1-3, complete Sentimiento
Composed by Manuel Infante

3. Seven Pieces from Mikrokosmos, for two pianos, Sz. 108, BB 120 Bulgarian Rhythm
Composed by Bela Bartok

4. Seven Pieces from Mikrokosmos, for two pianos, Sz. 108, BB 120 Perpetuum Mobile
Composed by Bela Bartok

5. Seven Pieces from Mikrokosmos, for two pianos, Sz. 108, BB 120 Short Canon and Its Inversion
Composed by Bela Bartok

6. Seven Pieces from Mikrokosmos, for two pianos, Sz. 108, BB 120 New Hungarian Folk Song
Composed by Bela Bartok

7. Seven Pieces from Mikrokosmos, for two pianos, Sz. 108, BB 120 Chromatic Invention
Composed by Bela Bartok

8. Seven Pieces from Mikrokosmos, for two pianos, Sz. 108, BB 120 Ostinato
Composed by Bela Bartok

9. Suite No. 2, for 2 pianos in C major, Op. 17 Waltz
Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov

10. Suite No. 2, for 2 pianos in C major, Op. 17 Romance
Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov

11. Four Piece Suite for 2 pianos
Composed by Richard Rodney Bennett

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
A sometimes rollicking, always graceful rendition of two-piano works by Copland, Infante, Bartok, Rachmaninov and Bennett., this remarkable CD is a veritable United Nations in music. What more could be wished for? We are swept from Aaron Copland's unabashed lover affair with themes he called "recognizably American," to Manuel Infante's graceful piano pieces on Spanish themes. Hungarian composer Bela Bartok then intervenes with his great knowledge and love of folk songs. Bartok wrote 153 progressive piano pieces as teaching exercises for his son, Peter, and later published them in six books called Mikrokosmos. His llife long devotiono to the collecting of folk music is reflected in Bulgarian Rhythm and his New Hungarian Folk Song. Perpetuum Mobile exploits 2nds, 3rds, and 4ths, as well as small silences (rests) which-together with driving speed-give this piece its shape and force. Bartok was a master of counterpoint. And still, the international smorgasbord continues, from Russia to Spain to Hungary to Russia, where we find Sergei Rachmaninov's unforgettable compositions entitled Waltz and the Romance, in the 2nd and 3rd movements of his Suite No. 2. The Suite, in Rachmaninov's romantic, pre-Revolutionary style, has been a staple of the two-piano repertoire since its publication. Our musical continent hopping ends in England with Richard Rodney Bennett, one of the most famous of English composers and pianists. Bennett studied with Pierre Boulez in Paris, and, after returning to Europe, wrote and produced operas, and music for voice, orchestra, and chamber ensembles. He has written many movie scores, among them Far From the Madding Crowd and Alexandra. His Dance Suite has a very contemporary sound and is, appropriately, dedicated to Andre Previn.

Tracks:

Danzon Cubano
Sentimiento
Sentimiento
Mikrokosmos: Bulgarian Rhythm
Mikrokosmos: Perpetuum Mobile
Mikrokosmos: Short Canon and Its Inversion
Mikrokosmos: New Hungarian Folk Song
Mikrokosmos: Chromatic Invention
Mikrokosmos: Ostinato
Second Ste: Waltz
Second Ste: Romance
Samba Triste
Country Blues
Ragtime Waltz
Finale

Album Description

A sometimes rollicking, always graceful rendition of two-piano works by Copland, Infante, Bartok, Rachmaninov and Bennett., this remarkable CD is a veritable United Nations in music. What more could be wished for? We are swept from Aaron Copland's unabashed lover affair with themes he called "recognizably American," to Manuel Infante's graceful piano pieces on Spanish themes. Hungarian composer Bela Bartok then intervenes with his great knowledge and love of folk songs. Bartok wrote 153 progressive piano pieces as teaching exercises for his son, Peter, and later published them in six books called Mikrokosmos. His llife long devotiono to the collecting of folk music is reflected in Bulgarian Rhythm and his New Hungarian Folk Song. Perpetuum Mobile exploits 2nds, 3rds, and 4ths, as well as small silences (rests) which-together with driving speed-give this piece its shape and force. Bartok was a master of counterpoint. And still, the international smorgasbord continues, from Russia to Spain to Hungary to Russia, where we find Sergei Rachmaninov's unforgettable compositions entitled Waltz and the Romance, in the 2nd and 3rd movements of his Suite No. 2. The Suite, in Rachmaninov's romantic, pre-Revolutionary style, has been a staple of the two-piano repertoire since its publication. Our musical continent hopping ends in England with Richard Rodney Bennett, one of the most famous of English composers and pianists. Bennett studied with Pierre Boulez in Paris, and, after returning to Europe, wrote and produced operas, and music for voice, orchestra, and chamber ensembles. He has written many movie scores, among them Far From the Madding Crowd and Alexandra. His Dance Suite has a very contemporary sound and is, appropriately, dedicated to Andre Previn.

Customer Reviews:

Home-made recording at home!?.......2004-06-09

Dreadful, dreadful... just dreadful. Despite the superbly interesting programme, the performance is dull, and uninspired. The recording quality sounds as if you just placed two Radio-Shack microphones in each of the pianos, recorded on a portable, cassette Walkman. The instruments used in the recording may be Steinways, but it is doubtful that quality instruments were used. The entire album sounds like they were recorded on old, unmaintained baby grands, probably model M, instead of finer, larger instruments. The acoustic environment resembles a small, carpetted living room where no reverberation could possibly take place. The sense of harsh, mediocre sound as if my head is stuck in the pianos, with the uninspired performance of these magnificent work is an impressive display of misguided amateurism that deserves to be confined to the same living room where the recording was probalby made.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

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