Mozart / Stravinsky / Debussy: Masterpieces for Two Pianos

Featuring

Hans Pålsson
Amalie Malling
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Igor Stravinsky
Claude Debussy

Did you know?

1/7

Historical Context

Playing music 'à quatre mains' (four hands at one piano) flourished in the 19th and early 20th centuries, providing a home substitute for live concert music before radio and gramophones.

Composer Biography

Mozart, though a skilled violinist, considered the keyboard his principal instrument, as evidenced by roughly half of his instrumental concertos being written for keyboard instruments.

Composition History

Stravinsky's Concerto for Two Pianos Solo was first performed by the composer himself and his son, Sviatoslav Soulima-Stravinsky, in Paris in 1935.

Historical Context

Music for two pianists was more common in the past, but the rise of the virtuoso cult in the 19th century led to its decline as master pianists preferred solo glory.

Composer Biography

The term 'piano' in reference to Mozart's works is a translation of the German 'Klavier', which could also mean 'keyboard', indicating flexibility in instrumentation during his time.

Composition History

Claude Debussy's 'En blanc et noir' (In white and black) was composed in 1915, a period when he was preparing a new edition of Chopin's piano works, influencing his thoughts on piano technique.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Stravinsky claimed that the Concerto for Two Pianos Solo was one of his best works and that he tested all his compositions, orchestral or otherwise, four-handed at the piano.