Rimsky-Korsakov: Works for Piano Duo

Featuring

Caroline Clemmow
Anthony Goldstone
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

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Composer Biography

Nadezhda Purgold, who transcribed Antar for piano duet, was Rimsky-Korsakov's wife, a fine pianist, and a composer who studied with Tchaikovsky's teacher Zaremba.

Composition History

The Neapolitan composer Luigi Denza's popular song Funiculì, Funiculà was mistakenly incorporated into orchestral works by both Richard Strauss and Rimsky-Korsakov, who believed it to be a traditional folk tune.

Composition History

Rimsky-Korsakov, a master orchestrator, personally created the four-hand piano transcription of his popular work Scheherazade, interrupting work on an opera to do so.

Compositional Technique

Rimsky-Korsakov's Antar uses an octatonic (eight-note) scale, alternating tones and semitones, which he believed he was the first to introduce into 'western' music.

Interpretation

This album features piano duet arrangements of orchestral works, a common practice in the 19th century that allowed amateurs to become familiar with new music before recordings existed.

Performer Biography

Goldstone and Clemmow, a husband and wife piano duo, have been performing together since 1984 and are known for their diverse programs mixing masterpieces with fascinating rarities.