Lennox Berkeley, who wrote the most piano duets among the composers on this album, studied extensively in France with legendary teachers Nadia Boulanger and Maurice Ravel.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Lennox Berkeley's Palm Court Waltz is a tribute to the old-world charm of tea dances in prestigious European hotels, influenced by Erik Satie's waltzes.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Stephen Dodgson's 'A Bohemian Entertainment' from Tournament for Twenty Fingers is a tribute to Antonín Dvořák, crafted in his style.
Composer Biography
Richard Arnell's orchestral music was championed by conductors like Leopold Stokowski and Thomas Beecham, who called Arnell the finest orchestrator since Berlioz.
Historical Context
Piano duets became a popular way for music lovers to experience orchestral music, with arrangements of symphonies and concertos flourishing from Mozart's time onwards.
Recording & Production
The Blüthner grand piano used for this recording was Stephen Dodgson's own instrument, on which he composed in his London home.
Performer Biography
Emma Abbate and Julian Perkins, the pianists on this album, gave online concerts during lockdown on Stephen Dodgson's piano, which he bequeathed to them.
You might also enjoy...
Summer Dreams: American Piano Duets by Beach, MacDowell & Barber
Wagner: Parsifal
J.S. Bach: Das alte Jahr vergangen ist, BWV 614 (Arr. Kurtág for Piano 4 Hands)
Poulenc: Complete Works for Two Pianos
Satie
Holst: The Planets
Schmitt: Complete Original Works for Piano Duet & Duo, Vol. 2
Il maestro e lo scolare: Piano Duets for Teacher and Pupil
Schmitt: Complete Original Works for Piano Duet & Duo, Vol. 3
