Nola by Felix Arndt in an arrangement for piano duet by John Zamecnik. Nola is frequently referred to as the first novelty piano piece, a musical idio Show More...
Nola by Felix Arndt in an arrangement for piano duet by John Zamecnik. Nola is frequently referred to as the first novelty piano piece, a musical idiom emerging from the ragtime era. Light and breezy in character this is a style of music very much intended to lift the mood and spirit. Piano accompaniments are in place allowing duo players to participate in play-a-long ensemble activities as part of music practice routines. The accompaniment tracks play back at 58, 60, 62, 64 & 66 & 68 half note (minim) beats per minute. There is a two bar count in /click track at the beginning of the accompaniment tracks The primo part is on one side of the stereo channel and the secondo part on the other. John Zamecnik was a gifted Ameican composer, conductor and arranger of Czech extraction who studied at the Prague Conservatory of Music with Dvorak,. He is mainly known for his silent movie scores often composed using pseudonyms and published by Samuel Fox. He lived in Cleveland. The 2/2 time signature indicates that Nola needs to be played with a sense of two beats in the bar Both referencing and understanding the swing style this music needs to played with a clrear understanding meaning that the triplet figuration prevails. Arndt was a New York based composer and pianist who tragically died during the Spanish Flu epidemic in 1919. Sections need to be played at the same tempo and there is little opportunity for slowing down at the end of phrases and sections. Some of the score detail, particularly phrase markings have been hidden in the #sheetmusic video score simply because the associated graphics behave inconsistently in this format. This is music that moves along quickly but also needs to played in a completely relaxed manner. Tension in the fingers, hands and arms is something to be avoided and this can be partly achieved by keeping a lightness in the hands and arms and secure fingering. Fingers need to be close to the keys. Nola is brimming with musical ideas and inventiveness and is a very “modern” sounding work for 1915. As a musical snapshot of its time it references the ragtime era of its near past and points to the future in its swing jazz style triplet rhythms. The left hand playing style of the bass and chords owes its origins to the ragtime era. Contrasting and repeating sections are in evidence whilst the formal pattern of the music is A B A C D C A with an 8 bar coda at the end. The composer does not make use of repeat signs. The key plan can be summarised as I – i – I – IV - I The novelty era has a strong connection with ragtime particularly in its formal patterns and musical shapes. Whilst the repetitive element is strong the composer does not make use of repeat signs. The music editor’s observation is that Felix Arndt was a hugely talented, imaginative and inventive composer and it is a tragedy that he did not live longer to compose music that similarly anticipated future trends. He left the music world with the potential to achieve so much. Born in 1889 if he had lived his entitled three score years and ten he could have lived until 1959 and would have been a contemporary with so many other greats. It is also ironic because 1959 is the year that a version of Nola achieved success in the pop charts. What is so evident is that he had a wonderful understanding of harmonic colour and the relevance of chords in the popular music idiom. He can be truly described as a musical forerunner. Apart from the abundance of musical ideas it is understanding of the harmonic framework which makes his music so appealing. There are also several dance step references in the music The triplet swing pattern additionally imbues this music. Close
Johannes Brahms Waltz Opus 39 No. 15 arranged for piano duet. The primo part player contributes with the melodic element whilst the secondo player pla Show More...
Johannes Brahms Waltz Opus 39 No. 15 arranged for piano duet. The primo part player contributes with the melodic element whilst the secondo player plays the bass and chords. The accompaniment downloads available enable players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the primo or secondo parts. The primo part sounds on one side of the stereo channel and the secondo part sounds on the other. Accompaniments are available playing at 96, 100, 104. 108 and 112 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute with each being introduced by a two bar click beat. When performing printing two pages of music onto one side of A4 offers a practical solution for players in respect to managing the music desk. The realisation plays back at 108 quarter note crotchet beats to the minute. This is a movement inviting interpretation during a performance. Players need to consider articulation, dynamic range and matters of tempo in their performances. An awareness of tempo rubato and its relevance to music performance in the romantic period would also be a valuable practical consideration. Pianists should be aiming for a legato touch in their playing and while use of the sustaining pedal is recommended markings are not indicated in the score. The last eight bars particularly in the primo part need to be played with a light touch. Formally the pattern of the music can be described as ABABA The ornaments have been incorporated into the sheet music in the notation to add clarity of intention. In the video score, which can be viewed on our YouTube Channel the graphics, namely the score detail, behaves rather consistently and some are missing Brahms Waltzes Opus 39 were composed in 1865 a time in music history when piano duets were very popular particularly for use in music rooms in 19th century homes. Along with other more intimate music of the time, such as lied (song) they were often described as being salon music. Schubert, Brahms, Dvorak and others composed music specifically intended to be played as piano duets whilst there were arrangements of symphonies and other music of the day. The waltz emerged as a popular dance form in secular music during the 19th century and was used in both vocal and instrumental music. Analysis particularly of the secondo part reveals the simplicity of the movement from the harmonic point of view. The tonic, mediant, sub-dominant, dominant 7th and sub mediant chords in the scale of A all feature in either root position or an inversion. Analysis will help clarify how composers were so the reliant on the cycle of fifths at this particular time in music history. The piano available to Brahms in the late 1860’s would have had a much thinner sound compared with a modern instrument. As the tonal qualities would not have as been as strong as a modern piano players may need to consider softening and quietening their approach to playing the bass octaves. Brahms is an important and significant romantic composer associated with many large scale choral and instrumental works. Most of his music is technically very challenging to play. This miniature requires a relatively basic keyboard technique and is an excellent introduction to playing his music on a keyboard. Brahms was a family friend of the Schumann family and the connections between them are often referenced in commentaries, music works and performances. There are many piano duets to explore on the PlentyMusic website and more will be added in the future. There is a solo piano version of the waltz also available. Close
The piano duet or music for piano 4 hands version has a playback tempo of 100 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. A canon arises in the descr Show More...
The piano duet or music for piano 4 hands version has a playback tempo of 100 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. A canon arises in the description of a musical piece simply because musical ideas are imitated by another voice or instrument. It doesn’t necessarily describe the overall form or structure of a piece. The Study in Canon No. 5 is in three sections ABA’ with Section B beginning at bar 37 and the varied repeat of A at bar 83. Understand that the canonic element in Schumann’s time references all the musical elements and not just pitch: dynamics, articulation, ornamentation are all part of the canonic process. The crushed notes or acciaccaturas are a prominent musical feature. This is essentially a study in the articulation of short notes and occasional longer notes. Compositional process is evident from bar 49 where the canonic element involves inversion. This is a challenging music setting to engrave and prepare for print mainly because the score has so much detail which is not easy to represent with clarity on the sheet music page. Accompaniments are available featuring the primo part sounding on one side of the stereo channel and the secondo on the other. They play at 92, 96, 100 and 104 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute enabling the pianists to incorporate ensemble practice as part of their routine. Close
The Sonata for Piano Duet in D K.381 was composed time between 1772-74 and was written for Mozart to play with his elder sister Nannerl. As a work it Show More...
The Sonata for Piano Duet in D K.381 was composed time between 1772-74 and was written for Mozart to play with his elder sister Nannerl. As a work it has been described as a reduction of an Italian symphony and is contemporary with his opera Lucio Silla K.135 composed when he was aged 16. The First Movement: Allegro is typically Mozartian both in spirit and musical content. The realisation plays back at 144 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. It is a very purposeful movement requiring light hands which is perhaps a musical element difficult to suggest in a realisation. The repeats although marked in the score are not played. There is plenty of opportunity for players to fine tune their playing of legato and staccato touches and to develop tremolo playing. The music editor favours a dry acoustic in recordings enabling clarity in the communication of the music. Accompaniments in mp3 format recorded at 256kbps which have a 4 bar count in are available at 120, 132 and 144 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. For those needing more information on how to play the ornaments refer to the video score on our YouTube channel where the ornaments have been written out to give clarity to what is a confusing area. When learning a movement it is often best to omit the ornamentation in the first instance. Close
A slow movement in the subdominant key of G requiring a legato piano touch with some occasional staccato articulations which are indicated in the musi Show More...
A slow movement in the subdominant key of G requiring a legato piano touch with some occasional staccato articulations which are indicated in the music score. There is a some lovely sharing of the melodic material between the primo and secondo parts in this quite beautiful classical movement. A beautifully balanced movement from the point of view of musical texture. It is a two section AB binary movement although the repeats are not played in the realisation. Performers may wish to review the articulations suggested and if changes are made they do need to be made consistently and be in keeping with the style. Accompaniments are available at 52, 54, 56, 58, and 60 quarter note beats to the minute. There is a two bar count in, featuring the sound of the woodblock, with the first bar in eighth notes (quavers) and the second bar in quarter notes (crotchets). For those needing more information on how to play the ornaments refer to the video score on our YouTube channel where they have been written out to give clarity to what is often a confusing area. When learning a movement it is often best to omit the ornamentation in the first instance. Close
The Sonata for Piano Duet in D K.381 was composed time between 1772-74 and was written for Mozart to play with his elder sister Nannerl. As a work it Show More...
The Sonata for Piano Duet in D K.381 was composed time between 1772-74 and was written for Mozart to play with his elder sister Nannerl. As a work it has been described as a reduction of an Italian symphony and is contemporary with his opera Lucio Silla K.135 composed when he was aged 16. The First Movement: Allegro is typically Mozartian both in spirit and musical content. The realisation plays back at 144 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. It is a very purposeful movement requiring light hands which is perhaps a musical element difficult to suggest in a realisation. The repeats although marked in the score are not played. There is plenty of opportunity for players to fine tune their playing of legato and staccato touches and to develop tremolo playing. The music editor favours a dry acoustic in recordings enabling clarity in the communication of the music. Accompaniments in mp3 format recorded at 256kbps which have a 4 bar count in are available at 120, 132, 138 and 144 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. For those needing more information on how to play the ornaments refer to the video score on our YouTube channel where the ornaments have been written out to give clarity to what is a confusing area. When learning a movement it is often best to omit the ornamentation in the first instance. Close
The piano duet arrangement of Schumann’s Studies in Canon by Bizet are hidden treasures in the repertoire. Bizet’s exploration of Schumann’s mus Show More...
The piano duet arrangement of Schumann’s Studies in Canon by Bizet are hidden treasures in the repertoire. Bizet’s exploration of Schumann’s music adds to the composer’s original intention by exploring the musical texture in a broader musical space. This is a quiet slow movement in reflective mood with a compositional approach that is vocal in its style and certainly in the first instance reminiscent of Bach’s 4 part chorale writing although with romantic chromatic harmony. The melody is not always in the top line and as in 4 part chorale writing it is the tenor line that often needs to be prominent. The second middle section is presented as a fugal exposition. The final section is introduced by a dotted rhythm as an upbeat in bar 32 and returns to the mood and style of the first section although this final section has more contrast and is more dramatic. Schumann’s original intention is to combine beauty of sound with a legato touch and it is important for pianists to aim for the best legato possible in their playing. The realisation plays back at 60 quarter note beats to the minute with the tempo is marked adagio in the score. This is a challenging movement from the music reading point of view because of the chromaticism and tied notes. For those wishing to see how the ornaments in the realisation are played refer to the video score on the PlentyMusicCo YouTube channel. Simply click the link on the PlentyMusic home page and search for the score. Trills begin on the note. The final chord should be spread evenly from the lowest to the highest sound. There are many arrangements of this particular movement and the music editor suggests that along with Schumann’s other Studies in Canon they are ideal works to introduce intermediate level players to chamber music playing. Do explore the solo piano, piano duet, two piano and trio versions available on the PlentyMusic website. Accompaniments are also available enabling pianists to explore and develop their ensemble skills. The primo part sounds on one side of the stereo channel and the secondo part on the other. There are four accompaniments available in the tempo range from 58 to 64 quarter beats to the minute. Close
The music opens and closes with an Andantino section that plays back at 72 quarter note beats to the minute while the section marked poco più mosso p Show More...
The music opens and closes with an Andantino section that plays back at 72 quarter note beats to the minute while the section marked poco più mosso plays at 84 quarter note or crotchet beats to the minute. The longer middle section of the Canon is in ABA (ternary) form. Both appoggiaturas (leaning notes) and acciaccaturas (crushed notes) feature as ornaments in the score. There are also some additional ornaments and for those that require clarity on how they should be played refer to the video score on our YouTube channel. The performance practice with this movement the music editor would suggest is at times ambiguous and at best inconsistent. The music editor has avoided suggesting a rit at the end of the movement although in performance this is an option. The texture can be described as a melody played as a canon and creating two voices, combined with an accompaniment figuration very typical of much of the composer’s keyboard music and a bass line. The Studies in Canon Opus 45 date from 1845 and were composed when the composer was focused on developing contrapuntal discipline in his writing. Pianists can also explore the piano duet version of Georges Bizet and the two piano version by Claude Debussy whilst the piano trio arrangements of Kirchner provide additional repertoire and ensemble opportunities. There is opportunity to explore tempo rubato in a performance. In romantic music this refers to the give and take (speeding up and slowing down) within a phrase as far as tempo is concerned. Some use of the sustaining pedal is suggested but it has not been indicated in the sheet music score. The accompaniment downloads available enable players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the Primo or Secondo parts. The Primo part sounds on the one channel of the stereo signal and the Secondo part sounds on the other. Accompaniment 1 plays at 80|100|80 quarter (crotchet) note beats to the minute, Accompaniment 2 plays at 76|90|76 quarter (crotchet) note beats to the minute, Accompaniment 3 at 72|84|72 quarter (crotchet) note beats to the minute dotted quarter (crotchet) note beats to the minute, and Accompaniment 4 at 68|80|68 quarter (crotchet) note beats to the minute. The two bar count in features the sound of a woodblock. When performing printing two pages of music onto one side of A4 offers a very practical solution for players. Close
The Studies in Canon Opus 56 of Schumann are perfect pieces for the music student because they refer to the past with the chromatic language of the ro Show More...
The Studies in Canon Opus 56 of Schumann are perfect pieces for the music student because they refer to the past with the chromatic language of the romantic period and are ordered and appealing music to play. The Opus 56 collection can be appreciated on so many levels and the pieces exist in a number of different arrangements. This is music that re-invents J.S.Bach style than direct imitating or copying. The realisation in the video score is clearly not as nuanced as a live performance. Pianists should approach playing thee Opus 56 pieces with a lightness in the hands ensuring that there is clarity in their understanding of the musical texture. The texture is transparent in that there are two melodies exploring the canonic and imitative aspects of the music, a chordal accompaniment and a bass line. The realisation plays at 72 eighth (quaver) notes to the minute in the first section from bar 1 to 19 and then 80 eighth notes for the remainder of the movement with the occasional slowing down or rit. The performance practice associated with the Study in Canon No. 4 also varies adding further interest to the music’s study. The score detail in place in the sheet music score is particularly relevant to the tonal qualities of modern instruments. Managing the tempo through the playing of the whole piece is one of the challenges of a performance and more than one approach can be employed. The dynamic range is an additional aspect of the performance that can be explored. It is necessary to have an understanding of the strong chromatic element in the music which is particularly evident in the bass line and the chordal accompaniment. There is value in pianists playing through the lines to understand the imitation processes that are incorporated in the score. The music included in Robert Schumann’s Opus 56 collection has been arranged by Georges Bizet for piano duet and Claude Debussy for two pianos and in these arrangements the composing principles of canon and imitation aspects are much easier to explore. Players need to pay attention to the rhythmic detail and the chromatic detail. The mordents have been written out in the video score although the music editor suggests omitting the small decorative/ornamental notes in the early stages of learning the movement. The uses of the sustaining pedal whilst recommended has not been indicated in the sheet music score. The small decorative notes in the turns in bars 17, 19 and 65 do not sound in the video score or realisation. In the video score each line of music is associated with a stave and so the music is presented slightly differently to how it appears in the sheet music score. The video score plays at 72 quaver beats from bar 1 – 18 and and then in the piu mosso section at 80 eighth notes (quaver) to the minute. Pianists will need to ensure that the reading of the notes and accidentals is accurate as the chromatic element in the movement is strong . There is opportunity to explore tempo rubato in a performance. In romantic music this refers to the give and take (speeding up and slowing down) as far as tempo is concerned. Players may well wish to make use of the piano sustaining pedal although its use has not been indicated in the sheet music score. The accompaniment downloads available enable players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the primo or secondo part. The primo part sounds on the one side of the stereo channel channel and the secondo on the other. Accompaniment 1 plays at 68 eighth (quaver) note beats to the minute in the first section and then 72 eighth (quaver) note beats to the minute. Accompaniment 2 plays at 72 eighth (quaver) note beats to the minute in the first section and then 80 eighth (quaver) note beats to the minute. Accompaniment 3 plays at 76 eighth (quaver) note beats to the minute in the first section and then 88 eighth (quaver) note beats to the minute. Accompaniment 4 plays at 80 eighth (quaver) note beats to the minute in the first section and then 90 eighth (quaver) note beats to the minute.Accompaniment 5 plays at 82 eighth (quaver) note beats to the minute in the first section and then 92 eighth (quaver) note beats to the minute. There is a two bar eighth note (quaver) count in to the sound of a woodblock. In a performance situation printing two pages of music onto one side of A4 offers a practical solution for players. Close
Composed in the key In the key A minor this movement in ABA ternary form has a haunting quality. The realisation plays back at 66 dotted quarter notes Show More...
Composed in the key In the key A minor this movement in ABA ternary form has a haunting quality. The realisation plays back at 66 dotted quarter notes to the minute. The voice leading particularly in the two top lines of the organ solo is often quite difficult to follow and that is why the piano duet version arranged by Bizet and the two piano version arranged by Debussy are well worth exploring. The music editor suggests slow practice in the first instance to ensure that the reading of the notes and accidentals is accurate. Chromaticism is a strong feature of this movement. There is opportunity to explore tempo rubato in a performance. In romantic music this refers to the give and as far (speeding up and slowing down) as far as tempo is concerned. There is a substantial amount of score detail in the sheet music scores particularly in respect to the articulation of notes. Players may well wish to make use of the piano sustaining pedal although its use has not been indicated in the sheet music score. In temperament, Schumann was quite insecure and the Studies in Canon perhaps reflect the need for a himto reacquaint himself with the discipline of counterpoint. The accompaniment downloads available enable players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the Primo or Secondo parts. The Primo part sounds on the one channel of the stereo signal and the Secondo part sounds on the other. Accompaniment 1 plays at 72 dotted quarter (crotchet) note beats to the minute, Accompaniment 2 at 69 dotted quarter (crotchet) note beats to the minute, Accompaniment 3 at 66 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute and Accompaniment 4 at 63 quarter note beats to the minute. There is a two bar count in with the sound of a woodblock. When performing printing two pages of music onto one side of A4 offers a very practical solution for players. Close
Mi-a-ou is the second movement of the Dolly Suite Opus 56 which was originally published as a piano duet. The realisation score plays back at a tempo Show More...
Mi-a-ou is the second movement of the Dolly Suite Opus 56 which was originally published as a piano duet. The realisation score plays back at a tempo of 72 dotted half beats (minim) beats to the minute although there is a slower section towards the end of the movement. The tempo needs to be brisk but controlled. Some use of the sustaining pedal to communicate the range of the harmonic colour is recommended in one or two sections but is not indicated in the sheet music score. The writing is very pianistic in the sense that there are not too many technical difficulties and the chords fall nicely for the fingers. Rehearsal markings are in place in the score. Duettists will need to play with a lightness in the hands and there needs to be clarity in the articulation of the melodic ideas. Fauré as a composer is capable of writing music that has great appeal for both player and audience. The rhythmic detail is always interesting and the combination of a chromatic harmony with the add reference to the modal past gives the music a modern context. There are many recordings from both recent times and the recording archive which are worth exploring. The two piano parts Primo and Secondo can be downloaded as mp3 accompaniments enabling players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the Primo or Secondo part The Primo part sounds on the right channel of the stereo signal and the Secondo part sounds on the left channel. Accompaniment 1 plays at 76 dotted half notes to the minute beats (crotchet) to the minute, Accompaniment 2 at 72 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute and Accompaniment 3 at 69 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute. There is a 4 bar click beat before the music starts playing to give a clear pulse to players. The accompaniments have been recorded at a bit rate 256 kbps. When performing printing two pages of music on to one side of A4 offers a practical solution for players. The accompaniments will be uploaded in the next few days. Close
Kitty-Valse is the fourth movement of the Dolly Suite Opus 56 originally published as a piano duet. The music needs to be played with a light one in a Show More...
Kitty-Valse is the fourth movement of the Dolly Suite Opus 56 originally published as a piano duet. The music needs to be played with a light one in a bar feel. Fauré as a composer is capable of writing music that has great appeal for both player and audience. The rhythmic detail is always interesting and the combination of a chromatic harmony with the added reference to the modal past gives the music a modern context. There are many recordings from both recent times and the recording archive which are worth exploring. The video score plays back at a tempo of 69 dotted half beats is the fourth movement of the (minim) beats to the minute. Some use of the sustaining pedal to communicate the range of the harmonic colour is recommended but is not indicated in the sheet music score. The realisation is possibly lacking in a lightness of touch that the music editor suggests is needed. Duettists will need to play with a lightness in the hands which is not altogether suggested in the playback of the video score. Additionally, there is probably a context for tempo rubato when playing this movement. The two piano parts primo and secondo can be downloaded as accompaniments enabling players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the primo or secondo part The primo part sounds on one side of the stereo signal and the secondo part sounds on the other. Accompaniment 1 plays at 69 dotted half notes (minim) beats to the minute, Accompaniment 2 at 66 dotted half note (minim) beats to the minute Accompaniment 3 at 63 dotted half note beats (mimim) to the minute and Accompaniment 4 at 60 dotted minim beats. There is a 4 bar click beat before the music starts playing to give a clear pulse to players. The accompaniments have been recorded at a bit rate 256 kbps. When performing printing two pages of music on to one side of A4 offers a practical solution for players. Close
The Sonata in D for piano four hands Opus 6 was published in 1797. A rondo is a piece with a recurring theme and typically used as a last movement by Show More...
The Sonata in D for piano four hands Opus 6 was published in 1797. A rondo is a piece with a recurring theme and typically used as a last movement by Beethoven in his sonatas and concertos. They frequently contain music and melodic ideas that express the composer’s sunnier and uplifting side. The Rondo from Opus 6 offers a great opportunity for pianists to develop their ensemble playing skills. The playback tempo in the video score is 112 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. The sustaining pedal can and should be used in a performance although it has not been indicated in the score. Clarity in the articulation of the musical ideas is essential in a successful performance and the contrast between legato and staccato playing can be explored to the full in a performance. Beethoven’s music always has clear harmonic direction and a strong sense of drama. He is also great one for exploring musical form and the dynamic element of music and these elements are evident in what is a relatively early published work. In the video score the ornaments are written out in full. There is always great clarity of intention in the composer’s compositional approach. Accents in Beethoven’s music are quite often placed on the weaker beats of the bar to which help gives his music its characteristic restlessness. Maintaining the rhythmic independence of the musical lines is an important consideration in a performance of the movement. The loud going to soft marking fp is a very characteristic Beethoven score marking. sf in the music score indicates what is known as a forzando or a forceful accent. In the video score the ornaments have also been written out in full. The score layout is ideal for auditioning the movement as a video although the sheet music scores from the PlentyMusic website have Primo and Secondo parts separated onto different pages as is the convention for piano duets. The primo and secondo parts can be downloaded separately as “accompaniments” enabling players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the primo or secondo parts. The primo part sounds on the one channel of the stereo signal and the secondo part sounds on the other. The tempos are as follows in quarter note beats to the bar Accompaniment 1 plays at 116 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute, Accompaniment 2 at 112 quarter note (crotchet) note beats Accompaniment 3 at 108 quarter note (crotchet) note beats and Accompaniment 4 at 104 quarter note (crotchet) note beats. There is a four bar count in /click introduction on the accompaniment mp3 files which are recorded at 256kbps.When performing printing two pages of music on to one side of A4 offers a practical solution for players. It is a good idea for players to use a metronome in their preparation. Close
Foster’s “ Soirée Polka” is an appealing and rhythmic piece suited to being played by a wide range of instruments and instrumental groups alth Show More...
Foster’s “ Soirée Polka” is an appealing and rhythmic piece suited to being played by a wide range of instruments and instrumental groups although the musical material needs to be played with a lightness of touch. A tempo of 108 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute is used in the playback score. The polka is a lively folk dance full of character originating from the area now known as Czechia (Bohemia). Its popularity spread widely throughout Europe and subsequently North and South America. The dance is upbeat and celebratory in character and written in 2/4 time. Stephen Foster (1826-1864) is known as the “father of American music,” responsible for writing over 200 songs many of which are still very well known today. His “My Old Kentucky Home” has been the official state song of Kentucky since 1928. He began composing as a teenager and attempted to live his life as a professional songwriter at a time before copyright laws protected a composer’s work so it was impossible for him to earn a decent living. There are a number of variants of this piece in existence so don’t be concerned if you familiar with a slightly different version. The two piano parts primo and secondo can be downloaded separately as mp3 accompaniments enabling players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the primo or secondo part. The primo part sounds on one side of the stereo channel and the secondo part on the other. Accompaniment 1 plays at 108 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute, Accompaniment 2 at 104 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute, Accompaniment 3 at 100 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute and Accompaniment 4 at 96 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute.There is a 4 bar click beat before the music starts playing to give a pulse and tempo indication for players. When performing printing two pages of music onto one side of A4 offers a very practical solution for players. Close
A tempo of 50 dotted quarter note beats to the minute is appropriate if players wish to play the movement at one tempo. Another approach is to take th Show More...
A tempo of 50 dotted quarter note beats to the minute is appropriate if players wish to play the movement at one tempo. Another approach is to take the opening and closing section and play those slightly slower than the middle B section. Both approaches are quite valid. The movement needs to be played with a one in a bar feel. Players should endeavour to communicate the charm and intimacy of the music. The melody and accompaniment need to be articulated with clarity and consistency. The movement is in ABA ternary form and has a regular 8 bar phrase structure. In fact each of the main sections is in ternary form so analysis of the movement reveals a structure that can be represented as A (a b a) B (c d c) A (a b a). Tempo rubato is something that can be embraced in a performance but has not been used in the realisation and playback. Similarly the sustaining pedal can be used although its use is not indicated in the sheet music score. The slowing downs that feature at the end of phrases are also not marked in the score. This is music intended for the drawing room and composed at a time when the playing of piano duets was a very popular pastime. The triplet figuration so characteristic of Spanish music is a strong feature in this movement. This colourful movement exists in several chamber and orchestral arrangements. Moszkowski is a composer whose brilliant piano pieces in particular are worthy of attention although much of the music is technically very challenging. The mp3 accompaniment downloads from the PlentyMusic website enable players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the Primo or Secondo parts. The Primo part sounds on the one channel of the stereo signal and the Secondo part sounds on the other. Accompaniment 1 plays at 150/135/150, Accompaniment 2 plays 144/144/144, Accompaniment 3 at 138/150/138, Accompaniment 4 at 135/150/135 and Accompaniment 5 at 135/144/135 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute If pianists require accompaniments with different tempi then please advise the PlentyMusic office. There is a four bar count that features the sound of two pitches of a woodblock. If not using an iPad or notebook, when performing PlentyMusic scores printing two pages of music onto one side of A4 offers a practical solution for players. Moritz Moszkowski (1854 – 1925) was a German composer of Polish – Jewish descent who was an exceptional pianist and well known at the end of the 19th century as a concert pianist, conductor, composer and teacher. He was also a competent violinist. He composed many small-scale piano works of which his 5 Spanish Dances Opus 12 set are probably the best known existing in several formats. After moving to Paris in 1897 his health deteriorated from 1908 and his career quickly went into decline. From being rich and famous he soon lost all his money as a result of exchanging the copyrights on his music for government bonds which became worthless at the outbreak of the war in 1914. Close
Le jardin de Dolly is the third movement of the Dolly Suite Opus 56 and was originally published as a piano duet. The realization score plays back at Show More...
Le jardin de Dolly is the third movement of the Dolly Suite Opus 56 and was originally published as a piano duet. The realization score plays back at a tempo of 72 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. When performing the music there is an opportunity to slow down at the ends of phrases and then return to a tempo at the start of the next phrase and this approach is featured in both the realisation and the accompaniments. Gabriel Fauré’s Le jardin de Dolly is a lovely piano duet to play. Once you notice the detail of the scoring then you begin to appreciate the beauty of the writing and scoring. Use of the sustaining pedal to communicate the range of the harmonic colour is recommended and but not indicated in the sheet music score. The movement technically is not difficult to play but it does require careful reading and understanding of the contexts of the parts particularly when the melody moves to one of the inner parts. Too many duettists play this music too quickly which makes it rather abrupt as such and some of the reflective quality is lost. There are many recordings from both recent times and the recording archive which are worth exploring. The music editor was particularly impressed with the recording by Beatrice and Walter Klein who play the movement in an almost hushed secretive manner. The modal element that features in so much of Fauré’s music stems back to the fact that the composer like many French musicians was trained in the traditions of church music which referenced the old scales used particularly in the singing of plainchant. The two piano parts Primo and Secondo can be downloaded separately as “accompaniments” enabling players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the Primo or Secondo part The Primo part sounds on the right channel of the stereo signal and the Secondo part sounds on the left channel. Accompaniment 1 plays at 76 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute, Accompaniment 2 at 72 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute and Accompaniment 3 at 69 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute. There is a 4 bar click beat before the music starts playing to give a clear pulse to players. When performing printing two pages of music on to one side of A4 offers a practical solution for players Close
The 6 Variations with Coda “Ich denke dein” for piano duet (piano 4 hands) were composed in 1803 and published in 1805. A quite delightful set of Show More...
The 6 Variations with Coda “Ich denke dein” for piano duet (piano 4 hands) were composed in 1803 and published in 1805. A quite delightful set of variations based on a song melody with a text that roughly translates as “I think of you when the sun shimmers on the sea” which suggests that the composer belongs more to the romantic than the classical era. sf means suddenly loud and is one of Beethoven’s most used score markings as is not unsurprisingly fp meaning loud going to soft. In Beethoven’s music the surprise element is always strong particularly in respect to dynamics and rhythmic accents which are often placed on the weaker beats of the bar. Time signatures appear at the beginning of the theme and also the beginning of each variation. All movements apart from Variations 3 and 5 are in common time. Tempos in Variation 3 and 5 are more relaxed and slower with the music notated in 2/2 time. As his sketch books show, Beethoven was particular fond of re-working and revising his composition ideas but there is always purpose and a clear sense of direction in his music. Use of the sustaining pedal is recommended but has not been indicated in the score. The lines of music are rhythmically independent which makes playing the trills in Variation 4 challenging. Beethoven is always interested in developing piano technique and there is evidence of this particularly in Variation 4. This particular variation took the music editor as much time to prepare as the rest of the work put together! The music editor suggests omitting the ornaments particularly in this variation in the first instance. Any pianists/keyboard players not sure of how the ornaments should be played should refer to the video score on the YouTube channel to see a suggested solution. In the video score the ornaments written out in full and it sounds exactly as the realisation available as the mp3 from the website. The playing of ornaments is much more interesting and challenging in Beethoven’s time. The Primo and Secondo can be downloaded separately as “accompaniments” enabling players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the Primo or Secondo parts. The Primo part sounds on one channel of the stereo signal and the Secondo part sounds on the other. The tempos are as follows in quarter note beats to the bar with the second figure indicating the half note or minim beat tempos for variations 3 and 5. There are three accompaniments: Accompaniment 112/50 Accompaniment 2 108/48 Accompaniment 3 104/46. There is a four bar count in /click on the accompaniment mp3. When performing printing two pages of music on to one side of A4 offers a practical solution for players. Close
Moritz Moszkowski (1854 – 1925) was a German composer of Polish – Jewish descent who was an exceptional pianist and well known at the end of the 1 Show More...
Moritz Moszkowski (1854 – 1925) was a German composer of Polish – Jewish descent who was an exceptional pianist and well known at the end of the 19th century as a concert pianist, conductor, composer and teacher. He was also a competent violinist. He composed many small-scale piano works of which his 5 Spanish Dances Opus 12 set are probably the best known existing in several formats. After moving to Paris in 1897 his health deteriorated from 1908 and his career quickly went into decline. From being rich and famous he soon lost all his money as a result of exchanging the copyrights on his music for government bonds which became worthless at the outbreak of the war in 1914. The Spanish sound is referenced by use of the phrygian mode which has the semi-tones between the first and second and the fifth and sixth degree of the scale - D Eb F G A Bb C D. The rhythmic shapes are from patterns associated with the Bolero which originated in Spain during the C18th as a form of ballroom dance and became a template and form used by many composers of art music. Music associated with particular countries and regions of Europe particular on its fringes became very popular towards the end of the 19th century in a movement that was known as nationalism. Moszkowski was a very well known composer artist in his own time but after his death like many composers his music disappeared from concert programmes. Score detail is in place for the whole movement simply for clarity. The suggested tempo to play this movement advised by the music editor is 104 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute but a realistic and equally satisfactory tempo is 96 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. There are two options as to how to play the trills . Either as in the video score which can be viewed on our YouTube channel or by playing semi quavers. One of the characteristics of a Bolero is that it they speed up at the end and this feature has been retained in the realizations and accompaniments. This Bolero is a great ensemble piece offering plenty of contrast and pianistic in the sense that it quite playable. The accompaniment downloads available enable players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the Primo or Secondo parts. The Primo part sounds on the one channel of the stereo signal and the Secondo part sounds on the other. Accompaniment 1 plays at 104 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute, Accompaniment 2 at 100 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute and Accompaniment 3 at 96 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute. There is a four bar count in that features the sound of a woodblock. When performing printing two pages of music onto one side of A4 offers a very practical solution for players. One of the characteristics of a Bolero is that it they speed up at the end and this feature has been retained in the realizations and accompaniments. This Bolero is a great ensemble piece offering plenty of contrast and pianistic in the sense that it quite playable. For those who want to explore the music of Moszkowski Étincelles (Sparks) from the Opus 72 set of Études is quite a movement often played as an encore at the end of a concert. Close
A movement with beauty, shape and a sense of space. The imitation principle is understandably very strong in this work composed, the music editor unde Show More...
A movement with beauty, shape and a sense of space. The imitation principle is understandably very strong in this work composed, the music editor understands, when Schumann was intent on restoring rigour and confidence to his own compositional process. For the players there is surprisingly intensity and discipline needed to play this relatively short movement. Whilst this music references the past there is a romantic twist or two in the harmonic language. A tempo of 84 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute is used in the realisation. Trills begin on the note and have been written out in the first section of the score in the ossia staves. Understand that the melodic and rhythmic shapes of the ornaments are constant throughout the whole movement. The French word for study is Etude and those who develop or have developed a keen interest in music will be very aware of the many musical challenges associated with this word! Schumann’s Canonic Studies were composed in 1845 for pedal piano and subsequently arranged for piano duet / piano four hands by Georges Bizet. There are also other versions for organ, two pianos and string quartet. The accompaniment downloads available enable players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the Primo or Secondo parts. The Primo part sounds on the one channel of the stereo signal and the Secondo part sounds on the other. Accompaniment 1 plays at 80 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute, Accompaniment 2 at 76 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute and Accompaniment 3 at 72 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute and Accompaniment 4 at 68 quarter note beats to the minute.. There is a two bar count in with the sound of a woodblock. When performing printing two pages of music onto one side of A4 offers a very practical solution for players. Close
A charming and quite beautiful piece which has been arranged for many different instrument combinations although its origins are as a piano duet. A be Show More...
A charming and quite beautiful piece which has been arranged for many different instrument combinations although its origins are as a piano duet. A berceuse is a lullaby or cradle song so a gentle lilting approach is a required with nothing happening abruptly. The realisation plays at 69 quarter note beats to the minute. When performing this music there is an opportunity to slow down at the ends of phrases and then return to tempo at the start of the next phrase. Markings to indicate this are not included in the score. Pedalling has been indicated in the score. The sustaining pedal is put down as the first sound at the beginning of the bar is being played and lifted on the second beat of the bar. Additional pedalling can be added even though it might not be indicated on the score but it should never muddy the texture and lines of the music. The modal element that features in much of Faure’s music is also evident. The accompaniment downloads available enable players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the Primo or Secondo parts. The Primo part sounds on the one channel of the stereo signal and the Secondo part sounds on the other. Accompaniment 1 plays at 76 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute, Accompaniment 2 at 72 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute and Accompaniment 3 at 68 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute. There is a four bar count in with the sound of a woodblock. When performing printing two pages of music onto one side of A4 offers a very practical solution for players. Close
The Children’s March is an intermediate level piano duet. The repeats are played in the realization and the formal pattern can be summarized as foll Show More...
The Children’s March is an intermediate level piano duet. The repeats are played in the realization and the formal pattern can be summarized as follows. March: A A B B Trio: A A B B March Da Capo (No repeats) AB. This is a template that appears in much classical and romantic music. As is the convention the repeats are not played in the Da Capo repeat of the March. There is a great range of tempo explored in the many performances available of this march. The realization playback at 96 quarter (crotchet) note beats to the minute. This is a characterful and appealing piece with enough contrast and charm to make it an interesting performance piece for both performers and audiences. No sustaining pedal is indicated in the sheet music score although its (minimal) use is suggested. Musical ideas are shared between the parts and players need to be sensitive with regard to the dynamics that they use. Many of Schubert’s greatest works are composed for piano duet and he made a substantial contribution to the repertoire. The composing context often related to his circle of friends for whom he would often write music. Whilst the Children’s March is a short work there are some substantial and large scale works also waiting to be explored. In the Trio section the triplets require a lightness in of touch in the way they are played. It is also important to understand that the Primo and Secondo parts are rhythmically independent. The accompaniment downloads that are available enable players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the Primo or Secondo parts. The Primo part sounds on the one channel of the stereo signal and the Secondo part sounds on the other. Accompaniment 1 plays at 96 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute, Accompaniment 2 at 90 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute and Accompaniment 3 at 84 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute. If players are using a metronome in their preparation then it might be sensible to play to a half note or minim beat. When performing printing two pages of music onto one side of A4 offers a very practical solution for players. Close
The Three Marches Opus 45 for piano duet (piano 4 hands) were composed in 1803 and published in 1804. The march form features strongly in 19th century Show More...
The Three Marches Opus 45 for piano duet (piano 4 hands) were composed in 1803 and published in 1804. The march form features strongly in 19th century music. In March No.1 the composer does not quite follow convention in the formal arrangement and symmetry of the typical March and Trio. March No. 1 can be represented as follows - March A B B Trio A A B March Da Capo (no repeats) A B. The realisation and music scores are presented as the movement is performed so repeats where indicated are played. The score detail in Beethoven’s music is always interesting particularly regarding dynamics. Accents for example, are often placed on the weaker beats of the bar and the surprise element in a score is always strong. The playback score plays back at a standard march tempo of 60 half note beats to the minute. The Trio is played at the same tempo as the March. Beethoven is particularly fond of adding closing sections often referred to as codas and there is a lovely example from bars 36 to 40. This is an excellent movement for understanding Beethoven’s approach to composition in his so called “middle” period. While many of the musical elements are straightforward the composer’s desire to expand and develop form, harmony and process are constantly evident. In addition, Beethoven’s music always has a strong rhythmic focus. All the way through the movement musical ideas are shared and developed creating what is a great ensemble piece. The ornaments in the music of Beethoven and his contemporaries also offer more challenges than those of the classical era. There are considerations as far starting notes and the number of notes played in trills - trills at important cadences can add to the dynamic and intensity of a performance. You might notice that the video score has a 6 note trill played at the end of the March although in the realization it is played as a four note shape. The Primo and Secondo parts can be downloaded as “accompaniments” enabling players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the Primo or Secondo parts. The Primo part sounds on the right channel of the stereo signal and the Secondo part sounds on the left channel. The tempos are as follows in quarter note beats to the minute. Accompaniment 1 126 Accompaniment 2 120 Accompaniment 3 112. There is a four bar count in /click on the accompaniment mp3. When performing printing two pages of music on to one side of A4 offers a practical solution for players. It is a good idea for players to use a metronome in their preparation. Close
The Molto presto third movement of the Sonata for piano duet in B flat K.358 is a positive, joyous and like much of the composer’s music uplifting. Show More...
The Molto presto third movement of the Sonata for piano duet in B flat K.358 is a positive, joyous and like much of the composer’s music uplifting. The realisation plays back at a tempo of 108 half note (minim) beats to the minute. The first repeat is played in the realisation whilst the second repeat indicated in the sheet music score is not played. Multi-rests have not been used in the sheet music score but there are numbers in place indicating the empty bars in the sheet music score. This is a movement that does need to be played quickly and some of the tempi available on recordings are actually very challenging to play. The best advice is to start at a manageable tempo and then gradually increase it. The tempo of the movement as it is being played does however always need to be consistent. The music editor suggests setting a metronome to a half note (minim) beat minim beat in practice routines. There is opportunity for developing the “changing finger on a repeating note” technique and the playing of trills played by two hands requires careful practice. In the early stages of learning the movement the music editor suggests omitting the trills. For those wanting to see how the trills are played they can refer to the video score on our YouTube channel by clicking the appropriate link on the homepage of the website. The movement has many melodic shapes, textures and compositional processes characteristic of the composer and the music editor suggests that much can be learnt about the composer’s musical style by playing and listening to the piano duets. Mozart’s music always has a great sense of ensemble and his musical language is always consistent across the many musical forms that he embraced. The accompaniment downloads available enable players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the primo or secondo parts. The Primo part sounds on the one channel of the stereo signal and the Secondo part sounds on the other. Accompaniment 1 plays at 108 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute, Accompaniment 2 at 104 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute and Accompaniment 3 at 104 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute There is a four bar count in featuring two different sounds of a wood block. When performing printing two pages of music onto one side of A4 offers a very practical solution for players. Close
The First Movement from the Sonata for Piano Duet in Bb K.358 for piano 4 hands is an intermediate level piano duet. The realization plays back at a t Show More...
The First Movement from the Sonata for Piano Duet in Bb K.358 for piano 4 hands is an intermediate level piano duet. The realization plays back at a tempo of 144 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. Mozart composed many piano duets which he would often perform with his elder sister Nannerl. A lightness of touch is required in a performance and all notes need to be clearly articulated. There is some lovely sharing of the melodic ideas in the ensemble. Playing Mozart requires a consistent and even approach and the avoidance of exaggerated playing. As far as the ornaments are concerned players should be imitating each other in their delivery. Trills played by both hands together do require careful practice The music editors view on the playing of ornaments is that they should be played simply, rhythmically and consistently. This is music that is very much about melody and accompaniment and it is important for players to communicate its charm and beauty. The first repeat is played in the realization and the second repeat marked in the sheet music score is typically omitted in a performance. There are not many crescendo markings evident in many of the piano duet scores available simply because much of Mozart’s keyboard music was written with the harpsichord in mind. The harpsichord is able to offer a contrasting range of dynamics but not a gradual increase (crescendo) or decrease in sound (diminuendo).The piano or more accurately the fortepiano invented by Christofori was work in progress during Mozart’s lifetime but essentially early pianos were much thinner toned instruments compared to the iron framed pianos familiar to modern ears. The fp indication loud going to soft is one more typically associated with both the instruments and piano music of Beethoven. The accompaniment downloads available enable players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the Primo or Secondo parts. The Primo part sounds on the one channel of the stereo signal and the Secondo part sounds on the other. Accompaniment 1 plays at 144 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute, Accompaniment 2 at 132 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute and Accompaniment 3 at 120 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute There is a four bar count in featuring two different sounds of a wood block. When performing printing two pages of music onto one side of A4 offers a very practical solution for players. Close
The Second Movement: Adagio from W.A. Mozart’s Sonata for Piano duet in Bb K.358 is an intermediate level piano duet. The Sonata, composed in the pe Show More...
The Second Movement: Adagio from W.A. Mozart’s Sonata for Piano duet in Bb K.358 is an intermediate level piano duet. The Sonata, composed in the period 1773-74 in Salzburg was most probably intended to played by Mozart and his older sister, Nannerl. The realisation score plays back at a tempo of 58 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. The first repeat is usually played in a performance whilst the second indicated in the sheet music score is usually omitted. Pianists and keyboard players do need to approach the work with a lightness of touch in their hands. When playing the movement as part of an ensemble one of the performing challenges is to maintain clarity in the texture and to communicate the melodic ideas and how these are shared between the players. Whilst not indicated in the score minimal use of the sustaining pedal is suggested. The octave playing in the Secondo part needs careful practice and occasional use of the fourth finger is also suggested for this particular passage. The trills particularly in the Primo part when they are played by both hands also require attention. No repeats are played in the realisation. The challenge when playing Mozart is actually to make it sound like Mozart with a lightness of touch and beauty of sound. The accompaniment downloads available enable players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the primo or secondo parts. The Primo part sounds on the one channel of the stereo signal and the secondo part sounds on the other. Accompaniment 1 plays at 58 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute, Accompaniment 2 at 56 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute and Accompaniment 3 at 54 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute There is a two bar count in featuring two different sounds of a wood block. When performing printing two pages of music onto one side of A4 offers a very practical solution for players. Close
The First Movement from the Keyboard Sonata in C K.19d for piano 4 hands is an intermediate level piano duet. The realization plays back at a tempo of Show More...
The First Movement from the Keyboard Sonata in C K.19d for piano 4 hands is an intermediate level piano duet. The realization plays back at a tempo of 60 half note (minim) beats to the minute. The music editor suggests 64 minim beats to the minute as an ideal tempo for playing the movement. A light touch is required in a performance and all notes need to be clearly articulated. Playing Mozart requires a very consistent and even approach and the avoidance of exaggeration. As far are ornaments are concerned players should be imitating each other in their delivery. The short trill is a simple 4 note shape. This is music that is very much about melody and accompaniment and it is important for players to communicate its charm and beauty. The music editor’s preference is for a dry acoustic which is appropriate for the music and instruments of the period. This sonata is likely to have been performed by the young Mozart with his elder sister Nannerl on a visit to London where the performing instrument was likely to have been a harpsichord. The music was only discovered in 1921 and whilst in the past it has been attributed to W.A Mozart the current view is that it was more probably composed by either his older sister Nannerl or his father Leopold. Suffice to say that much of Mozart's classical musical style is demonstrated in this sonata whichever one of the family composed it! The sonata has some very appealing musical content and as a work, most probably written by a child, it is interesting to play and compare to W.A. Mozart's later and more substantial piano 4 hands music such as the piano Sonata for Piano 4 hands in C K.521. There are several variants in terms of the scores available but the sheet music score and realisations are based on current performance practice. The accompaniment downloads available enable players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the primo or secondo parts. The primo part sounds on the one channel of the stereo signal and the secondo part sounds on the other. Accompaniment 1 plays at 68 half note beats (minim) to the minute, Accompaniment 2 at 64 half note beats (minim) beats to the minute and Accompaniment 3 at 60 half note beats (minim) to the minute. There is a 4 bar count in featuring the sound of a wood block. When performing printing two pages of music onto one side of A4 offers a very practical solution for players. Close
Grieg’s Norwegian Dance No.2 was published in 1880 as a piano duet or more correctly music for piano four hands. Piano duets were a very popular in Show More...
Grieg’s Norwegian Dance No.2 was published in 1880 as a piano duet or more correctly music for piano four hands. Piano duets were a very popular in the late 19th century and much music would appear in this format. Grieg was very fortunate in that he was able to source several folk music collections on which to compose and arrange music. This movement is in ABA ternary form with the A section playing back at a tempo of 68 quarter note beats to the minute in the realisation and the faster B section at 112 quarter note beats to the minute. There is opportunity for some subtle changes in tempo particularly at the ends of sections and these feature in the realisations. The sustaining pedal needs to be used in the playing of the movement and many of the chords are played in a spread or arpeggiated pattern. The melodic and rhythmic shapes of the movement are both strong and this is an excellent performance piece. There are also many arrangements of the piece to be explored for various combinations of instruments. The accompaniment downloads available enable players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the Primo or Secondo parts. The Primo part sounds on the one channel of the stereo signal and the Secondo part sounds on the other. Accompaniment 1 plays at 68 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute and 112 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute for the faster section, Accompaniment 2 at 66 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute and 108 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute for the faster section, Accompaniment 3 at 64 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute and 104 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute for the faster section There is a four bar count in featuring two different sounds of a wood block. When performing printing two pages of music onto one side of A4 offers a very practical solution for players. Close
The Military March No. 1 Opus 51 D.733 was published in 1826 along with two other marches although it was more than likely composed some years before Show More...
The Military March No. 1 Opus 51 D.733 was published in 1826 along with two other marches although it was more than likely composed some years before this date. It was intended to be a teaching piece. The March is in the key of D with the Trio section in the sub-dominant key of G. This work for piano four hands or piano duet has become one of Schubert’s most popular works. There are many arrangements for a range of different instrument combinations. The music is both tuneful and rhythmic. The March and the succeeding Trio are both in AB binary form with the repeats being played. The March is repeated at the end of the Trio without repeats so the form in performance can be summarised by the letters AABBCCDDAB. The realisation plays back at a tempo of 120 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute which is a tempo the music editor suggests the music really comes alive. The accompaniment downloads available enable players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the Primo or Secondo parts. The Primo part sounds on the one channel of the stereo signal and the Secondo part sounds on the other. Accompaniment 1 plays at 120 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute, Accompaniment 2 at 116 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute and Accompaniment 3 at 110 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute. There is a four bar count in with a woodblock sound. When performing printing two pages of music onto one side of A4 offers a very practical solution for players. Close
The Rondo from the Keyboard Sonata in C K.19d for piano 4 hands is an intermediate level piano duet. It is believed that this work dates from 1765 and Show More...
The Rondo from the Keyboard Sonata in C K.19d for piano 4 hands is an intermediate level piano duet. It is believed that this work dates from 1765 and was possibly played by Mozart and his sister on a visit to London when more than likely it was played on a harpsichord. A rondo is a piece with a recurring theme and the form of this movement can be represented by the letters A B A C A D A E A. The realization plays back at a tempo of 110 quarter note beats to the minute. Each section is played at the same tempo apart from the Adagio E section. The appoggiaturas marked in the score can be and are interpreted differently by different performers. The music was only discovered in 1921 and whilst in the past it has been attributed to W.A Mozart the current view is that it was more probably composed by either his older sister Nannerl or his father Leopold. Suffice to say there is much of Mozart's classical musical style in this sonata whichever one of the family composed it! The sonata has some very appealing musical content and as a work, most probably written by a child, it is interesting to play and compare to W.A. Mozart's later and more substantial piano 4 hands music such as the piano Sonata for Piano 4 hands in C K.521. There are several variants in terms of the scores available but the sheet music score and realisation are based on current performance practice. The accompaniment downloads available enable players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the Primo or Secondo parts. The Primo part sounds on the one channel of the stereo signal and the Secondo part sounds on the other. Accompaniment 1 plays at 110 quarter note beats (crotchets) to the minute, Accompaniment 2 plays at 106 quarter note beats (crotchets) to the minute and Accompaniment 3 plays at 100 quarter note beats (crotchets) to the minute There is a 4 bar count in featuring the sound of a wood block. When performing printing two pages of music onto one side of A4 offers a very practical solution for players. Close
The Minuet and Trio for piano 4 hands from the Keyboard Sonata in C K.19d is an intermediate level piano duet. It is believed that this work dates fro Show More...
The Minuet and Trio for piano 4 hands from the Keyboard Sonata in C K.19d is an intermediate level piano duet. It is believed that this work dates from 1765 and was possibly played by Mozart and his sister on a visit to London when more than likely it was played on a harpsichord. The music was only discovered in 1921 and whilst in the past it has been attributed to W.A Mozart the current view is that it was more probably composed by either his older sister Nannerl or his father Leopold. Suffice to say there is much of Mozart's classical musical style in this sonata whichever one of the family composed it. The sonata has some very appealing musical content and as a work, most probably written by a child, it is interesting to play and compare to W.A. Mozart's later and more substantial piano 4 hands music such as the piano Sonata for Piano 4 hands in C K.521. There are several variants in terms of the scores available but the sheet music score and realisation are based on current performance practice. The pattern that the of this music in performance is Minuet AABB Trio AABB followed by a repeat of the Minuet without repeats AB. The video score plays back at a tempo of 112 quarter note beats to the minute. The tempi of the minuet and trio sections are the same. Pianists and keyboard players do need to approach the work with a lightness of touch which is perhaps not suggested in the realisation. All notes need to be clearly articulated but duettists need to remember that the piece is very much about melody and accompaniment and it is the top line which needs to prevail. The music editor is keen to have feedback in respect to the accompaniment particularly in regard to the tempo that has been suggested. The accompaniment downloads available enable players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the primo or secondo parts. The primo part sounds on the one channel of the stereo signal and the secondo part sounds on the other. Accompaniment 1 plays at 126 plays at quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute, Accompaniment 2 plays at 120 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute at beats to the minute and Accompaniment 3 plays at 112 quarter note beats (crotchet) to the minute. There is a 2 bar count in featuring the sound of a wood block. When performing printing two pages of music onto one side of A4 offers a very practical solution for players. Close
Described as an Intermezzo this is a piece of music intended to change the mood usually having a context in a larger scale work. Dating from the early Show More...
Described as an Intermezzo this is a piece of music intended to change the mood usually having a context in a larger scale work. Dating from the early years of the 20th century this is a skillfully composed piece of music and whilst presented in this context as a serious piece it could quite easily be presented as a humorous item with exaggerated tempo changes and more contrasting dynamics. The realization plays at a tempo of 96 quartet note beats to the minute although there are recorded versions that exist with much faster tempos. Tempo changes are only indicated in the closing section and not at the end of phrases and sections. The formal model is clearly that of the American march and it can be best described as an example of early “light music.” As a piece it intended to break a mood it is ideally placed as part of the repertoire in the PlentyMusic Café although its first entry on the website is as a piano duet. Victor Herbert was born in Ireland, and after subsequently training and working in Germany he moved to the United States to become a very successful composer of Broadway operettas in the period between 1890 and the start of World War I in 1914. Close
