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Performance by Anna Grinberg, Liam Viney from the CD Works by Percy Grainger, Robert Davidson, Carl Vine, Matthew Hindson. |
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CD
Four hands : Australian music for piano / Viney-Grinberg Piano Duo.
Library shelf no. CD 2793 [Not for loan]
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Work Overview
In my earlier piano sonatas I occasionally wished that the
soloist could grow an extra hand to manage all of the requisite
notes. In the long run, adding an extra player seemed more
prudent, and it now seems odd to me that the "four hand sonata"
has enjoyed so little popularity since the nineteenth century.
This is my first attempt to make a concert work of solid
substance using those two extra hands which, by playing on the
same (well-maintained and tuneful) instrument, have a distinct
advantage over their 'duo' brethren if the two instruments
concerned aren't perfectly attuned to each other.
The work falls into five sections played without a break. The
extended, heavily rhythmic Prelude
opens with a declamatory introduction revolving around a sequence
of 16-note chords which, in just two bars, sound 65 of the 88
notes on the keyboard. This leads to a gentle
Waltz demanding great flexibility and
sensitivity from the players. The central section,
Deuces, methodically explores the 6
unique (non-directional) pairings of 4 hands: 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 2-3,
2-4 and 3-4. Each pair shares, in turn, a leading melody while
the remaining two hands provide mellifluous interlinking
accompaniments.
The pairings evolve into a short, energetic bridge passage that
falls precipitously to a reflective
Meditation luxuriating in the sonorous
resonance of a piano keyboard caressed by 20 fingers. This is
succeeded by a fast-paced Toccata in
triplet rhythms that progresses to a pounding finale.
It is 'pure' music with no specific accompanying narrative or
poetic allusion.
Carl Vine, 8 October 2009
Work Details
Year: 2009
Instrumentation: Piano duo, 4 hands.
Duration: 23 min.
Difficulty: Advanced
Commission note: Commissioned by Kim Walker, University of Sydney.. Commissioned to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
First performance: at The Key to Vine (Verbrugghen Hall) on 22 Nov 2009
Performances of this work
12 Jun 2021: at Australian Piano Works for Four Hands (Recital Hall West, Sydney Conservatorium of Music). Featuring Melody Chung, Jihyeon Lim.
27 Feb 2021: at Australian Piano Works for Four Hands (Recital Hall West, Sydney Conservatorium of Music). Featuring Melody Chung, Jihyeon Lim.
8 Mar 2019: at Composing Noosa Festival (Noosa Arts Theatre). Featuring Anna Grinberg, Liam Viney.
3 Dec 2017: at ANAM: Piano Four Hands (Sydney Opera House, Utzon Room). Featuring Timothy Young, ANAM Musicians.
21 Nov 2017: at ANAM: Beleura Estate Recital (Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM)). Featuring ANAM Musicians.
7 Mar 14: Old First Church, San Francisco, USA. Featuring ZOFO Piano Duet.
27 Jan 14: Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ USA. Featuring ZOFO Piano Duet.
26 Jan 14: Helmet Concert Association, Hermet, CA, USA. Featuring ZOFO Piano Duet.
3 May 2010: at 88 Keys (Conservatorium Recital Hall (Hobart)). Featuring Sydney Conservatorium Keyboard Staff.
22 Nov 2009: at The Key to Vine (Verbrugghen Hall).
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