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Concertos for Two Pianos
Francis Poulenc: Concerto in D minor for Two Pianos and Orchestra (1932)
Quattro Mani (Susan Grace and Alice Rybak), pianos
Colorado College Summer Festival Orchestra
Scott Yoo, conductor
Darius Milhaud: Second Concerto for Two Pianos and Percussion (1961)
Quattro Mani, pianos, David Colson, Peter Cooper, John Kinzie, Michael Tetreault, percussion
Béla Bartók: Concerto for Two Pianos, Percussion and Orchestra (1943)
Quattro Mani, pianos, John Kinzie and David Colson, percussion
Colorado College Summer Festival Orchestra
Scott Yoo, conductor
BRIDGE 9224
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The brilliant duo piano team, Quattro Mani, is heard in three twentieth century concertos. Francis Poulenc's Concerto in D minor is widely regarded as one of the masterpieces of this genre- a witty, sparkling concerto that includes a Mozartean second movement, an imitation of Balinese Gamelan in its first movement, and a high spirited rondo finale that brings the work to a boisterous conclusion. Darius Milhaud's rarely performed Second Concerto for Two Pianos and Percussion in three movements is a tip of the hat to Béla Bartók's masterful Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, a work Milhaud admired, referring to it in his autobiography (1953). Throughout this composition, Milhaud's subtle polytonal harmonic language combines with his colorful use of four percussionists who provide commentary and support of the two protagonists. The focal point of the composition is it's wonderfully intimate slow movement, the longest movement of the piece. In 1943, Bartók was asked to score his Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion as a concerto with orchestra. For the Concerto for Two Pianos, Percussion and Orchestra Bartók added pairs of woodwinds, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, celesta and strings. The orchestration adds color and intensity to a piece already brimming with invention. All of the famous Bartók trademarks are here: "night music", fugal sections, original instrumental effects, and joyous dance music. Conductor Scott Yoo leads Colorado College's festival orchestra, a superb group, selected from among the world's leading young musicians.
These Quattro Mani CDs are also available from Bridge:
George Crumb Edition, Vol. 4, Music for a Summer Evening, Zeitgeist, BRIDGE 9105
Poul Ruders Edition, Vol. 4, De Profundis, BRIDGE 9143
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