Two piano pieces!

[robo1001]

Hey guys!

Has any-one here ever performed any pieces for two pianos? Me and a friend are really interested in doing something, either a concerto for 2 pianos or simply a piece arranged just for 2 pianos? Just list any of your favourites here!

Rob!

[shasta]

Why not just do a standard piano concerto? --- the 2nd piano plays the orchestral part reduced for piano.  <-- many of the orchestral reductions are simply wonderful to play and often are more enjoyable than the soloist's part!  For this, look for concertos that have great interplay between the piano and orchestra.

You mentioned you're interested in a concerto for 2-pianos --- remember, you will still need either a third piano (to play the orchestral part) or an orchestra.

[Dazzer]

I think what he means are music meant for two pianists, as equals.

So here's what i know

Rachmaninov: Suite for Two Pianos (there's 2)
Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances (arrangement)
Poulenc: Double Piano Concerto
Faure: Dolly Suite (really nice to play)
Ravel: La Valse (arrangement)

that's all i can think of at the moment... i'm sure there're some double piano sonatas... erm like from dvorak and mozart.

[vivace]

The Lutoslawski Paganini Variations are super cool 

[Dazzer]

The Lutoslawski Paganini Variations are super cool 

forgot about that...
flashy piece. not very deep though. good for a encore or something i think.

[Floristan]

Brahms' Haydn Variations has a wonderful two piano version written by the composer himself.  I just heard Argerich and Freire perform it last Sunday.  It's a great two-piano piece if you love Brahms, which I do.

They also did the 2nd Rachmaninoff suite, Ravel's La Valse, and the Lutaslawski Paganini Variations (very much a show-off piece).  The Ravel is brilliant and very difficult.  The Rachmaninoff is, well, Rachmaninoff -- written about the same time as the 2nd concerto, so if you like that, you'll probably like this suite.

[anda]

as for 2-pianos concerti:

bach c-moll
mozart es-dur
poulenc

and i heard about martinu having a 2-piano concert, but i never heard it.

i'll get back when i remember more...

p.s. bach is by far the best!

[torchygirl]

I wonder if you couldn't get a large selection by searching for piano duos and what they play?  I saw a concert locally, some played with two pianos, some side by side:

Rachmaninoff-Suite No. 1 "Fantasy" Opus 5
Schubert-Deux Marches Caracteristiques
Chopin-Variations on the National Air de Moore
Lutoslawski-Variations on a theme by Paganini

[bernhard]

Have a look here:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,5639.msg54695.html#msg54695
(2 piano repertory)


Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[robo1001]

Cheers Bernhard, thats a pretty good list there!

[IanT]

There's a duo based in Canada - Anagnoson & Kinton.  They play two piano works pretty much exclusively.  Here's a link to the repertoire page of their web site:

https://www.pianoduo.com/repertoire.html#Works%20for%20Two

Ian

[apion]

I've seen Mozart's Concerto for Two Pianos, K 365, performed a few times and I think it would be really fun to play.   The piece just sparkles!