Keyboard Duets from the 16th to the 20th Century for One and Two Pianos

This volume describes the chronology of the piano duet and music for two pianos, from earliest beginnings to the present day, investigating various technical problems and providing a selective list of original duets with genuine musical or historical interest.

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Piano duets, whether for one or two, are among the most enjoyable forms of music-making in which pianists, professional or amateur, can take part. Moreover, they provide invaluable practice in ensemble-playing.

It is often thought that the duet repertoire consists entirely of arrangements of classical symphonies, overtures, and chamber music, but this is not the case. A great many works, often of the finest quality, were originally written for one medium or the other.

This book is divided into three main sections. Part I describes the chronology of piano duets and music for two pianos, from their earliest beginnings in the 16th century to the present day; Part II discusses some of the special technical problems that arise when playing them; Part III provides a selective list of original duets that have genuine musical or historical interest.