Recital
Repertoire
Two-piano Programme:
(eg Beaconsfield Concerts, March 2008)
|
BRUCH:
|
Fantasy
in D minor, Op.11
|
|
SCHUMANN:
|
4
Canonic Studies, Op.56
|
|
LISZT:
|
Concerto
pathétique, S.258
|
|
POULENC:
|
Capriccio
(Le Bal Masqué),
Elégie; L'Embarquement pour Cythère
|
|
BERNSTEIN
arr. N&M:
|
Scenes
from West Side Story
|
Two-Piano
Recital Programme with
Percussion: includes
| BARTOK |
Sonata for Two Pianos &
Percussion |
Two-Pianos &
Narrator Recital Programme:
|
POULENC:
|
L'Embarquement
pour Cythere
|
|
POULENC:
|
Babar, the
little elephant
|
|
WALTON:
|
Excerpts from
'Facade'
|
|
SAINT-SAENS:
|
Carnival
of the Animals
|
|
|
(with
specially commissioned verses by Jeremy Nicholas)
|
Piano
Duet (1 piano/4 hands) Programme: The Virtuoso Piano Duet:
|
MOZART:
|
Sonata in D major
K381
|
|
WEBER:
|
Rondo in B
flat, Op.60 No.8
|
|
SCHUBERT:
|
Rondo in D,
D608
|
|
RACHMANINOFF:
|
Russian
Melody, Op.11 No.3
|
|
RAVEL
|
Laideronnette,
Impératrice des Pagodes (Ma Mère l'Oye)
|
|
STRAVINSKY:
|
Polka (3 Easy
Pieces); Danse Sacrale (The Rite of Spring)
|
|
LEIGHTON:
|
Sonata for
Four Hands, Op.92
|
|
BRAHMS, GRIEG, FAURE, BIZET,
GOTTSCHALK, BARBER, YOUMANS
|
A Worldwide
Tour of Dances
|
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* * * * *
Concerto Repertoire
Two-Piano Concertos:
As part of Nettle
& Markham's 30th Anniversary celebrations a new work written especially for the Duo
was
commissioned by Prof. Lionel Bowman - their dear South African friend and
'musical godparent' - and the World Première of Hendrik Hofmeyr’s Concerto for Two
Pianos was enthusiastically received by audience and critics alike in
Pretoria in April 2005. The Chamber Orchestra of South Africa was conducted by
Conrad van Alphen.
“The
highlight of this concert … a deeply rewarding experience … prodigal in
invention …eminently accessible … an infectious vitality … an infallible
ear for novel sonority …The opening movement is a gorgeous tapestry of shot
colours … The beauty of the nostalgic slow movement … dissolves into the
purest poetry. The playful and delicately scored finale, a wonderful odyssey of
rippling sound … abristle with life and a constant delight. The
duo-pianists played with fluency and communicative warmth ... they displayed a
wide range of dynamics…”
|
R. van Rensburg - Pretoria News |
“A bold, festive
piece … exuberant in the outer movements … unbounded adventurousness … the
central movement lyrical … nostalgic. The piano duo was prepared to
their very fingertips to make the première memorable ... a palpable level of
enthusiasm. In the slow movement they evinced deep musical feeling
..."
*
Nettle & Markham gave
the first Cape Town performance in November 2006 during the Cape Town
International Summer Music Festival. Tragically, Prof. Bowman died just
weeks before being able to hear a live performance of the work he'd played such
an important part in.
"This concerto,
like Hofmeyr's other works, shows technical assurance, the classical style
teasing the listener's musical intelligence with ironic as well as serious
references. Various motifs and combinations are used, alternating between
typical 18th century writing (employing fugato and strict canon) and 20th
century note-series techniques. Hofmey'rs strong melodic sense, striking
contrasts in rhythm, tempo and texture along with rich, colourful orchestration
kept me captivated. Even on first hearing it was clear that the pianists
were brilliant..."
*
Complete Two-Piano Concerto
Repertoire:
| SAINT-SAENS |
Carnival of the Animals |
| POULENC |
Concerto in D Minor |
| MENDELSSOHN |
Concerto in E |
| ARNOLD |
Concerto Op.104 |
| BARTOK |
Concerto for two pianos and percussion |
| MOZART |
Concerto in F K242 |
| MOZART |
Concerto in E flat K365 |
| BRUCH |
Concerto in A flat Op.88a |
| BRITTEN |
Scottish Ballad Op.26 |
| DAVIS,
Carl |
'Champions' Concerto |
| HOFMEYR,
Hendrik |
Concerto (2004) |
Concertos
for 1 piano/4
hands:
| ARNOLD |
Concerto for Piano Duet and Strings
|
*
* * * *
Although appearing as
concerto soloists and recitalists forms the basis of David and Richard’s
performing activities, they also relish opportunities to join forces with
singers and choirs in masterpieces of the choral repertoire. Orff’s
Carmina Burana and Rossini’s Petite Messe
Solennelle have been firm favourites for many seasons and following
their involvement, in 2004, in the recreation of the 1st London performance of Brahms’
Requiem they have been subsequently invited to perform this
momentous work in its fascinating four-handed version on many occasions.
Soloists, Chorus, Two Pianos and
Harmonium:
| ROSSINI |
Petite Messe
Solennelle |
Soloists, Chorus, Two Pianos and
Percussion:
| ORFF |
Carmina Burana |
| LAMBERT |
The Rio Grande |
| DYSON |
The Blacksmiths |
Soloists, Chorus and 1 piano/4
hands:
This more immediate and intimate version
of a much loved choral work has received a very warm, enthusiastic appreciation from
audiences, singers and conductors alike:
"I can't thank you
enough for your marathon contribution to the evening on Sunday. It is
clearly a massive undertaking, and you handled it so magnificently... The whole
idea of performing the Requiem in that way is clearly such a good one, and I was
thrilled by the way it turned out. Your presence and the sheer quality of
your playing provided the ultimate inspiration". [Brian
Kay, 2006]
Throughout his life
Brahms was encouraged by his publishers to transcribe his major works for home
consumption (ie for 1 piano/4 hands) and he usually complied, although he was often
so reticent about owning up to the fact of having done so that he insisted they be published under various pseudonyms. The recent
publication of his duet arrangement of the Requiem has resulted in a number of
performances with singers of this version which have not always been successful
due to misconceptions regarding the transcription. Brahms’ one
piano/four-hand transcription of the Requiem is a self-contained
reduction of the complete score (solo, choral and instrumental parts) and, as such, was
obviously never intended to be used as a substitute for the orchestra in choral
performances (despite its possible use as substitute for the orchestra in the first private chamber performance
in London in 1871). So as to be able to present the work in a satisfactory
form in performances with choir and soloists,
for their unique version Nettle & Markham have painstakingly recreated the
orchestral parts (from both Brahms’ piano transcription and the original score)
and perform a one piano/four-hands version of the orchestral score which faithfully represents the letter and
spirit of this great work, presenting it in a new light but with all the immediacy and
intensity the
composer intended.
*
Soloists/Chorus
and 1 piano/4 hands:
| BRAHMS |
Liebeslieder Waltzes |
Chorus,
1 piano/4 hands and organ:
| CROSSE |
The Covenant of the Rainbow |
* * *
* *