Two-piano performance : its classification, history, and challenges, with a compilation of a detailed catalogue of works

• Main Author: Schumann, Nina Veronika
• Format: Doctoral Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: University of Cape Town 2014
• Subjects: Includes bibliographical references (leaves 213-218).
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8032

Research into the art of duo piano playing has been severely neglected. Repertoire is generally incorporated into books on solo piano playing and is often omitted from chamber work listings. With the exception of one outdated, out-of-print book by Hans Moldenhauer, I no author has attempted to submit a recent repertoire listing or a complete examination of the complications of duo pianism. The growth in the number of duos and the increasing number of concerts devoted to their repertoire indicates a previously unmatched public interest in the genre. The aim of this thesis is to serve as a reference guide for educators and pianists, in understanding the classification problems of the duo piano genre and how it relates to other pianistic combinations, an examination of the history of two-piano works until 1950, a look at professional and artistic challenges of duo piano playing, and a catalogue of works written for the medium. Confusion exists about the meaning of the word duet. At issue is whether the genre refers to two pianists at one keyboard exclusively, or whether it incorporates two pianists at two keyboards. Various sources were consulted to show that no uniform definition is available. In this initial chapter background to the study is given, available literature is reviewed and research methodology is explained.