Day 256: Piano Works 4-Hands

BeethovenCD61I’m not sure why anyone would create piano music that requires four hands to play.

Be that as it may, these compositions are quite good.

Then again, I’m a sucker for piano music.

So if Bozo the Clown sat down at the piano and played with his elbows using only the black keys, I’d probably enjoy it.

These compositions are better than Bozo playing the black keys. Or Scottish folk songs. Or vocal music in general. But they aren’t Chopin nocturnes performed by Arthur Rubinstein. Or Bach’s Brandenburg Concerts performed by Glenn Gould. They’re just Beethoven’s four-hand piano music performed by accomplished musicians.

So, they’re good. But not great. And not something I’ll likely ever want to hear again.

Here’s what I’m listening to today:

Sonata in D Op. 6 (composed 1796-1797; Beethoven was 26-27)

8 Variations in C Wo067

3 Marches Op 45 (composed 1803; Beethoven was 33)

6 Variations in D Wo074

Grosse Fuge Op. 134

Here’s what Grosse Fuge Op. 134 would look like played on stage:

Piano Sonata in D Wo047 No. 3

Most of these pieces are very short, some only about 30-40 seconds – which almost qualifies them as “snippets.”

Performers:

Frank Zabel, Stefan Thomas piano four-hands tracks 1-27
Ulrich Staerk piano tracks 28-30

My favorite pieces on this CD are the last three tracks, which comprise Piano Sonata in D Wo047 No. 3.

I do enjoy piano music.