Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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There can be no doubting Faber Music’s commitment to their rapidly expanding series of keenly-priced but tastefully presented bumper Piano Anthologies, the latest of which focuses on intermediate piano duet repertoire with a contemporary and appealing twist.
This is the tenth anthology in the series, and having reviewed them all here, regular readers probably now know the drill. I like these books, they are gorgeously presented and deliver an engaging and distinctive range of music. I have also seen that they have proved popular with my adult students and in our piano club.
So let’s check out the latest addition…
Piano Duet Anthology
As with most of the previous books in Faber Music’s Piano Anthology series, the pieces here are suitable for late intermediate to early advanced piano players, around UK Grades 5-8. As such, the two players (one piano, four hands) have equal status throughout, and the Secondo and Primo parts are printed on facing pages.
One strength of this series is Faber Music’s deft ability to mix familiar classics with less familiar and contemporary pieces, side by side, and here as ever this gives the Piano Duets Anthology an enjoyably fresh vibe:
- Maurice Ravel: Pavane de la Belle au bois dormant (Ma mère l’Oye)
- Pam Wedgwood: Amber
- György Ligeti: Andante (Sonatina for Piano 4 Hands)
- Peter Sculthorpe: Sea Chant (Four Little Pieces for Piano Duet)
- Cécile Chaminade: Pastorale
- Mykola Leontovych: Carol of the Bells
- Gabriel Fauré: Berceuse (Dolly Suite)
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Sonatina (Cantata No.106)
- Felix Mendelssohn: Wedding March (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
- Gabriel Fauré: Pavane (Op.50)
- Scott Joplin: Maple Leaf Rag
- Johann Pachelbel: Canon in D major
- Ludwig van Beethoven: Adagio Cantabile (Sonata Pathétique)
- Danny Elfman: The Piano Duet (Corpse Bride)
- Georg Friedrich Händel: Zadok the Priest
- Claude Debussy: En bateau (Petite Suite)
- Phoria: Current
- Georges Bizet: Les Chevaux de bois (Jeux d’enfants)
- Edvard Grieg: Morning (Peer Gynt)
- Antonin Dvoràk: Slavonic Dance (Op.72 No.2)
- Franz Schubert: Marche Militaire No.1
- George Gershwin: Prelude No.3 (Three Preludes)
- Modest Mussorgsky: Promenade (Pictures at an Exhibition)
- Georg Friedrich Händel: Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (Solomon)
- Nina Simone: Sinnerman (based on an African American Spiritual)
- Johannes Brahms: Hungarian Dance No.5
- Margaret Bonds: Troubled Water
- Sergei Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Digging into this fascinating range of content, I initially turned to look at the scores of popular favourites Berceuse (Dolly), En Bateau and Marche Militaire, establishing that these are the original versions, not simplified ones.
The majority of the works in the volume are arrangements of other classics, from solo piano pieces (such as the slow movement of Beethoven’s Pathétique Sonata) to orchestral favourites (Mendelssohn’s Wedding March). Such arrangements have always been a staple of the domestic duet repertoire, and in that tradition are equally successful here.
Some arrangements, such as Catherine Rollin’s of Carol of the Bells and Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, have appeared before elsewhere, but there are plenty of exclusive and welcome new arrangements here, credited to Olly Weeks, Imogen Hall, and Ed Sanderson.
I noticed the occasional collision between players (The Piano Duet from The Corpse Bride needs some adaptation, or two pianos, to work). But in general, these are excellent reimaginings, which preserve the character of the original works and are fun to play.
The Publication
When it comes to the publication, I have little to add to my previous reviews of this series. The cover is made of thick matt card, sporting fold-out flaps which convey the rather lush aesthetic of a coffee-table book. Further underlining the care lavished on the presentation, a couple of pieces are preceded by full-page, high-quality, black-and-white photographs.
As ever, the trade-off is that the book needs some persuasion to stay open for practical use. And with such a high-quality aesthetic in general, the choice of bright white paper rather than classy cream is a pity.
My other disappointment is that the Piano Duet Anthology lacks audio recordings of each part, which would have been so useful for practising and enjoying this material in the absence of a playing partner.
Turning to the content, the duet pieces appear in a progressive order, with easier pieces at the front and the harder ones later in the book. The scores seem accurate and are clearly reproduced, enjoying well-spaced engraving. The added editorial fingering serves players well, but the organisation of page turns is not always ideal.
Closing Thoughts
The Faber Music Piano Anthology series has become a formidable presence, covering a wide range of genres, and aimed squarely at adult enthusiasts and domestic players. As ever, it will be interesting to see future additions, and I suspect the well of ideas has not yet run dry!
For intermediate to advanced players interested in duet playing, this volume provides a great introduction to the genre. With its mix of well-known favourites, popular classical arrangements, and contemporary pieces, it makes a fantastic choice for those seeking a wide range of piano duet material to explore, delivered in an appealing package.
For those wanting an alternative which offers a more traditional selection, includes excellent professional audio tracks, and enjoys high quality presentation on cream paper, Easy Concert Pieces for Four Hands from Schott Music, reviewed here, is a compelling choice.
However, the Faber Music Piano Duet Anthology offers a unique and enticing selection of music with a more contemporary twist, and seems likely to enjoy very wide, and well-deserved appeal. This is a collection that will undoubtedly bring much shared music-making and listening enjoyment, and for a long time to come.
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