Schubert for two pianists, four hands

This is a past Tuesday Blog from 5 June 2012.

The occasional pairing of Austrian pianists Paul Badura-Skoda and Jörg Demus has resulted on a number of recordings in the 50’s and as late as a few years ago, notably of Schubert and Mozart’s works for piano 4-hands.

Both pianists are born in the 1920’s, and are recognized as being specialists of late classical to late romantic/early contemporary repertoires, having collaborated as performers and as authors (co-authoring analyses of the Beethoven sonatas, for example). Accomplished soloists in their own right, their unique insight in the late classical composers makes their Schubert stand out – and I personally have enjoyed these “in performance” recordings of these familiar works.

Here is a performance by the duo, from five years ago, performing one of the works featured in this week's playlist:

PLAYLIST DETAILS


Franz SCHUBERT (1797 - 1828)

Three Military Marches for piano duo, D. 733

• No. 1 (D Major)
• No. 2 (G Major)
• No. 3 (B Flat Major)

Rondo in D Major for piano duo, D. 608
Rondo in A Major for piano duo, D. 951
Eight variations on an original theme, in A Flat Major, for piano duo, D. 813
Fantasy in F Major for piano duo, D. 940 


Performed by Paul Badura-Skoda and Jörg Demus, pianists
(Recorded in performance, Milan 1978)
Downloaded from MP3.COM on 23 November, 2001