Pianists of all backgrounds will savor the vast variety of styles in this delightful compilation of works by masters of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. These major compositions for piano four hands encompass everything from the classical spirit of Beethoven's sprightly
Three Marches,
Op. 45,
to the piquant dance rhythms of Max Reger's
Three Burlesques from Op. 58
and the impressionistic sound-painting of both Debussy's hushed
Prelude
to "The Afternoon of a Faun" and Ravel's vibrant
Rapsodie Espagnole
.
Included as well are Beethoven's
Eight Variations on a Theme by Count Waldstein
and
Sonata in D,
Op. 6
; Dvořák's
Six Legends from Op. 59
; Janáček's charming
Moravian Dances
; Rachmaninoff's
Barcarolle
Italian Polka
(great fun to play!); four of Florent Schmitt's nostalgic waltzes called
Reflections of Germany
; and Tchaikovsky's lovely
Sleeping Beauty
Waltz
(transcribed by Rachmaninoff).
These engaging masterworks for piano four hands are reprinted from authoritative editions, supplemented by a helpful, comprehensive glossary of French and German terms.