Full Version: Piano Duet Before 1650, Ideas If Any?
hi in my uni for performance i was put in a piano duet but our teacher wants us to play a piano duet from before 1650 we have looked and can't find any just wondering if anybody no's of any were grade 8 standard if that helps but it has to be learned quite quick so not 2 hard!!! thanks
Hmmm, it is a challenge... as a keen piano duettist, I can't recall any at present. For a start, it was not "piano", was it - till 1709... Even for the harpsichord, I actually haven't come across any work which was composed before 1650. If it is a little later, there are Double, Triple & 4 keyboards Concertos by JSBach etc, I have played Sonata in A by CPEBach....
Sorry I can't help...
Sorry I can't help...
I have a book called "Piano Duets - Baroque Composers" - compiled and edited byMichael Aston and published by OUP. I don't know if it's any use to you, as the earliest composer in it is Purcell, born 1659, but it's a good book nonetheless, and about the level you're looking for.
QUOTE(kelkeys @ Oct 24 2006, 08:29 PM) 
hi in my uni for performance i was put in a piano duet but our teacher wants us to play a piano duet from before 1650 we have looked and can't find any just wondering if anybody no's of any were grade 8 standard if that helps but it has to be learned quite quick so not 2 hard!!! thanks
Look for arrangements. For example, four-hand arrangments of the six Brandenburg Concertos.
QUOTE(organ_dummy @ Oct 26 2006, 12:12 AM)
QUOTE(kelkeys @ Oct 24 2006, 08:29 PM)
hi in my uni for performance i was put in a piano duet but our teacher wants us to play a piano duet from before 1650 we have looked and can't find any just wondering if anybody no's of any were grade 8 standard if that helps but it has to be learned quite quick so not 2 hard!!! thanks
Look for arrangements. For example, four-hand arrangments of the six Brandenburg Concertos.
But J.S. wasn't pre-1650! That's the tricky bit!
As has been mentioned, there is no such thing as a piano duet in this period. If I were you I would take some of Byrd's kbd pieces and arrange them as a duet yourself. That way you will be able to put it at the level you wish and improve your arranging skills too. Win-win situation!
QUOTE(Dulciana @ Oct 25 2006, 07:35 PM)
But J.S. wasn't pre-1650! That's the tricky bit!
I am so sorry, Dulciana. My eyes saw "pre-1650" but my brain was thinking "pre-1750".
The best thing that I can suggest is to get hold of the duets for two guitars or lutes, whichever they were, and arrange them for two pianos. It is quite possible that this has been done already. Maybe an internet hunt would find out. Sorry. I meant to add by John Dowland. Oops!
QUOTE(organ_dummy @ Oct 26 2006, 10:51 PM)
QUOTE(Dulciana @ Oct 25 2006, 07:35 PM)
But J.S. wasn't pre-1650! That's the tricky bit!
I am so sorry, Dulciana. My eyes saw "pre-1650" but my brain was thinking "pre-1750".
My own brain wouldn't have been sure if the dates hadn't been in the index of my duet book!
Re Petrat's suggestion - try virtualsheetmusic.com - they do lots of arrangements
thanks guys weve found a fantasia/almain/galliard piece written for bass viol and organ. can't remember who its by but it was in a random old book in the music library and we thought it was a piano duet!! were gonna just take the organ part as 1 player and the instruments as 2nd player are lecturer said it was a decent peice anyway. it sounds good i shall let you how it goes again thanks for the help 
Surely this is quite hard to find... I thought they didn't have pianos before 1650!?!
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