A piano duet is a form of chamber music and it surfaced with the 18th century piano. It had a fulfilling musical life during the 19th century, but in the 20th century, it started disappearing in these modern times. The piano duet had flourished before the era of radio and recordings, which replaced transcriptions as the way of hearing orchestral music. This was before the time when television and transportation cut out do-it-yourself pastimes.
In his book, The Piano Duet, Ernest Lubin mentions that this medium provides an acceptable way for young people to come together, particularly those of the opposite sex. It is probably more than incidental that a large amount of piano duet music involves the crossing of the hands between partners, even where it may not be required by the music itself.
There are also two types of piano duet: the ones that are for two players at one instrument and the others in which each pianist plays on a separate instrument. In the case of American usage, the first one is generally known as ‘piano four hands’. Experts that the one-piano duet has a larger repertory, but it has come to be considered as a modest, domestic form of music-making in comparison with the two-piano duet, which is considered to be more glamorous.
Piano four hands is the type of piano duet in which two players play the same piano at the same time. On the other hand, a duet in which the players play separate instruments is generally known as the ‘piano duo’.
The piano duet became popular in the second half of the 18th century. Duets were played by Mozart, along with his sister as a child. Later on, he wrote sonatas for four hands on one piano. Another composer in this regard was Schubert, who composed for the genre, notably his Fantasy in F minor.
In The Oxford Companion to Music, Jane Bellingham lists other composers who have written piano duets: Brahms, Dvořák, Grieg, Debussy, Stravinsky, and Bartók. During the latter part of the 19th century and in the earlier part of the 20th century, French piano duets included Bizet’s Jeux d’enfants, Fauré’s Dolly Suite, and Ravel’s Ma mère l’oye.
Generally, the music that has been especially written for piano four hands is printed. The part to be played by each player occupies the page that is directly opposite the player. The upper part is for the pianist sitting on the right. The music on the right side of the page is known as ‘primo’. The lower part is for the pianist sitting on the left, and it is known as ‘secondo’.
Arrangements
By far, the most significant part of music à quatre mains generally consists of the arrangements of orchestral and vocal compositions and also of the quartets and other groups for stringed instruments. It is also true that hardly any compilation of significance for any combination of instruments has not been arranged and published in this form.
Due to its competitive facility of performance, the parts have been calculated to reproduce the characteristic effect of these works more readily and faithfully, compared to the arrangements for piano solo. In some cases, these ‘piano two hands’ parts have also been arranged for ‘piano four hands’ so that they can be made accessible to amateurs.
These types of arrangements were particularly popular before recording technology was developed because the vast majority of the time, there was no other way to hear a large number of high-quality works of music.
Playing a piano duet can be a lot of fun. It is very exciting when two different parts of the music are put together to make one cohesive piece. Duets provide a rich and fulfilling sound on the piano because it is possible to maximize the full range of the piano. It is also a wonderful experience when you collaborate with other musicians, learn from them, and work together to achieve a common goal.
However, there is also a bit of a learning curve present when playing piano duets. Therefore, it can sometimes be frustrating to keep core parts together. In the same way, sharing the bench with some other person and hearing them can also be disorienting sometimes. Luckily, as is the case with solo practice, playing duets also becomes easier with constant practice and if you remain aware of the methods of approaching this skill.
Finding The Right Level Of The Duet
A significant difference is present when playing a duet and in playing solo. Since playing duet requires different skills, compared to solo playing, you should consider leveling down with duet music. Obviously, you do not want the duet music to be so challenging that you are unable to keep up or that it takes too long to learn.
Start with a duet that is easier than what you would generally find challenging in a solo piece. If you and your duet partners are playing at different levels, you should go for music that is convenient for the player with less experience.
Learn your part first. Before you start playing with your duet partner, you should take a lot of time to learn your own part because you want to be really confident about your part before you start to play the two parts. Additionally, a duet partner will also appreciate it if he or she does not have to watch you working through your fingers and learning the notes. At the same time, you will also get more from the duet practice if you are already prepared and confident with your own part.
Count
It is always significant that you count and feel the beat of the music at the time of practice. However, it is particularly significant to make counting your priority when you are learning duet music. If one of the partners is not counting, it will become impossible to sync the music. You can use a metronome or play along with a very rhythmic recording of your piece. This will help you make a habit of playing with excellent rhythm.
Conclusion
There are a number of details that you need to explore while learning to play a duet. Slow practice is necessary for practicing your own part, and also for practicing with your partner. If you are not able to play correctly at a slower tempo, playing up to speed will be inaccurate and messy.
In the end, playing duets on the piano can be a really fun experience. However, you’ll need to spend a lot of time practicing at the instrument alone. Having a chance to explore music with another pianist is a special experience all on its own.
