The cover art for this disc doesn't exactly tell anyone what's in store when s/he listens. What do cats playing bassoon and cello have to do with music for two pianos and percussion? Nothing, really. Regardless, the disc is well worth hearing both for the selection of works and the performances. Susan Grace and Alice Rybak, the two pianists of Quattro Mani, matched Poulenc's popular Concerto for Two Pianos with concertos for two pianos and percussion by Milhaud and Bartók. The Poulenc can be percussive at times, which makes ...
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The cover art for this disc doesn't exactly tell anyone what's in store when s/he listens. What do cats playing bassoon and cello have to do with music for two pianos and percussion? Nothing, really. Regardless, the disc is well worth hearing both for the selection of works and the performances. Susan Grace and Alice Rybak, the two pianists of Quattro Mani, matched Poulenc's popular Concerto for Two Pianos with concertos for two pianos and percussion by Milhaud and Bartók. The Poulenc can be percussive at times, which makes it a good match with the other two works here, and there is a direct, historical link between the Milhaud and Bartók. (Milhaud used the Bartók as a model in terms of instrumentation, but did not want to imitate Bartók.) All three concertos call for precision and energy from all the performers, and Quattro Mani, the featured percussionists (John Kinzie and David Colson), and the Colorado College Summer Music Festival Orchestra carry it off very well indeed. There is a blend of sound...
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