Piano duet

The Latsos Piano Duo in Teatro Metropolitano

According to the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, there are two kinds of piano duet: "[pieces of music] for two players at one instrument, and those in which each of the two pianists has an instrument to themselves." In American English usage, the former is often referred to as a "piece for four hands", or "piano four hands".^[1] Grove notes that the one-piano duet has a larger repertory, but has come to be regarded as a modest, domestic form of music-making by comparison with "the more glamorous two-piano duet".^[2] The two-piano form is also referred to as a piano duo,^[3] although this term also refers to a set of two piano players who play together regularly (thus, duos play duets).

The piano duet came to popularity in the second half of the 18th century.

See also

• List of compositions for piano duo
• List of classical piano duos (performers)

References

1. Kuhn, Laura Diane; Nicolas Slonimsky (2001). Music since 1900. New York: Schirmer Reference. p. 81. ISBN 0028647874.
2. Dawes, Frank. "Piano duet", Grove Music Online, Oxford Music Online, accessed 31 March 2012 (subscription required)
3. Bellingham, Jane. "piano duet", The Oxford Companion to Music, Ed. Alison Latham, Oxford Music Online, accessed 31 March 2012 (subscription required)