Marie & Veronica Kuijken
Sonatas for four hands
- Type SACD
- Label Challenge Classics
- UPC 0608917236323
- Catalog number CC 72363
- Release date 07 January 2011
About the album
The four-hand repertoire was certainly not popular during the period that the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his slightly older sister Nannerl would be placed behind a clavier to entertain audiences with four-hand music. Mozart wrote five duet sonatas and several separate works for pianoforte four-hand. On this CD, the four-hand pieces are Mozart’s two last and most monumental sonatas. They explore the limits of the pianoforte, both literally and regarding sound volume. Mozart did not shy away from giving both players an independent and often complicated and technically demanding part.
Sonata in F, K. 497:Mozart’s way of exploiting the opportunities inherent in the four-hand repertoire was pioneering and led to impressive results. This sonata reminds one not only of his symphonic music and operas but also his sometimes highly virtuosic pieces and concertos for pianoforte.
Sonata in C K 521: Instead of the tight interweaving of the four hands of K 497, this sonata establishes a more competitive relationship between the two performers. Many are the passages where they
imitate each other (with deviations).
The Sonata in D K 448 similar to the K 521 sonata. Here, too, scores of virtuosic figures are passed back and forth by the performers.(Source: linernotes of the CD 'Sonatas for four hands'- Il Pulcini - Marie & Veronika Kuijken)
-
11Sonata for Two Pianos in D major KV 448 Allegro con spirito
08:35 -
12Sonata for Two Pianos in D major KV 448 Andante
09:17 -
13Sonata for Two Pianos in D major KV 448 Molto allegro
06:58 -
14Sonata for Piano Two Hands in F major KV 497 Adagio - Allegro di molto
09:12 -
15Sonata for Piano Two Hands in F major KV 497 Andante
10:31 -
16Sonata for Piano Two Hands in F major KV 497 Allegro
08:04 -
17Sonata for Piano Two Hands in C major KV 521 Allegro
09:30 -
18Sonata for Piano Two Hands in C major KV 521 Andante
06:25 -
19Sonata for Piano Two Hands in C major KV 521 Allegretto
08:12
The subtleties of the pianoforte: great review for Marie and Veronica Kuijken on Musicweb-international
31-03-2011
A very positive review of Mozarts Sonatas for four hands, performed by Marie and Veronica Kuijken on the early pianoforte, has been published on Musicweb-InternationalSome quotes: "This recording has been made by the sisters Marie and Veronica Kuijken, daughters of well known early music specialist and ...