Playing Together - Etiquette and Tips for Duet Playing

More Advanced Duets

The following are some of our suggestions for teachers’ get-togethers and more advanced players:

A.Dvorak: Slavonic Dances op.46 and op.72

Fun and inspiring pieces with a lot of rustic character. My favourites are No.6 in A flat and No.8 in G minor!

Alfred and older publishers

C.Debussy: Petite Suite

Four gorgeous pieces with the first probably the most accessible but all four worth working at.

Durand, UMP, Kjos but also other publishers

G. Fauré: Dolly Suite op.56

Wistful French pieces, with the Berceuse and Jardin de Dolly being the most accessible. Quite fiddly at times but worth every effort invested to work out individual parts and often tricky fingering.

UMP and other publishers

G. Bizet: Jeux d’enfants

12 pieces full of character – best to start with Petit Mari, Petite Femme and La Poupée, the slower pieces, then attempt the faster ones (La Toupie to start with) some of which are quite virtuosic!

Durand and other publishers

P.Warlock: Capriol Suite

Characterful pseudo medieval dances, packed full of interesting rhythms but not too difficult to master. Start with the Pavane and Pieds-en-l’air and then go for the quicker numbers. Great fun.

Boosey & Hawkes and Goodmusic Publishing

Romantic Piano Music, 2 volumes, editor Klaus Börner (who wrote the handbook above)

Many discoveries, individually and carefully chosen, not necessarily mainstream. A treasure trove.

Schott

This is only a VERY small selection of what is a huge genre in piano music. Once you have found the right partner you won’t want to stop playing duets! You will be exploring the beautiful original piano duet music by Schubert and Mozart, and the many many arrangements of symphonies, quartets, songs and other orchestral pieces. The list is quite literally endless - Enjoy!