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Piano duo in the rain

Two concert grands, side by side. Four people sitting on stage: two page turners and two pianists. Only ten people in the audience.

This was the scene when I arrived. I missed the first piece, Poulenc's Capriccio. Each pianist took turns explaining the next piece. I sat back and relaxed, while enjoying the two pianists playing an orchestra of sound.

Poulenc's Elegie, J Francais' Danses Exotiques, Lutoslawski's Variations on a Theme by Paganini. I didn't realise there was so much repertoire for two pianos.

Peter Noke, currently pianist in-residence at St Martin's College, Lancaster, wrote the second to the last piece. It was a variation of Bach's Variations on a Theme of Paganini for one piano, four hands. It seemed like so much fun.

The forty-five minutes flew by very quickly. I heard the rain again, tapping on the roof of Vestry Hall.

Why weren't there more people in the audience? There was no advertisement other than the listing in the London College of Music & Media's music programme. And how many people get this maroon booklet? I had to queue at Thames Valley University's Open Day to get a copy. And I had to mentally remember to go there.

A free concert of the very top notch performers! Where's the catch?

I had to cycle back in the pouring rain. My freshly blow-dried (or blown-dry?) hair got soaking wet. I must be a true piano-die-hard to go cycling in the rain for a piano duo concert!

16 October 2002 Wednesday

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