BUILDING a Concert Repertoire . . .
It was at a faculty meeting at the Toedtman School of Music in 1985 that Tim & Ann LeVan met each other for the first time. Later that year, the two found themselves coordinating the use of a common studio teaching room; the rest, as they say, is the history of “us”. Together, they formed LeVan/Rayburn Studios in January of 1986, and in September of 1987, the two “tied the knot”. Three plus decades later, two adult sons, Thomas & Stewart, & the blessings of close friends complete their family.
Duet: 1 piano - 4 hands ….
Duo: 2 pianos - 4 hands ....
A fair assessment of pianistic works for four hands - on one, or two pianos, seems to also have many "strings attached". One might even say, " ... it's complicated"; certainly, it is also convoluted. Understanding the current state of the art demands that we at very least, take a few moments and create the dynamics of the music that has and is to be composed or arranged, and, who exactly can and will perform these works. Essentially, it's taken two-hundred and fifty years for this ensemble to evolve from a curious oddity to a viable concert ensemble.
Near the time that our nation was born, we begin to see composers “experimenting” with this sub-species of ensemble. Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms and eventually American composer Louis Moreau Gottschalk contributed a few wonderful works for what would become the library of this ensemble. Other composers have used the ensemble as a test bed for what would become famous orchestral works. Die Moldau by Bedrich Smetana and The Planets by Gustav Holst, began their compositional lives as a piano duet and piano-duo compositions respectively. The late 19th century held a quantum leap for this pairing of instrument(s), or at least pairing of performers - perhaps because the world was becoming a smaller place. Broad brushstrokes could create a mosaic containing the desires of population wanting to hear great music - but typically - great music would only be available in larger metropolitan centers. Music publishers were not deaf to the voice of that demographic; hence - the demand was created - and industry would happily create the supply. We might say that the publishing industry asked the question, why not ARRANGE orchestral works, and works for other ensembles, both large and small for one or two pianos? Hugo Ulrich (1827-1972), Franz Xaver Scharwenka (1850-1924), & Max Reger (1873-1916), and others provided the necessary talent to condense a fully orchestrated score - “down to size”. In doing so, Reger became a champion of the music of Bach, including transcribing ALL six Brandenburg {Orchestral} Concerti into the (piano) duo-duet genre. Ulrich’s handiwork yielded nothing less than ALL nine (9) of Beethoven’s symphonies for piano duet!! As time has transpired since the birth of this website, other works, and equally importantly, arrangements, have presented themselves as the foggy mist of time has lifted its veil. Edward Elgar's, "Enigma Variations", as arranged by W.G. McNaught (1849-1918), is one such work for two pianos - four hands.
The next factor in our equation is the difficulty of finding multiple suitable instruments in the same location to perform on, or two suitably compatible pianists for that matter. Our "math" wouldn't be complete without at least hinting that there has been a compositional lack of vision for this intimate ensemble … a mindset that is happily changing. Duo & Duet piano literature distinguishes itself from solo piano literature, and in doing so - it multiplies the excitement level for the performers and for the audience. Of course, the compositional mind could justifiably say, “I don’t have the performers, or the instruments, so why should I write for this obscure ensemble?”
1924 started off with a "bang" for George Gershwin, and the incredible success of his Rhapsody in Blue. G.G. wrote this work in a concerto format, for two pianos: one acting as soloist, and the other acting as the orchestra. Frede Grofé orchestrated the “2nd” piano part for G.G., and then Henry Levine arranged the work for one piano - four hands. The timeless popularity saw Gershwin create a solo-piano version, not to mention transcriptions for other ensembles. But the Rhapsody in Blue, as iconic as it’s been, was essentially a one-hit wonder for the genre. Curiously enough, Gershwin's next iconic work, An American in Paris, was also written for two pianos, but rarely if ever performed by this ensemble.
The ensemble of two pianists performing together does have unique caveat - specifically whether these two artists are performing on the same instrument, or on separate instruments. Generically, this caveat is essentially ignored by concert go-ers, but there is a distinction. Some piano ensemble "teams" will transfer from playing as a duet (on a single instrument), to a duo (on two instruments), while others stick to one genre or the other.
The unveiling of the contemporary piano-ensemble begins in 1947 with Juilliard grads (& eventually faculty members) Arthur Ferrante and Louis Teicher (Ferrante & Teicher) combining their talents to perform “light classical music”, movie themes, show tunes, and pop music. Ferrante & Teicher continued as a viable duo-piano-team for the next three plus decades. Focusing their piano ensemble repertoire on a single instrument, and earning the title "Piano Duettists", Dallas Weekley and Nancy Arganbright actively concertized from 1960 through 2000. Honor graduates of the Indiana University School of Music, Weekley & Arganbright should certainly be credited with the "single-handed" revival of classical piano duet repertoire. One need only to search "SheetMusicPlus" or "AMAZON" to see hundreds of duet arrangements that Weekley & Arganbright have to their credit.
The legacy classical music audience had to wait until 1970 with the arrival of French pianists, (& sisters) Katia & Marielle Labéque to have their cravings satisfied. The Labéque sisters escalated the capability and range of duo-piano literature as had never before been seen or heard, and happily continue to concertize throughout the world to this day. Along with the Labéque sisters, three additional pianists sit at the top of the duo-duet piano food chain. First is Argentinian-Swiss solo pianist Martha Argerich, who, for the past four plus decades has paired herself with other great solo artists to create wonderful duo-piano and duet-piano performances. Finally, American pianists Gregory Anderson & Elizabeth Joy Roe complete this very short list. Having to create many of the four-hand arrangement(s) themselves, it has been the work of the Labéque’s, Argerich, Anderson & Roe that has caused the repertoire to grow substantially.
Historically, the mere idea of a notable duo-piano team doesn't fare much better than the corresponding library of available music. Adding the concept of a married couple actually being the notable duo-piano team creates a limitation that simply can't be measured. Robert & Gaby Casadesus, Lillian & Irwin Freundlich, Josef & Rosine Lhévinne highlight the beginning and middle of the 20th century. Jerome Lowenthal, and his late wife, pianist Ronit Amir Lowenthal, were reported to have performed piano duos together, yet neither’s performing career was known to be regularly associated with the other. Pianist Olga Samaroff & her husband, conductor /organist Leopold Stokowski, and violinist Carroll Glen & her husband, pianist Eugene List are on the short list of solo virtuoso artists performing with each other; it should be noted that these last two examples are not a pairing of two pianists. The contemporary list of "married (to each other) duo-pianists" on the world stage is remarkably small: Misha & Cipa Dichter (NYC), Eugene & Elisabeth Pridonoff (Cincinnati, OH), Dallas Weekley & Nancy Arganbright (Daytona Beach, FL), Sebastian Euler & his bride, Lucia Huang (Munich, Germany), Robert & Tiraje Ruckman (Dayton, OH), Anne Louise-Turgeon with her spouse Edward Turgeon (Sault Ste Marie, Ontario-CANADA), Stephanie Ho with Saar Ahuvia (NYC), Dr. Du Huang & his wife, Dr. Xiao Hu (Decorah, IOWA), Elizabeth & Marcel Bergmann (Vancouver, BC-CANADA), Michael Rosenboom & his wife - Chie Tsuyuki (Hanover, Germany) {ref. Chicago Tribune 7/9/15}, Claire Aebersold with her husband - Ralph Neiweem (Chicago, IL), and finally Soyeon Kate Lee & her husband - Ran Dank (NYC).
Because most pianists are trained as soloists, the pairing of ideas, techniques, intricacies, details, and stylistic interpretations create a rehearsal and performance crucible. Add this to the semantics associated with having two available premier instruments, and you can see why the genre has had such a rocky beginning. Yet, the outcome is extraordinary. In the paraphrased words of Paul Leland, four hands on one piano, or on two pianos for that matter, adds an incredible level of depth that you don’t hear elsewhere: it’s unique, and it’s rich. Thankfully, the repertoire grows, as does concert attendance.
For LeVan & LeVan, the duo-piano & piano duet experience is the most intimate of ensembles. Just as God uses intense heat, and immense pressure to forge diamonds, the same could be said for intimate ensembles; perhaps this is the reason that duo-piano teams are so rare, especially when the team are spouses. God alone getting the Glory (Soli Deo Gloria) allows them to persevere through the flames of rehearsal, and create fireworks for their audiences.