Piano duets, whether for one or two, are among the most enjoyable forms of music-making in which pianists, professional or amateur, can take part. Moreover, they provide invaluable practice in ensemble-playing. It is often thought that the duet repertoire consists entirely of arrangements of classical symphonies, overtures, and chamber music, but this is not the case. A great many works, often of the finest quality, were originally written for one medium or the other. This book is divided into three main sections. Part I describes the chronology of piano duets and music for two pianos, from their earliest beginnings in the 16th century to the present day; Part II discusses some of the special technical problems that arise when playing them; Part III provides a selective list of original duets that have genuine musical or historical interest.
