Stravinsky / Hill / Frith Music For 2 Piano / Rite Of Spring CD

Stravinsky composed his music at the keyboard, often struggling to play his own complex rhythms. It is not surprising therefore that many of his symphonic works also exist in his own piano versions, such as the four hand transcription of his ballet, The Rite of Spring. It is a pianistic tour de force, the players often having to interweave fingers, hands and arms to meet the composers tremendous demands of virtuosity. The work has for many years formed part of the standard repertoire of Benjamin Frith and Peter Hill. They have played it throughout England to astonished audiences, and have broadcast this (and the other two works on this disc) on BBC Radio 3. The performance is staggeringly brilliant, superbly recorded in St Silas Church, London on a wonderful Bosendorfer Imperial Grand. The duo are now recording exclusively for Naxos, Peter Hill will be recording the complete music by Stravinsky for two hands at sessions this summer.

1. Sonata for Two Pianos: Moderato 2. Sonata for Two Pianos: Theme with Variations 3. Sontata for Two Pianos: Variation 1 4. Sonata for Two Pianos: Variation 2 5. Sonata for Two Pianos: Variation 3 6. Sonata for Two Pianos: Variation 4 7. Sonata for Two Pianos: Allegretto 8. Concerto for Two Pianos: Con Moto 9. Concerto for Two Pianos: Notturno 10. Concerto for Two Pianos: Variation 1 (Quattro Variazioni) 11. Concerto for Two Pianos: Variation 2 (Quattro Variazioni) 12. Concerto for Two Pianos: Variation 3 (Quattro Variazioni) 13. Concerto for Two Pianos: Variation 4 (Quattro Variazioni) 14. Concerto for Two Pianos: Preludio E Fuga 15. The Rite of Spring - Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Introduction 16. The Rite of Spring - Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Auguries of Spring (Dances of the Young Girls) 17. The Rite of Spring - Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Ritual of Abduction 18. The Rite of Spring - Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Spring Rounds 19. The Rite of Spring - Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Games of the Rival Tribes 20. The Rite of Spring - Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Procession of the Wise Elder 21. The Rite of Spring - Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: The Sage 22. The Rite of Spring - Part I: The Adoration of the Earth: Dance of the Earth 23. The Rite of Spring - Part II: The Sacrifice: Introduction 24. The Rite of Spring - Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystic Circles of the Young Girls 25. The Rite of Spring - Part II: The Sacrifice: Glorification of the Chosen One 26. The Rite of Spring - Part II: The Sacrifice: Evocation of the Ancestors 27. The Rite of Spring - Part II: The Sacrifice: Ritual Action of the Ancestors 28. The Rite of Spring - Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance