Evening star., 1950-04-23
Music
Anporo, Jose Iturbi
Prove Mostership Of
Ensemble Playing
By Alice sversmon


will appear tomorrow in Constitu-
ton Hall in a duo-piano recital.
are another team Of artists WHO
have succumbed TO the charm ot
ensemble playing 1t will be the
local debut Of Amparo lturoi.
whose brother. Jose. has played
here frequently in past wears. This
renowned pianist came here once
in the dual role of SoloiSt and or
chestra conductor. one OF his first
ventures outside of regular concert
giving. Since then he has brought
his art into the motion pictures.
thus rounding out a varied career
that began when he earned money
for his music study by playing in
cafes.
1t is but natural. when there Is
q special affinity between two
pianistS. that they enter the par
ticular field of ensemble playing.
For this is the only basis on which
duo-piano performances have any
chance of success, Amparo lturbi
concertized widely in Europe be-
fore coming TO the United States.
and often included appearances
with her famous brother in her
tours. In later years. she has
shared some of the spotlight with
him in movie productions. Since
they were children. the associa-
ton between the brother and sis
ter has been very close.
Same Outlook on Music.
Although Amparo was not
pupil of her brothers. they have
the same outlook on music. Hav-
ing the same teacher is another
of the guarantees Of success
when pianists team up, for they
approach their work with a fun
damental sameness of viewpoint.
Even so, the challenge of this
kind of ensemble playing is great
and always exciting. Not for a
minute can one or the other pi-
aniSt afford to relax vigilance or
take anything for granted. The
mood of the moment may inspire
one player to a certain effect that
must be instantly graSped and
copied by the other. This seldom
happens, as one of the rules Is
the complete and detailed prepa-
ration beforehand of every phrase.
At the same time. some variation
may creep in under the stimulus
of public performance that must
not be allowed to disrupt the
SmoothneSS of the whole.
The art of duo-piano playing
has bloSsomed out in recent years
with the devotion to it shown by
several artists. 1t promises to be-
come more and more popular.
especially as contemporary COM
posers are enlarging the repertoire
for two instruments with original
compositions. At present. the list
is widened by arrangements. many
of them made by the classical
writers themselves. Four OF the
numbers on the Iturbis' program
have been transcribed by them.
1t will open with the Mozart
Sonata in D major" which was
written presumably by the COM
poser for performance with his
talented sister.
Many Contributed to Style.
Mozart wrote only two works
for two pianos. the Sonata and
a concerto. 1t was Bach. whose
large family contained several
pianiSts. who first experimental
in this form of composition.
Other composers have tried their
hand at it in a minor way, some
works in this form being written
by Mendelssohn. Brahms. Chopin,
Schumann and later Saint-Saens.
It remained for the new genera
tion of composers, such as Rayel.
Debussy, Rachmaninoff, Arensky
and others. TO interest themselves
more deeply in this style of writ.
ing. OF the living composers.
Milhaud. Bax. Britten, Stravinsky.
Hindemith and COPELAND have
contributed their share.
The preparation for a duo
piano recital contains more i'm
portant details than one for o
single artist. Besides individual
practice. there must be the agree
ment on every effect. the exact
timing of all infections with the
corresponding understanding Of
the technical means to achieve
them. 1t requires. more than any,
thing else. a sympathetic alert
ness and a willingness to submerge
one artistic personality in the
other.
1t is no wonder that the exer-
else of such keenness is alluring
to pianiBtS as it has been TO string
players in chamber music.
Artists who have given concerts
in lonesome fashion over a period
Of years find refreshment and fun
as we'll as intellectual and artistic
inspiration in this kind of team