Some of Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky's most beloved music can be found in his three great ballets, which have become familiar to audiences in complete performances, as well as variously configured suites and arrangements. This hybrid SACD by pianists Mari Kodama and Momo Kodama offers transcriptions for piano duo by Sergey Rachmaninov, Anton Arensky, Eduard Leontyevich Langer, and Claude Debussy, which capture the brilliance and beauty of the original versions. One is struck by the faithfulness of the arrangers, who eschewed ...
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Some of Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky's most beloved music can be found in his three great ballets, which have become familiar to audiences in complete performances, as well as variously configured suites and arrangements. This hybrid SACD by pianists Mari Kodama and Momo Kodama offers transcriptions for piano duo by Sergey Rachmaninov, Anton Arensky, Eduard Leontyevich Langer, and Claude Debussy, which capture the brilliance and beauty of the original versions. One is struck by the faithfulness of the arrangers, who eschewed pyrotechnics in favor of accurately re-creating Tchaikovsky's music, and the keyboard versions often bring the orchestral sonorities and textures to mind. The selections also recommend themselves because of their tunefulness and accessibility, and it's likely that listeners will instantly recognize most of the pieces. For sampling, try the famous Adagio from Sleeping Beauty, the sparkling Overture from Nutcracker, or the Dance of the Cygnets from Swan Lake. The playing by the Kodama...
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