Monthly Archives: December 2016

All Hands on Deck – including Liszt’s and Rachmaninoff’s. The Paraphrases, and Two Pieces for Piano 6 hands.

Posted on December 31, 2016 by Christine Stevenson

It’s New Year’s Eve, 6.50am, and time to write the final post of 2016. Thank you, dear Reader, for sharing this journey through Mussorgsky’s Pictures and other Russian musical curiosities with me. The penultimate work in this series of blogposts … Continue reading →

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A Show of Hands – Rachmaninoff – for Four Hands

Posted on December 29, 2016 by Christine Stevenson

Following on from Scriabin’s pieces for left hand alone, let’s look now at his friend Rachmaninoff’s works for four hands at one piano, and for four hands at two pianos. The Six Morceaux Op 11, for piano duet, were written … Continue reading →

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Give us a Hand

Posted on December 19, 2016 by Christine Stevenson

It has been a pleasure this year to perform in concerts which have included not only solo works for two hands, but works for one hand – and to be joined by pianist friends in works for four hands, five, six and … Continue reading →

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Exit – via The Great Gate of Kiev

Posted on December 10, 2016 by Christine Stevenson

 We’ve come to the end of the Exhibition, and Mussorgsky has saved the grandest musical picture to the last. It’s usually known as The Great Gate of Kiev, but the original title was The Bohatyr-Gate of Kiev; all who viewed this … Continue reading →

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