The first quarter of 2015 has been a cracker for those who love music written or arranged for four hands at one piano or for two pianos.
I have three new recordings from the period: several have already been covered here. Now comes an absolute belter from the Serbian sisters Sanja and Lidija Bizjak, whose reputation is soaring: they've already appeared at the Royal Albert Hall Proms playing Carnival Of The Animals, and are noted for the electrifying immediacy of their playing. But the compelling feature on their new recording, the dazzling playing apart, is the repertoire itself. Nothing on the playlist is staple material: everything is fresh. Poulenc's Concerto For Two Pianos, where the sisters are joined are joined by the Stuttgart Philharmonic and conductor Radoslaw Szulc, gets an occasional outing, but the rest - a bracing collection with Shostakovich's Concertino For Two Pianos, Stravinsky's Sonata For Two Pianos and Martinu's Concerto For Two Pianos And Orchestra - languish in obscurity.
Michael Tumelty
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