Favourites for 4 hands

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Mathilda Hornsveld (piano); Albie van Schalkwyk (piano)

Celebrate the Timeless Legacy of Classical Music with a Spectacular Concert Featuring the Works of Schubert, Shostakovich, Poulenc, Strauss, van Wyk, McLachlan, and Bennett

The concert will open with Franz Schubert's Fantasie in F minor, D. 940, a masterpiece that encapsulates Schubert's ability to convey profound emotions through music. Composed just months before the maestro's untimely death in 1828, this four-hand piano composition comprises four distinct sections that lead listeners through a rich tapestry of introspection and wonder.

Following Schubert, the program features Dmitri Shostakovich's Concertino in A minor, Op. 94, a one-movement work that weaves together serious undertones with exuberant melodies. Francis Poulenc's Élégie and L’embarquement pour Cythère - Valse musette bring somber reflection and lively charm to the stage, demonstrating Poulenc's mastery of conveying emotions through his compositions.

The concert continues with Richard Strauss's Waltzes from Der Rosenkavalier, offering a delightful journey into the 18th-century Salzburg, where waltz was born. Arnold van Wyk's Rumba on Die Vierperdewa showcases the composer's sense of fun, transforming a simple melody into a lively rumba-rhythm dance.

After an intermission, the performance resumes with Grant McLachlan's Two African pieces, Mbira and Shingalana, which transport the audience to the captivating rhythms of Africa. The concert culminates with Sir Richard Rodney Bennett's Four Piece Suite, a composition that seamlessly blends Samba Triste, Country Blues, Ragtime Waltz, and a Finale of tempo di hard rock, offering a whirlwind of musical styles that will leave the audience exhilarated.

Don't miss this extraordinary concert that promises to immerse you in the timeless beauty of 4 hand repertoire.

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