Works for Piano Four Hands and Two Pianos, Series One (Dover Classical Piano Music: Four Hands)

Like Chopin before him, Debussy found previously unexplored possibilities and refinements in the art of playing and composing for the piano. His compositions for piano four hands and for two pianos are among his most inventive and interesting works. This volume contains two suites Debussy composed specifically for piano four hands, his piano transcriptions deriving from two early choral works, and his own transcription for two pianos of his most famous orchestral work: Prélude, Cortège and Air de Danse from L'Enfant Prodigue (piano four hands)Printemps (piano four hands)Petite Suite (piano four hands)Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (two pianos)Six Épigraphes Antiques (piano four hands)Ranging widely in mood, these works display both the brilliant pianism at the heart of Debussy's musical imagery and the composer's affinity for the unexpected—a quality that allowed many of his compositions to unfold like highly sophisticated improvisations. They are reprinted here from authoritative French editions, ready to challenge and delight pianists with their unique and innovative musical qualities.