[Piano Duets] Perfect for recitals! A carefully curated selection of brilliant, crowd-pleasing works
Playing a piano together by two people is called a duet, also known as piano for four hands, and it has a unique charm different from solo piano.
While regular piano lessons are basically one-on-one with a teacher, many people might want to try a duet with friends or family at regularly held piano recitals.
On the other hand, when you look for sheet music, it can be hard to come up with suitable duet pieces, which can be a challenge.
So this time, we’re introducing recommended piano duet works that will shine at recitals! Some of the selected pieces even include links to the sheet music, which is very convenient.
They’re perfect not only as recital pieces but also for teachers’ performance numbers.
By all means, use this as a reference when choosing duet pieces to liven up your recital!
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[Piano Duet] Perfect for recital piano duets! A carefully selected list of brilliant, recommended pieces (41–50)
Slavonic Dances, Book I, Op. 46, No. 7Antonin Dvořák
Slavonic Dances by the Czech composer Antonín Dvořák is a staple for piano four hands.
It’s a collection of pieces for piano duet with eight dances in each of the two sets, and it is also frequently performed in the orchestral version arranged by Dvořák himself.
Although these works are widely loved, playing them beautifully in perfect sync is no easy feat.
No.
7 from Op.
46 in the First Set is a piece that demands advanced technique, and it takes substantial practice to internalize its strongly folk-inflected, distinctive rhythms.
That said, the exhilaration you feel when you carry the piece through with lively flair to the very end is second to none!
[Piano Duets] Perfect for recital performances! A carefully curated selection of brilliant, recommended pieces (51–60)
From The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires: SpringÁstor Piazzolla
Argentine tango is a popular genre for piano duets.
In particular, the works of Astor Piazzolla, the father of Argentine tango, are very popular.
Among Piazzolla’s pieces, I especially recommend “Spring” from The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.
In terms of difficulty, it’s on the higher end of intermediate, characterized by fairly large leaps on the keyboard.
Its dramatic dynamics also make it very impactful to listen to.
Be sure to check it out.
Parade of ClownsEmmanuel Chabrier
The four-hand piece “March of the Jester,” published posthumously as a work by French composer Emmanuel Chabrier, is a colorful and varied composition that seems to portray a jester whose unpredictable movements bewilder the eye.
Its ever-changing character keeps the audience constantly engaged, making it a perfect concert piece.
Although its high level of difficulty often draws attention to technique and ensemble precision, the charm of this work won’t come through unless the performers themselves are enjoying it.
So step into the role of a jester who delights the audience, and have fun performing it!
“Game” from the suite “Sunlight”Stoyanov Veselin
Here’s a cool piano duet piece that’s also great for intermediate players: “Game” from the suite Sun Rays by Vesselin Stoyanov.
As you can hear, it’s a duet with a slightly ethnic flavor and a driving feel.
Vesselin Stoyanov is a Bulgarian composer who doesn’t turn up much in searches and may not be very familiar in Japan.
In the Piano Duet Collection: Masterpieces for Piano Duet, it’s introduced as an intermediate-level duet.
The suite Sun Rays consists of eight pieces, so if you like “Game,” try playing the others as well.
chopsticksArthur de Lulli
Arthur de Lulli is a composer known only to those in the know.
He’s so obscure that many people may not be familiar with him.
However, his signature piece, The Chopsticks, is likely something many have heard.
While the primo part is somewhat challenging, the secondo is very easy and does not require different movements between the hands.
It’s a duet suitable even for children who can’t yet play with both hands, making it a must-hear for parents and children planning to perform at a piano recital.
Super Mario Bros. duet arrangementKoji Kondo
This piano duet arrangement lets two players enjoy performing a bright, sprightly melody that everyone knows.
Its lively rhythm and familiar tune brilliantly capture the game’s world.
The interplay of melody and rhythm, woven in sync by the two performers, evokes the many scenes one encounters on an adventure.
Born in 1985, this piece continues to captivate countless hearts to this day.
The energetic arrangement for piano is perfect for duets with children or between piano learners.
Because the melody is so well-known, parents and children can have fun practicing together.
It’s also a charming piece that lets players experience the joy of breathing together in a duet.
Slavonic Dance, Op. 46 No. 5Antonín Dvořák
Antonín Dvořák, known as the composer of Symphony No.
9 in E minor, Op.
95, B.
178—affectionately called “From the New World”—also left us the Slavonic Dances.
Originally written for piano four hands and totaling sixteen pieces across two sets, they were later orchestrated by the composer himself.
No.
5 from Set I, Op.
46, is a piece that lets you enjoy both a bright, cheerful atmosphere and a charming, delicate one.
Although it is a technically demanding work for duo pianists, the moment your ensemble truly locks in, you’ll be swept up in an indescribable exhilaration.
Give it a try!