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| Piano Duo on historical pianos Les Préludes | |
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Flavio Ponzi and Massimiliano Génot |
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The Piano Duo Les préludes, comprising Flavio Ponzi and Massimiliano Génot, was set up in May 2000 as the first concert performers on an international level that made use of the 19th century historical instruments. The Duo disposes of two Érard concert pianos dating back to 1859 and 1873, perfectly restored and up to concert standard efficiency. The Duo’s programme can be performed on those instruments, which can be transported at the request of the Art Directors, as well as on modern concert pianos. The Piano Duo has a working method based on the complete mastery of the two parts and their interchange by the performers during the preparation stages, an element that encourages thought, aesthetic clarification and the utmost harmony, within an appropriate distribution of roles. |
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 The duo Les Prèludes during a perfor-mance at the TeatroNazionale for the cycle of concerts by the Teatro dell'Opera of Rome entitled "Tastiere all'Opera" ("Keyboards at the Opera House") |
The choice of the two instruments is not a chance one: indeed, in the Érard models, the late-Romantic evolution towards a sound reminiscent of the great orchestras, started taking shape with the Romantic typology. These instruments fully maintain the intense voice of the Érard pianos from the Romantic period, with their marked instrumental nuances. Whilst maintaining their poorly percussive tone, typical of the French piano, they achieve a breadth and phonic power that is altogether similar to that of the modern concert pianos. Ponzi and Genot present aspects of the vast literature for two pianos of the Romantic period, fostered by the tonal idiosyncrasies and the marked orchestral aptitudes of these instruments, with particular attention focussed on the little known, or even hitherto unknown aspects of that repertoire. The programme currently on offer, for which a CD is currently being prepared, includes original compositions and transcriptions for two pianos, partly unpublished, of 19th century Europe. |
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Foto (1)
F.Ponzi during a concert rehearsal Foto (2) M.Genot at the Pleyel chosen by Rossini in 1843 for the Musical Lyceum of Bologna |
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