Piano Duo on historical pianos  Les Préludes

Flavio Ponzi and Massimiliano Génot

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. Among other instruments the Duo used two Érard concert pianos built in London dating back to 1862 and 1873, perfectly restored and up to concert standard efficiency by F.P..

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.

 



The duo Les Prèludes during a performance at the TeatroNazionale of Rome for the cycle of concerts by the Teatro dell'Opera 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.
The Duo presented some 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.



 

 

Massimiliano Génot and Flavio Ponzi (respectively on the right and left audio channel), play the symphonic poem Orpheus by F. Liszt on the Érard de concert pianos built in London, no. 7979 (1862, on the left), and 13678 (1873, on the right), photographed on the stage of the Montecarotto Theater (An) on the occasion of the Spontini-Pergolesi Festival 2007. The recording was made the same year in the studio-laboratory of F.P.

 

 

 


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