Two Grands, Four Hands: Spectacular and Rare Novelty Piano Duos of the 1920s and 1930s

Two Grands, Four Hands: Spectacular and Rare Novelty Piano Duos of the 1920s and 1930sThe 1920s and '30s were the heyday of piano duos, both in the U. S. A. and abroad. Elegant hotels frequently featured duettists; dance bands regularly arranged the rest of the stage instrumentation around two large grand pianos; the Paul Whiteman band's concerts showcased its pianists, with the band ducking out for a few minutes while the piano players demonstrated their virtuosity; concert halls scheduled duo recitals, both classical and popular; and

The 1920s and '30s were the heyday of piano duos, both in the U.S.A. and abroad. Elegant hotels frequently featured duettists; dance bands regularly arranged the rest of the stage instrumentation around two large grand pianos; the Paul Whiteman band's concerts showcased its pianists, with the band ducking out for a few minutes while the piano players demonstrated their virtuosity; concert halls scheduled duo recitals, both classical and popular; and of course, record companies issued a healthy number of 176-key sides. Novelty piano expert Alex Hassan, who selected and annotated this batch of rare recordings writes that although the teams here might not be as well-known as Victor Arden and Phil Ohman, these stunning performances will likely leave you "gasping" and "begging for more!" The music is a great, highly-arranged mixture of elegance, excitement, show-offiness, toe-tapping rhythms, and "jazz-iness." The CD comes with a 16-page illustrated booklet packed with detailed liner notes, rare photographs, and complete discographical information. 78 minutes.

Rivermont catalogue number: BSW-1152 (Audio CD)

Track list: