Four Hands Piano Performance: Technical and Interpretative Analyses of Some Cases

Abstract

Playing piano “four hands” is one of the most interesting forms of musical performance, but also one of the most difficult. It requires that the player not only shows individual skills, but also knows how to listen to the other pianist and coordinate various interpretive aspects, such as phrasing, dynamics, velocity, and piano position. This study explores the elements of communication between the members of the four-handed piano ensemble necessary to achieve a top performance, as well as the challenges that pianists face. 27 pianists of different levels were interviewed, including teachers, students and graduates who had experience playing in four-handed piano ensembles. Some of the common challenges faced by the musicians included how to sit at the piano, placement of the arms and hands in crossed passages, balance of sound, synchronization, and musculoskeletal issues. Despite the technical-interpretive difficulties and the physical discomfort that could arise in the four-handed ensemble, this type of practice can greatly enrich the piano playing experience and help to improve one’s own interpretation from the ‘soloist’ point of view.