Piano at Butler: Unison Piano Duo

No Tickets Required

The Unison Piano Duo, featuring pianists Xiao Hu and Du Huang, presents a program that highlights their artistry and range.

The evening begins with Johannes Brahms’ Variations on a Theme by Haydn, composed in 1873. Over eight variations and a virtuosic finale, Brahms explores a range of moods and textures. The piece was initially written for orchestra (Op. 56a) and then arranged by Brahms himself for two pianos (Op. 56b): a testament to his love for the piano duo. Today, this piece stands as a cornerstone of the piano duo repertoire.

Maurice Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro was originally composed for harp, flute, clarinet, and string quartet. It is often described as a miniature harp concerto. This two-piano version was transcribed by Ravel himself, featuring elegant harp-like passages that flow seamlessly between the two instruments. It is a vibrant and elegant work rich with shimmering colors and sparkling energy.

The program concludes with Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, a piece that shook the musical world when it premiered in 1913. Originally composed as a ballet for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, its Paris debut famously caused an uproar. Stravinsky’s music, a bold portrayal of pagan rituals and sacrificial dances, broke from traditional harmonic and rhythmic conventions. Its raw, percussive textures and driving, uneven rhythms revolutionized 20th-century music. The piano duo arrangement, created by Stravinsky himself, strips the work to its essentials, revealing the architecture and intensity of the score with stunning clarity.