Classical Music Featured in 2 Pianos 4 Hands

ACT I

Concerto in D minor, 1st Movement (J.S. Bach)

Sonatina No. 6 in F Major (Beethoven)

Sonata Facile in C Major, 1st Movement (Mozart)

Sonata for One Piano, Four Hands in D Major, 1st Movement (Mozart)

In der Halle des Bergkonigs, Peer Gynt Suite 1 (Edward Grieg)

Concerto in D minor, 1st Movement (J.S. Bach)

ACT II

Prelude in D flat Major (Chopin)

Leyenda (I. Albeniz)

Rondo for Two Pianos, Four Hands in C Major (Chopin)

Fantasiestucke No. 2 (Schumann)

Pathetique Sonata No. 8 in C minor, 1st and 2nd Movements (Beethoven)

Ballade No. 2 in F Major (Chopin)

Mephisto Waltz No. 1 (Franz Listz)

A Medley of Pop Tunes

Impromptu in A flat (Schubert)

Concerto in D minor, 1st Movement (J.S. Bach)

IN THE BEGINNING

RICHARD and TED enter dressed in concert tails, come to a spot at centre stage, and bow to the audience. RICHARD turns to bow to TED but TED has already left the centre to go to his piano. An awkward moment. RICHARD goes to his piano. They sit.

Something is wrong. TED is not happy. He makes his way to RICHARD’s piano and whispers something. After a short conference, RICHARD gets up and offers his piano to TED. They sit again.

TED goes once again to RICHARD. After another more spirited discussion, RICHARD goes to the other piano. They pick up their benches and exchange them. Apologizing to the audience, they sit again.

They are ready to begin. TED adjusts his bench several times, shifting each time just as RICHARD is about to play. Finally, TED rolls his head to loosen it up. RICHARD’s head sinks down to the keyboard. TED plays a low note to get RICHARD’s attention. RICHARD looks up and TED motions to him that he’s ready to go. Finally, they begin to play the first movement of Bach’s D Minor Piano Concerto.

Everything is going swimmingly until about a minute in. One of them starts a different section. They are not together. They look at each other in horror. The piece is disintegrating. It grinds to a halt and TED plays two finishing chords. They look at the audience, at each other, and at their hands.

Ted and Richard in front of the Great Canadian Theatre Company, Ottawa, during their first Canadian tour, 1996.

Photo by Beatrice Campbell.