First – I think their math is off: isn’t piano squared still just one piano? Though it would be mighty interesting to see Steven Beck and Stephen Gosling play these pieces four-hand, somehow I don’t think that’s what’s going down. Also, the idea of these groups of people multiplying is downright scary. On the scale of ‘orgies I’d like to think about’, this one is all the way at the bottom.

Second – what is up with Bartok’s instruction? Is it really that 1940 was an entirely different epoch of percussion proficiency , or was Bela just being bitchy? He must have had some really unfortunate players in mind when he wrote that bit. The premier in 1938 was performed by Bela and his second wife, Ditta Pasztory, but I think the maligned percussionists remain anonymous to the world wide web. Boosey writes on their page that “although intended for two very nifty percussionists, some early performances seem to have required a battery of approaching half a dozen players!” If that is the case then I forgive Bela his overbearing concern.

(Check out http://www.xs4all.nl/~marcz/percussioninformation/Misc/Misc/compositions.html#C3 for a picture of the first rehearsal for the USA premier in 1940 with Bela, Ditta, Saul Goodman and another gentlemen who apparently didn’t pass muster and was replaced by Henry Denecke the next day.)

Looking forward,
Luke
PS: I will totally live-tweet this concert