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The American identical
twins, Richard and John Contiguglia, are among the most
acclaimed and versatile piano-duos in the world today. Since their
London debut in 1962, following which the London Daily Telegraph
described their playing as setting “a new standard for this intimate
form of music-making,” Richard and John are now the proprietors of
their own recording company,
Gemini CD Classics. Their
releases on the Gemini label, Schubert Piano Duets — The Final
Year, Live from the Holland Liszt Festival — Duos of Franz Liszt for
One and Two Pianos, Music of Gershwin-Grainger and, most
recently, Beethoven/Liszt 9th Symphony, reflect their
lifelong commitment to popularizing the great body of music for two
pianists. Their earlier recordings on the Connoisseur Society label
and live performances of Bartók’s Suite for Two Pianos, Op. 4b,
of Liszt’s transcription for two pianos of Beethoven’s 9th
Symphony and of Liszt’s Operatic Paraphrases on ‘Don
Giovanni,’ ‘Norma’ and ‘La Sonnambula’ were modern-day
premieres. The Liszt Society of Budapest, Hungary, in the first
record competition in the Society’s history, awarded the
Contiguglias’ recording of the Beethoven/Liszt 9th Symphony
its grand prix. With the Cleveland Orchestra they revived
Victor Babin’s Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra.
The most
extraordinary musical event of the twins’ youth was a performance in
their hometown of Auburn, New York, when they were 12 years old, of
a group of two-piano pieces in the middle of a solo-piano recital by
the legendary pianist-composer, Percy Grainger. Following their
concert together, Grainger presented the young pianists with many of
his two-piano scores, some with touching dedications: “to Richard
and John Contiguglia, from their admiring colleague,” “in admiration
of their splendid playing,” “in tonal fellowship.”
Richard and
John have performed with major orchestras throughout the world,
including the Cleveland Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony, the
Atlanta Symphony, the National Symphony, the Toronto Symphony, the
Boston Pops, the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, the Netherlands
Philharmonic Orchestra and the Rotterdam Philharmonish Orkest. They
have been heard, both with orchestra and in recital, in numerous
prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in
New York, the Kennedy Center in Washington, Orchestra Hall in
Chicago, Queen Elizabeth Hall in London and the Concertgebouw in
Amsterdam.
They graduated
in the top 1% of their class at Yale, with identical averages of
91%, receiving their B.A. degrees summa cum laude, with
Philosophical Orations. Two years later they received M.Mus.
degrees from the Yale Graduate School of Music at the top of their
class. Subsequently, they studied for four years in London with the
great British pianist, Dame Myra Hess. In recognition of their
associations with Dame Myra, Richard and John were invited to
be the featured pianists for Dame Myra Hess Day, 2008, at the
National Gallery in London on November 25, 2008. Their performance
of a lunchtime concert at 1:00 pm, which the British critic, Jessica
Duchen, described as “extraordinary”, called to mind the 1:00 pm
lunchtime concerts (1,698, over a period of 6½ years) that Dame Myra
organized during World War II at London’s National Gallery, for
which she was made Dame Commander of the British Empire by King
George VI. The summer of 2011 brought them to Australia to
participate in Townsville, Australia’s 21st Festival of Chamber
Music, with its special emphasis on the music of Franz Liszt and
Percy Grainger.
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Contiguglia Duo reviewed in CVNC |
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 “From
a front row balcony seat, the Sonata was a feast for the eyes
and ears and a constantly evolving puzzle for the mind! Balance
between the pianists and percussionists was excellent and the
co-ordination was very precise. The execution of the complex
contrapuntal layering of the first movement was breathtaking.
The eerie night music of the second movement was perfectly spun
out. The high jinks of the finale brought the unusually large
audience to its feet in prolonged applause for a wonderful
performance of a too seldom heard masterpiece. May the
Contigulia Brothers return to Elon soon with, maybe, another
memorable Schubertaid or an evening of Mozart.”
- CVNC, North
Carolina, October 25, 2011
Read full article |
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Jessica Duchen’s Classical Music Blog reviews Dame Myra Hess Day
performance at the National Gallery |
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 “Lunchtime saw an
extraordinary performance by the Contiguglia Twins from
New York, who played the socks off Howard Ferguson,
Schubert and Beethoven. They came to Britain to study with
Hess as young boys and played the Schubert Variations on
an Original Theme for their Wigmore Hall debut. And...
I’ve heard of identical, but this was quite something. I’m
reliably informed that you can tell them apart when you
know them well.”
- Jessica Duchen’s
Classical Music Blog, November 26, 2008 Read
More About Dame Myra Hess Day
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Newest release on the
Gemini CD Classics
label |
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Beethoven / Liszt Symphony No. 9 (Choral)
Richard and John Contiguglia,
Duo-Pianists
The most popular orchestral
work of all time, magnificently transcribed for two pianos
by Franz Liszt, can be heard once again in the
Contiguglias’ new recording for Gemini CD Classics.
View More Information |
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Contiguglia Duo’s
Beethoven/Liszt CD
reviewed in the American Record Guide |
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 “I
enjoy transcriptions as much or more than most, and this is a great
one, of the greatest piece, with a masterly performance, excellent
recorded sound, and perceptive notes.”
- American Record Guide, January/February 2008
Read full article
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Contiguglia Duo
reviewed in The News-Gazette, Champaign/Urbana, IL |
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 “The
piano duo of the identical Contiguglia twins is one of the most
famous exemplars of this branch of the piano field. They have shown
their superb discipline and fine musicianship here in years past as
guest artists with Hobson’s Sinfonia da Camera. On Monday night,
they aroused to a high level of enthusiasm the members of a
moderate-sized audience in Smith Music Hall.”
- The News-Gazette, Champaign/Urbana, IL, June 2007
Read full article |
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Contiguglia Duo
reviewed in the News Times of
Danbury, CT |
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 “When
it came to Mozart’s concerto, the Contiguglias’ four hands
seemed to be playing with one mind and heart. The Allegro
movement was rich in thematic development, flowing back and
forth without repeating, but constantly moving along with a
natural progression. Exchanging phrases smoothly in this
brilliant dialogue, the twins’ cooperative effort was a model of
a well-functioning family. The final movement included cadenzas
and ritards performed with amazing synchronicity. The twins knew
each other’s parts as their own. My apologies go to the RSO, as
my attention was completely captured by the pianists.”
- News Times, Danbury, CT, December 2006
Read full article |
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Contiguglia Duo
reviewed in the Classical Voice of North Carolina |
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“The
playing was as astonishing as the music itself”
“And the best
artists — in which august group the Contiguglias belong — find
new meaning in every repeat performance. So there was nothing
routine about this concert”
“I heard things I’d
never noticed before, due to the great precision and clarity of
the performance. ’Twas Art with a capital “A,” all ’round.”
- Classical Voice of North Carolina, October 2005
Read full article |
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Performances 2010-2011 |
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Hot Springs, Arkansas |
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Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 3:00 pm
Woodlands Auditorium
Hot Springs Village, Arkansas
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Jesu, Joy of
Man’s Desiring
J.S. Bach
(1685-1750)
Transcribed for two pianos by
Myra Hess (1890-1965) |
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Partita, Op.
5b
Howard Ferguson
(1908-1999) |
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Grave — Allegretto pesante
Allegro un poco agitato
Andante un poco mosso
Allegro con spirito |
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Andante and
Variations, Op. 46
Robert Schumann
(1810-1856) |
Fantasy on George Gershwin’s Porgy &
Bess Percy Grainger
(1882-1961)
George
Gershwin (1898-1937) |
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Maryville, Tennessee |
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Sunday, March 28, 2010 at 2:00 pm
Maryville College
Clayton Center for the Arts
502 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Maryville, Tennessee
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Jesu, Joy of
Man’s Desiring
J.S. Bach
(1685-1750)
Transcribed for two pianos by
Myra Hess (1890-1965) |
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Andante and
Variations, Op. 46
Robert Schumann
(1810-1856) |
Fantasy on George Gershwin’s Porgy &
Bess Percy Grainger
(1882-1961)
George
Gershwin (1898-1937) |
Finale from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony,
Op. 125 Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770-1827)
Transcribed for two pianos by Franz
Liszt
(1811-1886) |
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IV |
Finale
Presto — Allegro ma non troppo — Tempo I, Allegro — Vivace
Adagio cantabile — Allegro assai — Presto — Recitativo
Allegro — Allegro assai vivace alla marcia — Andante maestoso
Adagio ma non troppo ma devoto — Allegro energico
Allegro ma non tanto — Poco adagio — Poco allegro stringendo
il tempo sempre più allegro — Prestissimo |
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Fort Myers, Florida
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Thursday, April 8, 2010 at 7:30 pm
The Village Church Auditorium
Shell Point Retirement Community
Box Office
(239) 454-2067
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Jesu, Joy of
Man’s Desiring
J.S. Bach
(1685-1750)
Transcribed for two pianos by
Myra Hess (1890-1965) |
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Andante and
Variations, Op. 46
Robert Schumann
(1810-1856) |
Fantasy on George Gershwin’s Porgy &
Bess Percy Grainger
(1882-1961)
George
Gershwin (1898-1937) |
Finale from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony,
Op. 125 Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770-1827)
Transcribed for two pianos by Franz
Liszt
(1811-1886) |
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IV |
Finale
Presto — Allegro ma non troppo — Tempo I, Allegro — Vivace
Adagio cantabile — Allegro assai — Presto — Recitativo
Allegro — Allegro assai vivace alla marcia — Andante maestoso
Adagio ma non troppo ma devoto — Allegro energico
Allegro ma non tanto — Poco adagio — Poco allegro stringendo
il tempo sempre più allegro — Prestissimo |
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Yachats, Oregon
Yachats 30th Annual International Music Festival
Presented by Four Seasons Concerts of Berkeley, CA |
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Friday,
July 9, 2010 at 8:00 pm
Yachats
Community Presbyterian Church
360 West 7th Street
Yachats, Oregon
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Divertissement à la Hongroise, Op. 54, D818
Franz Schubert
(1797-1828) |
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1st Movement —
Andante, Un poco più mosso |
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Yachats, Oregon
Yachats 30th Annual International Music Festival
Presented by Four Seasons Concerts of Berkeley, CA |
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Saturday,
July 10, 2010 at 1:00 pm
Yachats
Community Presbyterian Church
360 West 7th Street
Yachats, Oregon
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Seminar - “The Art of the Piano Duet” |
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Divertissement à la Hongroise, Op. 54, D818
Franz Schubert
(1797-1828) |
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2nd Movement — Marcia, Andante con moto |
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Yachats, Oregon
Yachats 30th Annual International Music Festival
Presented by Four Seasons Concerts of Berkeley, CA |
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Sunday,
July 11, 2010 at 8:00 pm
Yachats
Community Presbyterian Church
360 West 7th Street
Yachats, Oregon
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Divertissement à la Hongroise, Op. 54, D818
Franz Schubert
(1797-1828) |
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3rd Movement —
Allegretto |
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Oakland, California |
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Saturday, January 15, 2011 at 7:30 pm
Regents Theatre at Holy Names University
3500 Mountain Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94619
For information and tickets, visit
www.fourseasonsconcerts.com
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Partita, Op.
5b
Howard Ferguson
(1908-1999) |
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I
Grave — Allegretto pesante
II
Allegro un poco agitato
III
Andante un poco mosso
IV
Allegro con spirito — Più lento — Tempo I |
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Concerto in C
Major BMV 1061
J.S. Bach
(1685-1750) |
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I [ — ]
II Adagio ovvero Largo
III Fugar |
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Etudes in
Canon form, Op. 56
Robert Schumann
(1810-1856) |
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No. 2 Mit innigem Ausdruck
No. 4 Innig
No. 5 Nicht zu schnell |
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Andante and
Variations, Op. 46
Robert Schumann
(1810-1856) |
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Valse from
Suite for Two Pianos, Op. 15
Anton Arensky
(1861-1906) |
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Townsville, North
Queensland, Australia
2011 Australian Festival of Chamber Music |
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July 29 — August, 6, 2011
Works to be performed include: Beethoven/Liszt — Finale of
9th Symphony; Liszt — 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody; Percy
Grainger — Four Folk Song Settings, Fantasy on
Gershwin’s ‘Porgy & Bess’, Colonial Song, My Robin is to the
Greenwood Gone, Handel in the Strand and Green Bushes;
J.S. Bach — Concerto in C Major and Bartók — Sonata
for Two Pianos and Percussion.
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Auburn, New York
The Adams Foundation Piano Recital Series
Assisted by Percussionists Joshua Dekaney and Rob Bridge |
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Sunday, October 16, 2011 at 3:00 pm
Westminster Presbyterian Church
17 Williams Street
Auburn, NY
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Four Folk
Song Settings
Percy Grainger
(1882-1961) |
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Molly on the Shore
Shepherd’s Hey
Spoon River
Let’s Dance Gay in Green Meadow,
Neath the Mould Shall Never Dancer’s Tread Go |
Fantasy on George Gershwin’s Porgy &
Bess Percy Grainger
(1882-1961)
George
Gershwin (1898-1937) |
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Sonata for
Two Pianos and Percussion
Béla Bartόk
(1881-1945) |
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I Assai lento — Allegro molto
II Lento, ma non troppo
III Allegro non troppo |
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Elon, North Carolina
The Adams Foundation Piano Recital Series
Assisted by Percussionists John Beck and Wiley Sykes |
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Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at 7:30 pm
Whitley Auditorium
Elon University
Elon, North Carolina
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Four Folk
Song Settings
Percy Grainger
(1882-1961) |
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Molly on the Shore
Shepherd’s Hey
Spoon River
Let’s Dance Gay in Green Meadow,
Neath the Mould Shall Never Dancer’s Tread Go |
Fantasy on George Gershwin’s Porgy &
Bess Percy Grainger
(1882-1961)
George
Gershwin (1898-1937) |
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Sonata for
Two Pianos and Percussion
Béla Bartόk
(1881-1945) |
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I Assai lento — Allegro molto
II Lento, ma non troppo
III Allegro non troppo |
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