Music for Two Pianos (Live)

Album review

Friedrich Gulda was frequently called "eccentric," mainly because he was one of those rare musicians who could see the connections between classical music and jazz, and because he could perform equally well in both arenas. Joe Zawinul is another pianist who "gets" it, and he and Gulda frequently collaborated. This recording is from two concerts they did together in May 1988 at one of Gulda's festivals, and it tries to straddle the line between classical and jazz. It opens with Brahms' Variations on a Theme of Haydn. Gulda and Zawinul begin by improvising an introduction before the main theme, quietly, respectfully, settling into a kind of bell tolling that fits the reverence of the chorale theme. From there, they play the variations in a pretty straightforward manner, not adding much extra emotion or drama, but still with energy in the faster variations and unfussy expression in the slower ones. They are equally matched in skill, not even necessarily allowing one piano to be the stronger voice over the other as a traditional duo would in many places. From a classical music perspective Gulda and Zawinul don't make the most of Brahms' writing, but they are still musically effective. In the finale they are particularly confident in their timing and impressively keep a consistent tempo throughout until Brahms forces them to slow down just before the end. The Brahms is followed by Gulda's Variations for Two Pianos and Big Band, which is about equal parts structured and improvised music. Gulda's theme is a waltz, which he points out is the only logical form for him and Zawinul, two Viennese natives. It begins with a nocturnal, languid introduction of the theme where the dance pulse is barely evident, but as soon as the band joins in, it becomes a modern, casual, and contented waltz. The two take it from there to a speedier swinging version; a dreamy, floating version and a carefree, syncopated version before an improvised solo cadenza and triumphant ending by all. The final work is Volcano for Hire by Zawinul, a brief, more freely improvised swinging work for the two pianists.
If the audiences for the two concerts were essentially the same, then their response to the different pieces demonstrates that many people still find it hard to appreciate the similarities between classical and jazz, at least from this program. They are much more enthusiastic about Gulda's and Zawinul's works than to Brahms'. Even the audio engineers gave the latter tracks more applause time than the first. Gulda's idea to pair the Brahms' Variations with his own is a good one; it just may take time for many listeners to fully appreciate it.

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