The Ice Palace - two pianos, four hands - Appalachian Rhapsody - 12th Street Rag - Review

American Music Teacher, June-July, 2003 by Midori Koga

by Ernest J. Kramer. 8pp. each part, $4.95. Appalachian Rhapsody (two pianos, four hands), by Randall Hartsell. 4pp. each part, $3.95. 12th Street Rag (two pianos, four hands), by Euday Bowman. Arranged by Geoff Haydon and Jim Lyke. 7pp. each part, $4.95. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. (16320 Roscoe Blvd., P.O. Box 10003, Van Nuys, CA 91410-0003), 2002. Intermediate-late intermediate.

'Tis the season to shrug off some of the responsibilities of the conscientious teacher. Festivals, competitions and exams have given way to warm summer months. All the hard work focused on the "well-balanced diet" of technique, sight reading, ear training, theory and standard repertoire from the baroque and classical and "other" periods has been valuable and rewarding; however, enough is enough. This is the time of year I like to go out in search of new and fun ensembles: duets, quartets and two-piano works to give my students the opportunity to let their hair down and just "play around" with music.

These three new two-piano works for intermediate to late intermediate students are wonderful samples of this type of lighter fare. The Ice Palace is a lovely work by Ernest J. Kramer. Simple harmonies and a waltz-like tempo immediately bring to mind the image of ice dancers or a festival held in a magical ice palace. Playful articulation with staccato, legato, slurs and the shape of the rising first-theme melody in C major create a bright and fresh mood. An effective contrast is provided in the middle section with a lush, flowing melody beginning in A minor. There are plenty of opportunities for young students to explore color shadings, dynamics, articulation touch, shaping and character. A dramatic climax at the end of the middle section brings the listener back to the lighter mood of the beginning theme. This piece is for intermediate students who are comfortable playing scales, two- and three-note chords, legato and staccato articulation. The coda makes use of octaves and large chords, which may cause difficulty for smaller hands.

Another delightful work by a favorite composer of mine is Appalachian Rhapsody by Randall Hartsell. He is particularly adept at providing lush harmonies that are musically satisfying for the intermediate student. Young folks also will enjoy the phrasing of the "romantic" style melody. Subtle and complex pedalling is required, but the editing in this respect is very clear. The material is balanced quite well between the two pianos, with piano I presenting the main melody in the 'A' section and piano II taking over the melody in the middle section. This is a short gem of a work requiring sophisticated voicing abilities and good listening skills for balance from both students.

As a student and I read through 12th Street Rag, we couldn't help but laugh at the delightful rhythms, harmonies and character of this piece. It evokes an image of a "speakeasy," something straight out of the movie "The Sting." A little illegal liquor, dancing ... It took us a moment to get the feel of the "swing" rhythm, especially within some of the syncopations, but pretty soon we got the hang of it, and it "swung" by itself. Originally written by Euday Bowman, it is charmingly arranged by Geoff Haydon and Jim Lyke. The parts are distributed equally--each has the opportunity to "dance" the melody. One charming aspect of the piece is a tongue-in-cheek conversation passed back and forth between the two pianos. Again, the piece is not very long, perfectly suited for an end-of-the-year informal recital to be enjoyed by all.

Midori Koga, Williamston, Michigan.