Richard Egarr and his wife and fellow keyboard player Alexandra Nepomnyashchaya perform four-hand Czerny arrangements of Beethoven symphonies, streamed LIVE from deWaalsekerk in Amsterdam.

‘Czerny’ probably causes a mild sense of fear and nausea in anyone who has studied piano, as they have most likely been subjected to the dreary tortures of his School of Dexterity.  He is however a fabulous composer, and (as both a lifelong student and friend of Beethoven) a hugely important arranger. The arrangements he made of ALL of the Beethoven Symphonies are brilliant and have many implications for performing issues both specifically for these pieces and to piano performance in general.  They use the possibilities of 4-hand texture and playing to the full – they are incredibly exciting…and VERY LOUD!!!

*SCROLL DOWN TO WATCH THE RECORDING*

PROGRAM:

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 “Pastoral” (arr. Czerny for piano four-hands)
Richard Egarr & Alexandra Nepomnyashchaya, fortepiano

15-minute interlude, featuring:

• BEETHOVEN “Ach! wär ich schon” from Fidelio, Op. 72
  Mireille Asselin, soprano
  David Belkovski, piano
• BEETHOVEN Adelaide, Op. 46
  Nicholas Phan, tenor
  David Belkovski, piano

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 (arr. Czerny for piano four-hands)
Richard Egarr & Alexandra Nepomnyashchaya, fortepiano

Texts & translations available HERE.