Joan Pearson &

Wendy Gonsalkorale

Piano Duet Recitals

Duet recitals given by Joan Pearson & Wendy Gonsalkorale

This booklet includes a list of all the pieces that Wendy and myself have played at about 15 recitals during the last seven years or so, that we have given in Manchester

and the surrounding area. After the first performance played to an appreciative audience we were encouraged to

do some more recitals.We both enjoy selection and preparation of the pieces and it is a delight to listen to

the final recording that Jim has made.Wendy and I belong to the Alberti Group of Pianists which meets every fortnight to

play and discuss the pieces that members prepare and play.We do thank the members for the support that they have given us in these activities.

The list also includes recitals given together with John Resek – violin and David Butterworth – piano, both in Didsbury and The Friends Meeting House in

Manchester.

Preparations for a piano duet recital January 2003By Joan Pearson, secretary of The Alberti Group of Pianists, Manchester UK.

This recital was to be one of a series of monthly lunchtime recitals given by soloists and small groups, some of whom are professional musicians. The recitals take place in the chapel where our regular meetings are held.

A member of our group, Wendy Gonsalkorale, and myself had been practising as a piano duo for some time, playing duets and two piano music. We were suprised and delighted when we were asked to play at one of these lunchtime recitals.

Since this was to be our first public recital and Wendy had been to one or two piano duo workshops we decided to go to get some professional guidance. This was a 3 day workshop held in the Royal Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. This is a fine new building with a full sized Steinway Concert Grand piano in the hall where the workshop took place. The tutors were Anne Applin and Geoffrey Pratley. They are accompanists, teachers and examiners who also give many Piano Duo recitals.

We prepared pieces by Clementi, Mozart, Schubert and Dvorak. On arriving at the workshop any feelings of apprehension we had were quickly replaced by being completely absorbed in playing and listening to other duos as well as learning about the finer points of Duo -Pianism. It was also good to meet and exchange ideas with other duo players too.

Both tutors helped us to regard Duo pianism as an art form in its own right. We learned how to cope with the overlapping of parts when 4 hands are playing on one keyboard, and how we might think of some pieces orchestrally especially when playing arrangements. We were encouraged to alter the score sometimes to make it easier for 4 hands to negotiate some tricky cross overs as a well as matching or changing the dynamics to create a more musical effect. Success in communicating with an audience meant making sure that the person in the back row could hear every note and that the music came across seamlessly from 4 hands.

We now felt the full benefit of the workshop in preparing for our recital in which we played Faure, Schubert, Moskowski, and Bizet. The day of our recital arrived. We had prepared as well as we could, building in "fail safe" mechanisms to keep our ensemble playing secure. Being an unknown duo we felt surprise,delight and increasingly nervous as we saw the hall filling up to between 70 and 80 people! We went into the hall and by way of introduction, I heard myself saying to the audience "If you enjoy listening as much as we have enjoyed preparing our programme then maybe we'll all have a good time!"

After playing the first piece we turned to see smiling faces and heard warm applause. From then onwards we really enjoyed playing all the music.

I have to admit that after receiving so many appreciative comments afterwards Wendy and I went home on cloud 9! A new experience of delight after our work on the pieces. Feelings that I suppose many people must have after succeeding, following a time of preparation.

We also made a CD of the recital which can be heard on our Website http://www.alberti.harlowhill.com/.

We now have bookings for 2 more recitals in 2004 and look forward to the preparation and the fun that comes along with it of course!

CD 048A

Joan Pearson & Wendy GonsalkoralePiano Duet Recital

Unitarian Chapel Jan 2003

Fauré Overture Masques et BergamasquesSchubert Variations Op 10

Moszkowsky - Two Polish DancesBizet Jeux d'enfants

Programme Notesfor Piano Duet Lunchtime Recital, Friday January 31st 2003

Gabriel Faure Overture from Masques et Bergamasques Suite This Suite was originally written for orchestra and then arranged by Faure for piano duet. The Overture is the first of 4 movements and provides a lively opening to the Suite and to this recital.Franz Schubert. 8 Variations in E Minor Op10. The theme of the variations is from a French song " Le Bon Chevalier"- The good horseman - rather more Sir Lancelot than Don Quixote. They were written when Schubert was a young man and are said to have beenplayed by Beethoven who it is said had "encouraging "words for Schubert.In parts the writing is very reminiscent of parts of the composer's well known Trout Quintet.

Moritz Moszkowski 2 Polish Dances Op55 1. Polonaise 2. Krakowiak -Moszkowski was a Polish composer, teacher and pianist who wrote manyworks for piano duet . The most well known are the Spanish dances but he also wrote German Dances, and this set of Polish dances. Duettists appreciate them for their craftmanship and fresh melodic invention which make them fun to play and enjoyable to listen to.Georges Bizet Jeux D'enfants (Children's Games ) Op22 This delightful Suite is one of Bizet's most famous works. Written originally for piano duet it is said to contain some of his finest writing and 8 of the 12 pieces will be played.1. The Little Swing The arpeggios suggest the swaying of the swing. 2.The Top. The top spins very fast before falling over at the end. 3 The Doll This takes the form of a lovely lyrical melody overa quiet bass. 4.The Fairground Horses. Going round in a gentle joyful and cantering rhythm. 5.The Trumpet and the Drum. A Little March finally fading intothe distance. 6.Blind Man's Buff . 7 Little Husband and Little Wife. An expressive dialogue with a small disagreement followed by a tender reconciliation. 8.Dancing . A joyful musical game.Joan Pearson and Wendy Gonsalkorale are members of The Alberti Group of Pianists which meets fortnightly on Wednesdays 2.00-4.00 at the Unitarian Chapel.

CD 068

Joan Pearson & Wendy GonsalkoralePiano Duet Recital Cross St Unitarian Chapel, 30th Jan 2004

Kuhlau- Sonatina No 2 C majorSchubert -Grand Sonata in Bb op 30 Grieg- Norwegian Dances nos 3,4

Richard Rodney Bennett - Skip and Sadie Suite

Thomas A Johnson – Rumba

Programme Notes

Friederich Kuhlau ( 1786 - 1832 ) Sonatina No2 op 44 in C major.1. Allegro con spirito. 2. Romanza. 3. Allegro alla Polacca.Kuhlau was a German flautist and composer who settled in Denmark. He wrote operas, piano concertos and chamber music, but is best known for his flute pieces and Sonatinas for solo piano and piano duet. This sonatina does suggest an operatic style of writing. Kuhlau once met Beethoven in Baden, near Vienna, where it is said they exchanged musical canons after a day of walking and music making with friends.Franz Schubert ( 1797 - 1828 ) Grand sonata in Bb, op 30.1. Allegro moderato. 2. Andante con moto. 3. Allegretto.This sonata with its opening solo cadenza-like passage, charming youthful energy and deeply felt melodic writing, is said to bear a likeness to the composers 5th symphony in the same key. This early work shows a mastery of form and skill in melodic and harmonic writing . Schubert is said to have preferred writing for piano duet than for solo piano and the Andante of this Sonata is said to be one of Schubert’s most beautiful creations. Not only was Schubert one of the most prolific composers of the four -hand medium, but his contributions to duet literature are,for the most part, of uniform excellence.

Edvard Grieg ( 1843 - 1907 ). Two Norwegian Dances, nos 3 and 4.Grieg, a Norwegian composer of Scottish ancestry, wrote these piecesas piano duets; they are often also heard as an orchestral version. In addition to his famous Piano concerto, Peer Gynt Suite and Holberg Suite, he wrote many piano works such as the Lyric Pieces . The Norwegian dances particularly show strong nationalistic characteristics.Richard Rodney Bennett. ( 1936 - ). Suite for Skip and Sadie.1. Good Morning. 2. Sadie's Waltz. 3. Skip's Dance. 4. Goodnight.Richard Rodney Bennett can be said to be one of the most versatile of British 20th Century composers. He studied composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London and took up the chair of composition there in 1995. He writes for the concert hall, films and performs as a jazz pianist and singer and has toured extensively. The world premier of his trumpet concerto was played in the 1990s by the Royal Northern College of Music's Wind Ensemble. He also wrote the incidental music to the BBC broadcast in the drama "Gormanghast" early in 2000.The pieces for this suite were inspired by the antics of the two cats that the composer had with him in his New York flat.Thomas A Johnson ( 1908 - 1989 ) Rumba.This Rumba is one of many short pieces that Johnson wrote during his long and active musical life. After playing as a pianist for silent movies he gained diplomas at the Manchester College of Music, and broadcast on the BBC as a solo pianist and duettist. He wrote music for solo piano and piano duet as well as music for other instruments and pieces for students. He wrote several books and articles on music and also enjoyed the music of British Light Music composers such as Edward German.

Joan Pearson and Wendy Gonsalkorale are members of The Alberti Group of Pianists which meets fortnightly on Wednesdays 2.00-4.00 at the Unitarian Chapel.

CD 081

Violin & Piano RecitalFriends Meeting House Manchester

10th September 2004

Schubert Sonata no 3

Vivaldi The Seasons

Sarasate Spanish DancesHabanera op 21 no2

Playera op23 no1Zapateado op23 no 2

Malaguena op 24

CD 082A

Puppet ShowPiano Duet by

John Carmichael

Played by Joan Pearson and Wendy Gonsalkorale

5th November 2004

Puppet OvertureMarionette Waltz

Parade of the Puppet PoniesLullaby of the Sleeping Doll

Finale

CD 085C

Piano Duet Recital

Played by Joan Pearson and Wendy Gonsalkorale November 2004

J. C. Bach - Sonata no 3 in F majorAllegroRondo

F Schubert - Variations op 82 no2 in Bb major Allegro

John Carmichael - Puppet ShowPuppet OvertureMarionette Waltz

Parade of the Puppet PoniesLullaby of the Sleeping Doll

FinaleA. Dvorak - Slavonic Dances

op 46 no 6op72 no 2op 46 no 8

CD 089

Joan Pearson &Wendy GonsalkoraleRecital 1st April 2005

Cross St Unitarian Chapel

Beethoven Sonata op 6 - allegro molto Beethoven Sonata op 6 - rondo

Schubert Variations & Finale D603 Dvorak Slavonic Dance op 46 no 6 Dvorak Slavonic Dance op 72 no2 Dvorak Slavonic Dance op 46 no 8 Carmichael Puppet Show

CD 094

Recital 2nd June 2005 at St Andrew & St George, Bolton

Poulenc -Sonata

Dvorak -Legend no 1 Dvorak -Legend no 3 Dvorak -Legend no 4 Dvorak -Legend no 6

Dvorak -Legend no 10

Moszkowski -Spanish Dance

John Carmichael - Habanera

John Carmichael - Bahama Rhumba

Lennox Berkley - Palm Court Waltz

William Walton - Touch her soft lips and part

CD 096

Didsbury Rotary Music Festival - Emmanuel Church Didsbury23rd June 2005

John Resek - violin David Butterworth - pianoWendy Gonsalkorale & Joan Pearson - piano duo

Fritz Kreisler - Praeludium and allegro

Ludwig van Beethoven - Sonata op 24 F major “ Spring Sonata “Allegro

Adagio molto expressivoAllegro molto

Allegro ma non troppo

Bedrich Smetana - “ From the homeland “Edward Elgar - Chanson de Matin

Antonin Dvorak - Legends op 59no 3no 10

Moritz Moszkowski - Spanish Dance op 12 no 3

John Carmichael - Latin American SuiteHabanera “ Obsession “

Bahama Rhumba

Claude Debussy - Petite SuiteEn bateauCortegeMenuet Ballet

Richard Rodney Bennett - Suite for Skip and SadieGood Morning

Sadie’s Waltz Skip’s Dance Good Night

CD 109

Piano Duet Recital 27th January 2006Cross St Chapel, Manchester

Joan Pearson & Wendy Gonsalkorale

Sonata in D, K123A Mozart

A Midsummernights Dream MendelssohnMarch of the Elves

IntermezzoDance of the Clowns

NocturneScherzo

From Foreign Parts MoszcowskiGermany

Italy

" Ain't misbehavin' " arranged by K.B.Mallion

" Tea for Two " arranged by Youmans

" Fiddle- faddle " Leroy Anderson

CD120

Joan Pearson & Wendy GonsalkoralePiano Duet Recital

Cross St Unitarian Chapel, 23rd February 2007

Arrival of the Queen of Sheba from" Solomon" G.F.Handel (1685-1759)String Octet Op. 20 (1st mvmnt) Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847)

Two Hungarian Dances Johannes Brahms (1822-1897) Automne Cecile Chaminade (1857- 1944)

Sonatina for Piano Duet Jim Pearson (1929- )Polovtsian Dances Alexander Borodin(1833-1887)

"Manhattan " Richard Rodgers; arr.by Keith Mallion

CD 0128

Joan Pearson & Wendy GonsalkoralePiano Duet Recital

St Andrew & St George, 25th October 2007

Overture “ In the Italian Style “ in D major Schubert

Sonata in Bb major KV 186 Mozart

Automne Chaminade

Le Matin Chaminade

Theme “ Ich Denke Dein “ and 6 variations Beethoven

Sonatina for piano duet Jim Pearson

Manhattan ( arranged K.B.Mallion ) Richard Rodgers

Tea for Two Vicent Youmans

Qui Vive Wilhelm Ganz

CD 0131

Unitarian Chapel, Cross St, Manchester25th January 2008

Piano - Benny Hui, David Butterworth, Wendy Gonsalkorale, Alan Myerscough, Joan Pearson

Violin - John Resek Vocal - Ann Gajda Organ - Ronald Frost

Welcome from John Midgely

Masque & Bergamasque Overture - Fauré

Morgen - Richard Strauss" Oh John, don't go..."

Spring Sonata - Beethoven

Hungarian Rhapsody no 2 - Liszt

Sortie- Leféburé-Wély

Farewell from John

CD 0132

Joan Pearson & Wendy GonsalkoralePiano Duet Recital

Cross St Unitarian Chapel, 30th May 2008

Antonin Dvorak - Legend op 59 no 1

Claude Debussy - Petite Suite

En BateauCortegeMenuet Ballet

Sergei Rachmaninoff - Six Morceaux op 11

BarcarolleScherzo

Theme Russe Valse

RomanceSlava

Vincent Youmans arr. K B Mallion - Tea for Two Cha Cha

CD 0146

Programme for PIANO DUO Recital - Unitarian Chapel, Cross St Manchester. Friday, 28th August 2009

JOAN PEARSON and WENDY GONSALKORALE

Roger Quilter A Children's Overture

Franz Schubert Marche Caracteristique no 2

Antonin Dvorak From the Bohemian Forest op 68 - Silent Woods

Manuel de Falla Danse Espagnol no 1

John Carmichael Moto Perpetuo - Caribbean Style

Tourbillon

Camille Saint-Saens Dance Macabre