"Family Album"This is a four-hand piano duet written by Del Joio for his own children as a sequel to "Family Album" (published 1962). The published score states, "Completed in December 1966, premiered in the composer's living room." Reflecting the children's growth, the level is higher than the previous work, reaching an intermediate stage of difficulty (approximately Czerny Op. 30). The content is also substantial, ranging widely from a solemn ceremony at the beginning, through romance and fantasy, to a comedy at the end. It does not particularly feel like it is exclusively for children. It is common for masterpieces of piano duets that they cannot be confined to a simple scheme where the primo plays the melody and the secondo plays the accompaniment. The fact that the composer himself simultaneously created an orchestral version also clearly demonstrates the high structural integrity of this work. It is advisable for both parts to cooperate closely, creating the music with a good balance of tempo and dynamics, while considering the overall flow and sound.

Movements

• No. 1 Cortège With majesty, 4/4 time, C major
• No. 2 Promenade Moderate, 3/4 time, C major
• No. 3 Day Dreams Slow but flowing, 6/8 time, C major
• No. 4 The Ballerina Smooth and moderate, 3/4 time, G major (no key signature)
• No. 5 The Dancing Sergeant March-like but not too fast, 6/8 time, G major (no key signature)