Rocherolle, Eugenie Ricau : Twice Blessed for piano 4 hands
Work Overview
First Publisher:Kjos
Instrumentation:Piano Ensemble
Genre:Various works
Total Playing Time:3 min 30 sec
Commentary (1)
Author : Nishihara, Masaki
Last Updated: March 5, 2023
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Author : Nishihara, Masaki
The title means something like "Two Blessings." Here, it refers to the composer's joy at having grandchildren. The composer herself states in the preface that the first joy was becoming a mother to three sons and one daughter, and the second was becoming a grandmother blessed with grandchildren.
It consists of two short pieces for piano four hands, each written by the composer for her two grandchildren. The first piece, Nina's Waltz, is in a moderate waltz tempo, 3/4 time, C major. Frequent modulations create a playful atmosphere. The second piece, A March for Joël, is lively, in 4/4 time, F major. It progresses expressively and energetically.
The difficulty level is approximately that of the first half of Burgmüller's studies. Instead of aimlessly layering notes, it achieves sufficient musical effect with carefully selected notes. There is also interplay between the two parts, making the joy of ensemble playing excellent. It is written so that even a somewhat hesitant performance will please the listener and invariably receive warm applause. It is suitable for casual use in lessons and recitals.