Works for piano four-hands or two pianos represent an extremely small portion of Edvard Grieg's output. In fact, only two works heard on this album of works for piano duo were originally scored for either such combination, the rest being transcriptions. In this case, however, the most interesting part of the album is not the music itself, nor even necessarily the performers, but the instrument on which they play -- the famed Pleyel Double Grand Piano. This instrument, which is exactly what it says it is, is nonetheless quite a sight to behold. Rectangular in shape, it seats the two performers in the standard face-to-face orientation as would be expected if they were playing on two pianos. But this instrument has but one soundboard and one frame. The sound from the behemoth instrument is surprisingly clear and focused, although the sound it produces in live performances is likely to be much more impressive than could ever be captured on CD. Although the Pleyel Piano Company stopped making the double grand around 1930, the premise for such an instrument seems perfectly logical and even desirable for two-piano works. Still, listeners should be thankful that any still exist at all. Husband and wife
Duo Egri & Pertis, who own this particular instrument, are obviously quite familiar with its abilities and limitations and deliver a rather enjoyable performance, captivating listeners more with the sound of the piano than with the compositions themselves.