Today I'm watching a Belmont Community TV rebroadcast of a performance by the famous Paratore Brothers (Joseph and Anthony). The world renowned Italian-American piano duo happens to reside in this small Boston suburb.
On April 26th, 2009 they presented a concert for the community in the Belmont High School auditorium that included assorted classical works for two-pianos, and piano four-hands. The reason for celebration is the 150th birthday of the Town of Belmont, and their Sesquicentennial Committee organized and sponsored the event. Supported by their own large families in the audience, the two brothers really rocked - particularly in a performance of a jazzy but refined work by Dave Brubeck.
Their bio is impressive. Here is a small except:
They have appeared on numerous celebrity series throughout the United States and Europe and with a long list of orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Detroit Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Vienna Philharmonic, London Symphony, and the Warsaw, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestras among others.
Their work with these orchestras have brought them together with many fine conductors including Boulez, Ozawa, Solti, von Dohnanyi, Salonen, Slatkin, Fruhbeck de Burgos and Zinman. Their appearances have brought them around the globe with performances in festivals such as Salzburg, Lucerne, Vienna, Berlin, Lincoln Centre’s Mostly Mozart, Spoleto USA, Australia,
Israel and Asia.
I would have liked to hear the transcription of Arnold Schoenberg’s Chamber Symphony Op. 9 that they premiered in a version for piano four-hands, but that wasn't on the Cable Access TV program. They also have commissioned and premiered "Sonata in One Movement" - a work by composer William Bolcom. German composers Wolfgang Rihm and Manfred Trojahn have also composed pieces for the Duo.
The day after their impressive concert at Belmont High School, the Paratore Brothers performed for the Belmont Town Meeting. There is a clip of this event on YouTube:
I wish all town meetings were as entertaining. Now, if they can just fix the roads!
Link: http://www.paratore.de/htm_e/biographie_e.htm
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