A.schiff / P.serkin

In November of 1977 Andr s Schiff and Peter Serkin played a recital at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. At the heart of their program, and this recording, is an exacting exploration of the fugue from the time of Mozart through Ferrucio Busoni.
All of the composers on this recording have paid homage to the greatest fugue writer, J.S. Bach, in their compositions. Mozart's great Fugue in C minor for two pianos, K.426 opens the program. The work is a masterpiece of somber contrapuntal design and hearkens back to Bach's era while remaining true to Mozart's voice. Most challenging is Ferrucio Busoni's 'Fantasia contrappuntistica,' a work that pushes the limits of the old Baroque fantasia and fugue form.
The staggering musicianship of Schiff and Serkin make this thorny program far more than a musicological exercise. The two pianists play with precision, warmth and great intelligence.