Preclassic literature written originally for four hands – one piano
Preclassic literature written originally for four hands – one piano

Summary/Abstract: Before the era of J. C Bach and Mozart, the most important contributions to the four-hands repertoire were Nicholas Carleton's „Verse for Two Play on One Virginal or Organ” and Thomas Tomkin's „Fancy for Two to Play”. The first work dates from the 16th century and the second from the 17th century. The oldest published original four-hand pieces are by Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782), whose works are direct precursors of Mozart’s four-hand piano works. The affinity between W. A. Mozart and J. C. Bach, and the examination of J. C. Bach’s compositions will indicate a similar affinity between the works of these two masters. An analysis of J. C. Bach’s scoring will prove that it is not a mere reduction of an orchestral score but, on the contrary, that it is unmistakably a duet for two performers of equal importance.

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