Duel Pianists? (N2N)
Duel Pianists? (N2N)
#1Duel Pianists? (N2N)
Posted: 6/29/09 at 8:05pmDuring "Next to Normal," it appeared as if there were 2 pianists simultaneously sitting at the grand piano throughout the show. I didn't bring back a Playbill so I can't check, but were they both playing the entire length of the show? And how come? And has any other show ever done this before? I can't recall ever noticing this.
winston89
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/18/06
#2re: Duel Pianists? (N2N)
Posted: 6/29/09 at 9:11pmI know that for Next To Normal the piano player is also the music director. Maybe the second guy was there because he is going to take over his spot and was just shadowing him on the job for a performance. I don't know if that is true or if that is something that happens but that is just my guess.
#2Dual, not duel, unless they're fighting.
Posted: 6/29/09 at 9:14pm
Dual, not duel, unless they're fighting.
#3Dual, not duel, unless they're fighting.
Posted: 6/29/09 at 9:20pm
Ooh, it's like Deliverance with a classical bent. 
#4Dual, not duel, unless they're fighting.
Posted: 6/29/09 at 9:28pm
it'd be cool if there were dueling pianists, though. maybe in John Doyle's A Little Night Music, Carl-Magnus can play the piano.
oh, and I know the 1970s version of No, No Nanette had two grand pianos. Encores used that orchestration for the recent production.
#5Dual, not duel, unless they're fighting.
Posted: 6/29/09 at 10:39pmWinston might be right. The pianist (Charlie Alterman) is also the conductor, so if they are working another conductor in, he might be shadowing Alterman. At the moment, there is no "assistant conductor" listed in the Playbill. The one time I saw the show without Alterman conducting/ playing, Tom Kitt did it. Obviously, that is not a long term solution, so perhaps they are addressing a need.
#6Dual, not duel, unless they're fighting.
Posted: 6/29/09 at 11:13pm
The twin pianos of Ohman and Arden were used throughout the 1920s in the orchestra pits of the first musicals by Gershwin and Richard Rodgers.
Here are Ohman and Arden playing the Gerhswins' "That Certtian Feeling"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSwMG2MI0_A
#7Dual, not duel, unless they're fighting.
Posted: 6/29/09 at 11:27pmI doubt it's scored this way in the show, but the arrangement of Rhythm of Life that I've sung in choir (which is either SSA or SSAA, I can't remember which) has an accompaniment written for four hands (so two players on one piano).
#8Dual, not duel, unless they're fighting.
Posted: 6/30/09 at 7:11am
haha- whoops. My grammar error! But I'm going to leave it just because it sounds awesome. 
Yeah- from what I've seen of the N2N score, it could easily be played by one person- so the training aspect would make sense...
And that's an awesome video PalJoey! It's always great to see some talented pianists 'deul' ing it out. X)
jordangirl
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/1/06
#9Dual, not duel, unless they're fighting.
Posted: 6/30/09 at 7:37amThe shadowing may not have been for a permanent take-over but for a sub. REad Seth Rudetsky's book Broadway Nights and he explains all about the subbing process.
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!
Dollypop
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#10Dual, not duel, unless they're fighting.
Posted: 6/30/09 at 7:40amYour grammar is awesome, the video is awsome, everything is awesome--unless it's "amazing".
#11Dual, not duel, unless they're fighting.
Posted: 6/30/09 at 7:44am
I didn't mean to imply that Charlie Alterman was leaving, jordangirl. Just that he might like a night off every now and again. 
jordangirl
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/1/06
#12Dual, not duel, unless they're fighting.
Posted: 6/30/09 at 7:45amYeah...it was more just clarification since Winston used "take over" in his response. :)
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!
Videos