How many pianists commission a full-blown concerto to celebrate their wedding anniversary? When Pascal and Ami Rogé decided upon this unusual plan of action, Australian composer Matthew Hindson seemed an obvious choice as composer. Ami Rogé has praised the “visual” character of Hindson’s music and Pascal admires the way it speaks directly to the heart, to listeners.
The new two-movement Concerto for Two Pianos will be premiered by the Rogés with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under Vladimir Ashkenazy, in Sydney Opera House on 12 and 13 May, along with Rudolf Barshai’s rarely-heard completion of Mahler’s Tenth Symphony.
The two movements of Hindson’s concerto are “Love Song” and “The Two of Us”. The work promises to blend the composer’s effervescent pyrotechnics with his more soulful and lyrical side. You can read an interview with the composer about the piece here.
The European premiere of the Concerto for Two Pianos takes place in November 2011.