Music on Thursdays
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Thursday 24th April 2025
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Faccini Piano Duo
Elia Faccini
Betsabea Faccini
Programme
Joseph Maurice Ravel (1975-1937)
Rapsodie espagnole Spanish Rhapsody (1907)
Prélude à la nuit Night-time Prelude très modéré quite moderate
Malagueña Malaga Flamenco assez vif fairly lively
Habanera (written 1895) assez lent et d'un rhythme las
rather slow and with a drowsy rhythm
Feria Festival assez animé fairly lively
George Gershwin (b Jacob Gershwine, 1898-1937)
Rhapsody in blue (1924)
James Roy Horner (1953-2015)
arrangements by Faccini Piano Duo
for the James Cameron film release
Avatar Suite (2007-2009)
John Towner Williams (b1932)
arrangements by Faccini Piano Duo
for the film franchise of 2001-2005
Harry Potter Suite
Concert duration approx: 45+ minutes
Please donate to help fund these concerts at: cafdonate.cafonline.org/14455
Joseph Maurice Ravel (1975-1937)
Rapsodie espagnole Spanish Rhapsody (1907)
Prélude à la nuit Night-time Prelude très modéré quite moderate
Malagueña Malaga Flamenco assez vif fairly lively
Habanera (written 1895) assez lent et d'un rhythme las
rather slow and with a drowsy rhythm
Feria Festival assez animé fairly lively
George Gershwin (b Jacob Gershwine, 1898-1937)
Rhapsody in blue (1924)
James Roy Horner (1953-2015)
arrangements by Faccini Piano Duo
for the James Cameron film release
Avatar Suite (2007-2009)
John Towner Williams (b1932)
arrangements by Faccini Piano Duo
for the film franchise of 2001-2005
Harry Potter Suite
Concert duration approx: 45+ minutes
Please donate to help fund these concerts at: cafdonate.cafonline.org/14455
Faccini Piano Duo
"Elia and Betsabea Faccini are young concert artists with admirable technical and musical skills. In their hands the piano is colored with a thousand sounds and nuances and it expresses sweetness, fury, joy, abandonment.”
(Giuseppina La Face, Alma Mater Professor – Università di Bologna)
Founded in Lucca (Tuscany, Italy) in 2015, the Faccini Piano Duo is formed by Elia and Betsabea Faccini, Italian-British pianists and composers.
The Faccini Piano Duo is one of the most appreciated chamber music ensembles of the new Italian generation. The ensemble began their studies at Conservatoire Luigi Boccherini in Lucca under the guidance of Riccardo Peruzzi. Then furthering their studies at the Avos-Academy in Rome, at the International Divertimento Ensemble Academy in Milan with Maria Grazia Bellocchio, and at the Conservatoire Arrigo Boito in Parma where they obtained a post-graduate degree in Chamber Music under the guidance of Enrico Bronzi, Alberto Miodini, Ivan Rabaglia (Trio di Parma) and Pierpaolo Maurizzi.
In addition, they further enhanced their specialization by attending Masterclasses with musicians of the highest level such as Beatrice Rana, Aglika Genova, Liuben Dimitrov, Sivan Silver and Gil Gabur.
In June 2022 they were winners of the first ever “AMUR PER I NUOVI TALENTI” (AMUR for New Talents) and have been prize winners in almost thirty national and international music competitions, both in Italy and abroad (Poland, Andorra, Spain, Hungary).
They have performed in numerous concerts for the most important musical associations eg. Fondazione La Societa’ dei concerti di Milano, Società dei Concerti di Parma, IUCConcerti alla Sapienza, Teatro Regio di Parma, Unione Musicale di Torino, Fondazione Perugia Musica Classica, Fondazione Musica Insieme Bologna, Società dei Concerti di Trieste, Festival delle Nazioni, Società del Quartetto di Milano.
In October 2022, they made their debut at Regio Theatre in Parma (Italy) in “Giovanna: La Pulzella, la fanciulla, l’allodola” alongside the Italian actress Lella Costa. For this occasion, the Duo performed their own transcriptions for piano duo from the opera “Giovanna d’Arco” by Verdi (the production was commissioned by Festival Verdi, Parma).
They have been guests at Radio Musica con le Ali and Radio Vaticana, for which they also made a recording.
In June 2024 their debut album was released, in collaboration with the Japanese Label Da Vinci Classics.
Recordings of the works in today's concert
Joseph Maurice Ravel (1975-1937)
Rapsodie espagnole Spanish Rhapsody (1907)
Prélude à la nuit Night-time Prelude très modéré quite moderate
Malagueña Malaga Flamenco assez vif fairly lively
Habanera (written 1895) assez lent et d'un rhythme las
rather slow and with a drowsy rhythm
Feria Festival assez animé fairly lively
Our concert opens with this beautiful work by Ravel. As we have Italian visitors today let's begin with a fine recording by two young Italian players, Adriano Leonardo Scapicchi and Francesco Bravi. Relax in the beauty of their performance.
Rapsodie espagnole Spanish Rhapsody (1907)
Prélude à la nuit Night-time Prelude très modéré quite moderate
Malagueña Malaga Flamenco assez vif fairly lively
Habanera (written 1895) assez lent et d'un rhythme las
rather slow and with a drowsy rhythm
Feria Festival assez animé fairly lively
Our concert opens with this beautiful work by Ravel. As we have Italian visitors today let's begin with a fine recording by two young Italian players, Adriano Leonardo Scapicchi and Francesco Bravi. Relax in the beauty of their performance.
George Gershwin (b Jacob Gershwine, 1898-1937)
Rhapsody in blue (1924)
Later this year we have a family performance by the five sibling members of the Lowe Ensemble. That sparked an idea. Here it is. A performance at the Steinway workshop in Astoria, New York, by the five pianists of the Brown family, who perform as "The 5 Browns"
Imagine trying to tune five pianos identically! Touring must be a nightmare.
YouTube notes:
In the 5th installment of Steinway's “Live from the Factory Floor” concert series, The 5 Browns visited the historic Steinway factory in Astoria, NY to perform in front of the 350+ craftspeople that work on building the world's best pianos.
The 5 Browns – Ryan, Melody, Gregory, Deondra and Desirae – all attended New York’s Juilliard School. In fact, they became the first family of five siblings ever accepted simultaneously.
The 5 Browns tour extensively and have performed in numerous venues including the Grand National Theater in China, Suntory Hall in Japan and, in the United States, The Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, Symphony Hall in Chicago and Alice Tully Hall in New York City.
In this clip, from the group's visit to the New York factory on October 2, 2015, they played their unique 5 piano version of "Rhapsody in Blue" by Steinway Artist Immortal George Gershwin.
In the 5th installment of Steinway's “Live from the Factory Floor” concert series, The 5 Browns visited the historic Steinway factory in Astoria, NY to perform in front of the 350+ craftspeople that work on building the world's best pianos.
The 5 Browns – Ryan, Melody, Gregory, Deondra and Desirae – all attended New York’s Juilliard School. In fact, they became the first family of five siblings ever accepted simultaneously.
The 5 Browns tour extensively and have performed in numerous venues including the Grand National Theater in China, Suntory Hall in Japan and, in the United States, The Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, Symphony Hall in Chicago and Alice Tully Hall in New York City.
In this clip, from the group's visit to the New York factory on October 2, 2015, they played their unique 5 piano version of "Rhapsody in Blue" by Steinway Artist Immortal George Gershwin.
James Roy Horner (1953-2015)
arrangements by Faccini Piano Duo
for the James Cameron film release
Avatar Suite (2007-2009)
Here is a full recording by the Prague Film Orchestra, conducted by George Korynta, with the Prague Film Choir and the Canta de Praga. Let's wait to hear how our visitors bring this to four hands on one piano!
arrangements by Faccini Piano Duo
for the James Cameron film release
Avatar Suite (2007-2009)
Here is a full recording by the Prague Film Orchestra, conducted by George Korynta, with the Prague Film Choir and the Canta de Praga. Let's wait to hear how our visitors bring this to four hands on one piano!
John Towner Williams (b1932)
arrangements by Faccini Piano Duo
for the film franchise of 2001-2005
Harry Potter Suite
When you listen to this recording just bear in mind that everyone playing is under 13. This is the National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain, conducted by Peter Stark, performing in The Anvil, Basingstoke.
Previous concert
17 April 2025 - Katherine Clarke, solo viola - click here
Next concert
1 May 2025 - Gwenllian Llŷr, Welsh harpist, - click here
