NSO Performs Bartók Masterpiece with Dutch Piano Duo Jussen Brothers

The NSO National Symphony Orchestra will perform Bartók's 'Concerto for Two Pianos and Two Percussion' with the Dutch piano duo Lucas and Arthur Jussen. Bartók's meticulous attention to sound, evident in this work, was even used in Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining.' The concert will take place on April 11th at the National Concert Hall in Taipei.
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Béla Bartók, born in Hungary in 1881, is one of the most important composers of the 20th century, and one of his most famous masterpieces is precisely this 'Concerto for Two Pianos and Two Percussion.' Bartók's precise and obsessive demands for sound, and the highly precise interplay between the two pianos, two percussionists, and the orchestra, are all written into this representative piece. Stanley Kubrick's classic 'The Shining' even used it as background music to create a thrilling atmosphere.

According to news released by the NSO National Symphony Orchestra, Bartók himself wrote a nearly rigorous 'acoustic engineering guide' in the preface to the full score, from the precise angle of the two pianos facing each other diagonally, to the necessity of placing cloth pads under instruments when idle to prevent aftershock resonance. This extreme obsession with sound details was written into the score 80 years ago.

British veteran conductor Martyn Brabbins stated that Bartók's rhythm is extremely precise and complex, especially when the music enters a 'fierce battle,' percussion plays a crucial role as a navigator, responsible for keeping this massive musical machine running on the correct track.

NSO Timpani Principal Sebastian Efler stated that this concerto possesses mysterious, dark, and suspenseful qualities, especially the 'second movement,' which is like a cold, dark dream. Efler said that the unique charm woven from the Hungarian folk elements hidden in the work and the 20th-century rhythmic aesthetics is the most captivating essence of Bartók's music.

Supported by the Netherlands Office Taipei, the Dutch piano duo Lucas and Arthur Jussen, who are collaborating with the NSO for the second time, said that Bartók's 'Concerto for Two Pianos and Percussion' is very dark, powerful, and full of energy, and they look forward to performing this masterpiece in Taiwan.

The 'Geometric Fantasy - Night of Two Pianos' Jussen Brothers and NSO concert will be held on April 11th at the National Concert Hall in Taipei. Other pieces include Schumann's 'Symphony No. 2.' (Edited by Chen Ching-fang) 1150410