Overview

Suite for Two Pianos, Op. 6 (1896) is one of Koechlin's earliest works. At that time, Koechlin focused on the study of modes and counterpoint, centering his creative output on choral works and songs. This work and the Suite for Piano Duet, Op. 19 (1898-1901) can be considered valuable instrumental pieces from Koechlin's early period, though neither seems to have garnered significant interest from researchers. This is likely because their conservative style, compared to his later works which sometimes ventured into avant-garde writing, offers few technical points of interest. On the other hand, their moderate yet highly individual musical ideas are unparalleled, and they have long attracted strong interest from those involved in piano duo performance. Koechlin also composed another original piano duo work, the Four French Sonatinas for piano duet, Op. 60 (1919). While this is a highly acclaimed mid-period masterpiece among researchers, its long period of being out of print has made it even less known than the two early works. Now is the time to reveal the true value of Koechlin's piano duo works through active performance.

Historical Context and Research

Otfrid Nies, who has long dedicated himself to the management and operation of the Archiv Charles Koechlin, notes that Koechlin himself, in an unpublished commentary on his own works, mentioned the reasons for not making this work programmatic (the first and fourth movements could describe "a gentle walk on a sunny morning" and "a Japanese scene with a girl and a samurai," respectively, but no titles came to mind for the second and third movements. [O. Nies : Sleeve notes on Music for 2 Pianists of Ch. Koechlin by Tal & Groethuysen, BR Klassik, 2000]). Furthermore, Robert Orledge, a leading authority on Koechlin, in his biography (Charles Koechlin : His Life and Works, Harwood Academic Publishers, 1989), cites the earliest verifiable public performance of this work as March 1, 1937, at the Salle Chopin in Paris (Mesdames S. Lecointe, L. Amand), considering this its premiere. However, given the dedication "à Madame Louis Salomon" (to Madame Louis Salomon) in this work, it would be natural to assume that the premiere took place in a private setting, such as a salon, shortly after its composition. Further historical research is awaited.

Derived Works

The following two works are derived from this suite:

• Allegretto, Op. 6bis for violin and piano [Leduc, 1899]
• Andante, Op. 6ter for violin and piano (with optional cello) [Leduc, 1899]

Op. 6bis is the same piece as the second movement (Andantino con moto) of Op. 6 for two pianos. Given the difference in tempo markings, a hypothesis could be formed that the tempo marking for the second movement could have been Allegretto, but the composer intentionally unified the tempo of the entire suite to Andantino when compiling it as a suite for two pianos. On the other hand, Op. 6ter is a different piece that does not correspond to any of the four movements comprising Op. 6. It is presumed that it was originally composed with the intention of being included in the suite but was ultimately not, and was instead released independently as Op. 6ter.

Musical Analysis and Significance

Having performed this work on two pianos intermittently for over a decade, I strongly feel its fresh charm, characteristic of an early work, and the underlying modernity hidden beneath its gentle exterior. This work possesses a luster not found in his more detached later works, coexisting with a mature composure typical of his scholarly nature. It exhibits clear tonality but employs a harmonic language distinct from traditional functional harmony. It can be said to extend the harmonic language of his teachers Massenet and Fauré, or early Debussy, in a direction different from Impressionism; yet, to some listeners, it might evoke the colors of easy listening or healing music, transcending classical boundaries. Furthermore, a characteristic feature is the conscious exclusion of the centripetal force typical of a suite in its overall structure. The entire work is unified by the Andantino tempo, with nuanced expressive markings appended to each movement. The concept of tempo variation is blurred, and everything becomes moderate and flat. This lack of structural rigidity is reminiscent of postmodernism, which emerged after the avant-garde reached its extremes. The uniqueness of this work is highlighted by the fact that in the Suite for Piano Duet, written after this one, the traditional framework of tempo variation reappears, and passages aiming for brilliant performance effects can be observed. To reiterate, this work was composed in 1896. It is a legitimate 19th-century composition. Debussy had only just opened the door to Impressionism with his Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (1894). The lingering, potent remnants of Romanticism were not easily dispelled and still stubbornly permeated everywhere. The fact that Koechlin, by himself, broke through his era and wrote music more than half a century ahead of his time is significant. I sincerely hope that it will become established as an important repertoire piece for two pianos in modern French music.

Movement List

• Movement 1: Andantino (Leggiero e non troppo lento) 12/8 time, C major
• Movement 2: Andantino con moto 3/4 time, A-flat major
• Movement 3: Andantino con moto quasi allegro 2/4 time, A major
• Movement 4: Andantino quasi allegretto (Poco scherzando) 2/4 time, C major