Piano Duets: Classical Composers

Michael Aston held an Exhibition for music at Cambridge University. After a short career in the Civil Service, he moved to Leeds, in 1979, and began a career as a freelance musician. A pianist specializing in accompaniment and piano duos, he taught piano and became involved in continuing education, presenting courses for the universities of Manchester, Nottingham, and Cambridge. He is a lifelong enthusiast for the music of William Walton, and has lectured widely on the subject and visited the Walton estate in Italy. He has written about Walton for Classical Music magazine and edited a volume of the William Walton Edition, published by Oxford University Press. He is the compiler of four volumes of piano duets published by OUP.

For the more advanced pianist and experienced duo, this is ideal music to sightread, because Michael Aston has deliberately avoided selecting the standard classics. His choice of repertoire is typically enterprising, and all these pieces are pleasing on the ear. His own arrangements are eminently playabgle and, to top it off, the music is laid out on the page as clearly as you could ask for; all in all, a recommended supplement to anyone's duet collection.

• Allegro con spirito from Sonata in A major ; Sonata in D major, Op. 6 ; Allegro maestoso from Sonata in E flat major, Op. 3 No. 2 ; Minuet and Trio from Symphony No. 100 'Military' ; Allegro from Serenade K388 ; Entr'acte No. 3 from Rosamunde