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Blue Danube Fantasy
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A New Account of the Blue Danube Waltzes
for Piano/Four-Hands by Greg Anderson (2004)
The Anderson & Roe Piano Duo have included an exhilerating performance of this piece on their debut album, "Reimagine," a CD/DVD combo.
(Note regarding the video: the narrative is not a representation of reality. Yes, the duo is really playing the piano, but no, they didn't actually meet over a lost mitten, and no, they're not actually romantic lovers.)
The kaleidoscopic Blue Danube Fantasy takes the elegance of the Viennese waltz as a point of departure and plunges headlong into the passions that undulate beneath the dance's restrained façade.
Be sure to watch for the choreography of the four hands, illustrating the striking resemblance between a couple dancing and two pianists nestled at one piano. It’s a monstrous challenge that resulted in many injuries during rehearsals! Also, listen for the musical combining of themes. At times, melodies are layered atop one another, most notably at the climax. Believe it or not, seven melodies from throughout the piece are played simultaneously (9:09 - 9:30 on "Reimagine," 7:49 - 8:10 in the video), a real compositional feat.
Click here to watch the outtakes!