The Infinite: A Modern Ballet for Piano Four-Hands
Douglas Townsend
About this work:
Commissioned by the ballerina and choreograher Nina Youshkevitch, the New York Ballet Club premiered the ballet on February 16, 1952, at Manhattan's Theresa L. Kaufmann Auditorium, YM & YWHA. The costumes were by Simon Lissim. (Dance News 1/52) The Martha Graham-style allegorical ballet was performed a second time at the Dance Center in the same venue on December 13, 1952 by Ms. Youshkevitch's Ballet Workshop. The music is difficult to play, but this substantial work makes a fine addition to the repertoire of large-scale works for piano four-hands. (It has not yet been performed strictly as a concert work.) I have recently orchestrated the work, which is yet to be performed. (See the orchestrated version in this list of compositions.)
Version: one piano, four hands
Year composed: 1952
Duration: 00:30:00
Ensemble type: Keyboard:Piano 4 or More Hands
Instrumentation: 1 Piano
Instrumentation notes: pno 4-hands