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I've heard that Lizt's transcriptions of Beethoven's symphonies are a lot of fun. I don't know anything about the literature that is out there and now that I have a couple of pianos in the house I'd like to do some exploring . Would love to have some of your suggestions! (not a strong sight reader - easy would be welcome too)

I've always liked Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos in D major, K. 448.

Brahms Variations on a Theme of Haydn and Dvorak's Slavonic Dances look like they'd be lots of fun. Edit: Actually I believe the Dvorak is for piano 4-hands, so not exactly what you're looking for. Still fun, though...

One of my favourite two-piano pieces is the Fantasy, Opus 5 (also known as Suite No 1) for two pianos by Rachmaninoff.

Particularly, the first movement, "Barcarole" has some of the most lush-sounding two-piano music I've had the pleasure of listening to.

Regards,

Well, easy its not, but this is a great piece. I'm attempting the first movement now.


Rachmaninoff: Suite #2, Op. 17.

Here's the introduction:

Suite no. 2, Introduction

Leonard Bernstein -- Bridal Suite

Doesn't sound very difficult, and it's short. Lots of fun to listen to.

Samples here

Another lesser-known piece is the Yiddish Suite by Norbert Glanzberg .


Here is a video excerpt:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x26w1f_glanzberg-suite-yiddish_music

Milhaud Scaramouche. Originally for two pianos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSshNURjR4Y (3rd movement is a great brazziliera! ) Great fun, not immensly difficult really.

Shostakovich concertino for 2 pianos op. 94

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl0OOu1qhjw (that's me and my wife, btw, and exuse the awful video quality).

I heard Per Tengstrand and Shan-Shan Sun play this a couple of months ago (it was actually arranged specifically for them). It's certainly not easy by any means, but I bet it would be a blast to play:

Franz Waxman\'s "Ride of the Cossacks"

yd

Thanks all for your suggestions! Huge help. I'm inspired!

Medtners op 58 is a great piece - especially the "round dance", check it out!
The Rach suites have been mentioned...the 2nd suite is great, and the Romance is not too difficult either. Played it in concert a few years ago.

Chopin wrote a Rondo for two pianos in C major, published posthumously as Op. 73.

It's an early work, difficult and rarely played, but not without some charm.

Steven

There is a nice piece by John Cage which I played through once, but I cannot remember its name. L'Embarquement pour Cythere by Poulenc is a fun waltz. The Sonata by Stravinsky is not too difficult.

This site has some interesting lists...

http://www.duolafitte.com/catalogue_en.html

Liszt transcribed a ridiculous number of his pieces for two pianos. These include the Faust Symphony, Reminscences de Don Juan, R. de Norma (in which the hardest passage in the original is retained, note for note, in the first piano part), Fantasia and Fugue on Ad Nos Ad Salutarem Undam, and all of his symphonic poems.

Personally, if I found a pianist willing to do a two piano work with me, I would play the Rachmaninoff Suite for Two Pianos (#1), the Brahms Piano Quintet (Op. 34bis), or Mozart-Busoni Zauberflote Overture.