The second movement ( Scherzo ) is a terrifying homage to Fats Waller and James P. Johnson. The left hand jumps repeatedly between low bass 10ths and mid-range chord voicings. On the page, these look like sprawling intervals (e.g., low C to an Eb-G-Bb-D chord two octaves higher). The physical accuracy required to land these leaps at the marked tempo (often around MM 120–140) is immense.
Finding the right sheet music for this masterpiece can be a bit of a hunt. Here is everything you need to know about the score, the difficulty, and where to get your hands on it. What is the Kapustin Piano Concerto No. 2? Composed in 1972 when Kapustin was roughly 35, the Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 14 is a three-movement tour de force: I. Allegro molto: kapustin piano concerto 2 sheet music
These retailers often stock the Sikorski edition. Search for "Kapustin Concerto No. 2 Op. 14." Note that they usually sell the solo piano reduction (which is actually the original solo part, as Kapustin wrote the piano part as a complete entity) and the full orchestral score . The second movement ( Scherzo ) is a
Kapustin’s left hand is a walking bass/bebop line. Practice it alone, with a metronome, at half speed. Sing the right-hand harmony while playing only the left. On the page, these look like sprawling intervals (e
Consequently, the Concerto No. 2 survived primarily through a legendary recording made by the composer himself. Pianists learned the work by ear, transcribing the notes from the audio, a nearly impossible task given the density of Kapustin’s textures.