Since the late 1890s, dueling pianos have been a source of entertainment. When this trend first started, it was essentially a race for the two performing artists, who would try to play faster than each other to win the duel.
In the modern day, there are bars and clubs that are known specifically for this kind of act, but the spirit of it has changed since its origins. Instead of being competitive, it is usually more collaborative. The pianists now work together to entertain the crowd and create an upbeat atmosphere, often going so far as to invite the audience to sing along and be part of the show.
In addition to a playing style that includes a lot of showy gestures and flourishes, there is often verbal banter as well. The musicians will tell jokes, sing humorous lyrics to the tunes of the songs they are playing, or have funny improvised exchanges. Some pairs of pianists will work together frequently, like a comedy duo, whereas other times two solo artists will be put together onstage in a random pairing and will have to create their act in the heat of the moment, discovering their unique chemistry in front of a live audience.
Most bars that offer this kind of entertainment allow patrons to request songs from the popular musical canon. In addition to old favorites, the musicians must be ready to play a wide range of hits from the contemporary rock and pop charts. This means a repertoire that is too varied and wide for the musicians to have memorized every single song, but they must still be ready to try and please an audience by fulfilling a request.
Many players will carry a book of sheet music which includes a lot of the songs they may be expected to be able to play. The performers will have practiced these songs in order to be able to play them, but they will not have necessarily memorized them all before a show, which is why the sheet music is helpful.
There are different ways that bars allow patrons to request songs, from signing up on a list to simply calling out a song title, or passing a napkin to the performers with the song's title written on it. Whether it is a casual or formal atmosphere, and regardless of the specific request procedure, it is expected that audience members who make a request will tip the musicians out of gratitude. There will almost always be an obvious receptacle for leaving a cash tip.
After more than a century in the public eye, dueling pianos aren't likely to disappear any time soon. This kind of show allows piano players to show their skills to an appreciative audience in a lively setting. Whether the pianist's background includes classical training, or just experience in a rock and roll band, the point of this kind of playing is to help patrons have a great night out on the town.
dueling pianos
In the modern day, there are bars and clubs that are known specifically for this kind of act, but the spirit of it has changed since its origins. Instead of being competitive, it is usually more collaborative. The pianists now work together to entertain the crowd and create an upbeat atmosphere, often going so far as to invite the audience to sing along and be part of the show.
In addition to a playing style that includes a lot of showy gestures and flourishes, there is often verbal banter as well. The musicians will tell jokes, sing humorous lyrics to the tunes of the songs they are playing, or have funny improvised exchanges. Some pairs of pianists will work together frequently, like a comedy duo, whereas other times two solo artists will be put together onstage in a random pairing and will have to create their act in the heat of the moment, discovering their unique chemistry in front of a live audience.
Most bars that offer this kind of entertainment allow patrons to request songs from the popular musical canon. In addition to old favorites, the musicians must be ready to play a wide range of hits from the contemporary rock and pop charts. This means a repertoire that is too varied and wide for the musicians to have memorized every single song, but they must still be ready to try and please an audience by fulfilling a request.
Many players will carry a book of sheet music which includes a lot of the songs they may be expected to be able to play. The performers will have practiced these songs in order to be able to play them, but they will not have necessarily memorized them all before a show, which is why the sheet music is helpful.
There are different ways that bars allow patrons to request songs, from signing up on a list to simply calling out a song title, or passing a napkin to the performers with the song's title written on it. Whether it is a casual or formal atmosphere, and regardless of the specific request procedure, it is expected that audience members who make a request will tip the musicians out of gratitude. There will almost always be an obvious receptacle for leaving a cash tip.
After more than a century in the public eye, dueling pianos aren't likely to disappear any time soon. This kind of show allows piano players to show their skills to an appreciative audience in a lively setting. Whether the pianist's background includes classical training, or just experience in a rock and roll band, the point of this kind of playing is to help patrons have a great night out on the town.
dueling pianos
No comments:
Post a Comment