Four hands, two pianos, 176 keys, 20 fingers: On the evening of Thursday, Feb. 17, Tufts’ Department of Music highlighted two of its most gifted pianists. "Doubles: Thomas Stumpf and Edith Auner, piano" showcased spectacular feats of musical skill, precision and artistry.
Watching two pianists perform simultaneously is a sight to behold. There is a certain thrill to this delicate, synchronized musicianship. Both pianists must be locked into the piece as well as their duet partner. Faltering in tempo, dynamics or style can derail the entire performance: It is the musical equivalent of a pair of trapeze artists sailing through the air. Every aspect of each song requires precision, down to the sheet music’s page turns. Luckily, Stumpf and Auner are exceptional performers who have keen ears and brilliant coordination while playing a challenging repertoire that ranges from canonical standards to contemporary compositions.
Both Stumpf and Auner are on staff with the Tufts Department of Music. Auner, who serves as both coordinator of applied music and director of outreach activities, also performs as a solo pianist in her music career. Auner earned her Master of Music in piano performance from New England Conservatory. Stumpf, who is also an alumnus of New England Conservatory, has many responsibilities at Tufts, including his positions as staff pianist, co-director of the opera ensemble and choral accompanist.
The concert began with W. A. Mozart’s "Sonata in D Major, KV 448" (1756–91). A testament to the pianists’ ability to accept a challenge, each movement displayed a wide variation in both style and tempo. Each of these changes showcased the great coordination between the duo as they brought a difficult repertoire of classical piano to life.
Stumpf, who has received global acclaim for his gift on the piano, is also a composer.The evening’s performance saw the world premiere of his piece, "A Seventh Dream" (2020). According to the concert notes, his piece is dedicated as a 250th birthday commemoration for Beethoven. With a more contemporary style and influence, this work presents new challenges to the skill set of playing a doubles piece. Stumpf described the rhythm of the piece as “fatalistic,” which is evident in the performance. Each note has a certain weight about it that suggests a sense of inevitability. The duet aspect reinforces this idea, as both players continue to lean into the ebbs and flows of the piece.
Stumpf’s work was not the evening’s only world premiere. Music professor John McDonald wrote for the pair of pianists. His new work, "Barely; Wholly Op. 662" (2020-2021),has a refreshing sense of experimentation to it. With four hands available for the composition’s use, McDonald chooses to begin with only one. The piece then allows the other three hands to be built in along the way. It is an exploration into the possibilities of a doubles piece. Without ever feeling unjustified, the piece allows Auner and Stumpf to display their skilled synchronization by placing an invested interest in each individual hand. Each of the four hands totters between soloing and joining in with the others. McDonald’s work gains its beauty through its themes of lone fragility and united strength, as told through the hands of its players.
To close out the evening’s sonic spectacle, Auner and Stumpf had the opportunity to demonstrate their skills on another famous piece from the Romantic period. The duo’s performance culminated with Johannes Brahms’s "Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56b" (1833–97). On the whole, the pair played alongside each other with technical precision and breathtaking artistry.
It is worth noting that this concert was supposed to occur on March 29, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program was indefinitely postponed — until now. This strong showing, both on the part of Auner and Stumpf as well as the Department of Music, is a testament to the resilience of the music scene at Tufts. Its return is welcomed warmly, and if this concert was any indication, there are great things yet to come from the Department of Music.
