Piano-playing brothers back

Press, 14 September 1976, Page 22

Piano-playing brothers back

The piano-playing Kontarsky brothers, who made a big impression on their first New Zealand tour for the Music Federation in 1974. will be back next week. They will give one concert in the Town Hall on Monday. Both Altons and Aloys Kontarsky began playing at an early age. Their first major success was in 1955. when they won the first prize for duo pianists at the International Music Competition in Munich. Their playing on one piano began before Alfons could read the bass clef; therefore, Alfons always takes the primo part and Aloys takes the alto, and works the pedals. Since 1958 they have performed many times in everv European country, as well as the Near East, Japan, South Africa, South America., and the United

States. They have also made a number of successful recordings, and have performed with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, and other symphony orchestras.

Much of their reputation has come from their performances of avant-garde music, resulting from an association with the “International HolidayCourses for New Music” at Darmstadt, where they 7 encountered the music of such contemporary composers as Stockhausen, Boulez, and Ligeti. It was Aloys Kontarsky who first played Stockhausen's entire piano works. But they are also notable interpreters of Mozart, Debussy, and Ravel.

The Christchurch concert will include music by W. F. Bach, Busoni, Debussy, Bartok. and Max Regu.