Three Duos (sc&pts)

3 Duets for Two Flutes by Saverio Mercadante

Published by Zimmermann
Includes score and parts

Duo I. – Larghetto amabile; Allegro maestoso; Tempo di valse

Duo II. – Allegro affetuoso; Rondo. Allegro brillante

Duo III. – Allegro maestoso; Polacca Allegro brillante

In the mid and late 18th century, only few of the famous Italian opera composers before Verdi wrote music for for small ensembles, and Mercadante was one of them.  These were originally published in 1828, these duets belong to the genre of “concertante duets”, and feature both virtuoso and cantabile techniques, without being talkative (which other pieces of this genre often were).