Description

Welcome aboard The African Express, a country-pop style duet in D major for beginner primo players at about the Grade 1 standard (ABRSM).

Our 120bpm journey starts with the hypnotic secondo accompaniment, which is reminiscent of the gentle rhythm of an old steam train making its way across an African savannah.

The primo then introduces the 'A' section melody, with both hands moving mostly in octaves, and played an octave higher than written. There is a small amount of syncopation that adds to the gentle 'rolling train' feel of the piece.

The melody should be played legato as phrased, and the accompaniment is best played leggiero (lightly) with the right hand off-beat chords kept fairly short. There are also some dynamic contrasts to enjoy along the way, but feel free to experiment with your own.

The piece then moves to a 'B' section, which is a variation on the original melody.  This leads to a brief stop to take on fuel and water - a gently flowing 'C' section - and then we're off again with a D.C. al Coda.

As well as a performance MP3 recording, The African Express piano duet comes with 3 other play-along MP3 backing tracks featuring carefully orchestrated arrangements with bass, drums, strings and percussion:

• Play-along for both players
• Play-along for Primo
• Slow tempo practice play-along for Primo

I hope you enjoy your journey aboard The African Express!