Musical "Duels"?

“Competitions are for horses, not pianists.” This remark is widely attributed to Béla Bartók, although others had surely expressed similar sentiments earlier. If memory serves me correctly, Artur Rubinstein made a nearly identical comment after learning of competition results with which he strongly disagreed, and it should never be forgotten that the immortal Niccolò Paganini finished a mere third in such a contest.

Alas, competitions are a harsh fact of life these days, and while they have launched many careers, they have also consigned other remarkable artists to relative oblivion, at least temporarily. The results have not always been applauded, and backstage intrigue and political considerations have fed the rumor-mill for centuries. I had one success (the J. S. Bach International Competition for Pianists), although I was unceremoniously eliminated in the preliminary round of a couple of smaller, local contests: go figure!

I would like to introduce another idea: direct competition between two performers, otherwise known as a “duel.” A number of musical giants were indeed involved in such events.

Accounts of the duel between Handel and Scarlatti (1709) are inconsistent, but it seems each performer held the other in the highest esteem, and they parted cordially. According to some reports, Handel proved far better on the organ, while the contest on harpsichord was judged either a tie or a win for Scarlatti. 

Johann Sebastian Bach was slated to match skills at harpsichord against Louis Marchand in 1717. However, the Frenchman wisely fled Dresden and returned to Paris. He would doubtless have suffered a crushing defeat.

Mozart and Muzio Clementi battled to a draw (1781), although privately, Clementi acknowledged that Mozart should have won and spoke very highly of him. Mozart was more critical, and his comment — "Clementi is a charlatan, like all Italians. He marks a piece presto but plays only allegro” — has been oft-quoted. Nevertheless, he clearly respected the Italian and “borrowed” the opening measures of Clementi’s Sonata in B-flat major, Op. 24, #2, for his overture to The Magic Flute. [Clementi had performed that work during the contest.]

Beethoven was challenged on several occasions, and the duel with Daniel Steibelt (1800) is arguably the most famous in history. For the last round, the contestants were supposed to sightread one of their opponents’ manuscripts and improvise upon a theme. Steibelt rather cagily gave Beethoven a sonata for piano and cello (rather than a work for piano solo), whereupon the latter grabbed the cello score, placed the music upside down on the music rack, and began to fire off improvisations as only he could. Steibelt fled the hall and never returned to Vienna, and no dared to challenge Beethoven thereafter. 

Competitions between pianists became far more rare in the 19th century, although the duel between Franz Liszt and Sigismond Thalberg (1837) was noteworthy. According to some sources, the event was deemed a tie, and both parted amicably. According to others, Liszt proved superior. Who knows?

Also worthy of mention: toward the end of that century, Alexander Scriabin (far better known today as a composer than a performer) and Josef Lhévinne were slated to match pianistic skills. Unfortunately — or perhaps fortunately (?) — Scriabin suffered a hand injury, and the event was cancelled. 

The discussion would be incomplete without the 1816 duel between Paganini and Charles Philippe Lafont in Milan. Although there was no official adjudication, the audience and the local press favored Paganini by an overwhelming margin. [NB: Ann Abelson discusses this event in considerable detail in Paganini Agitato (Fomite Press).]

Now, I would like to propose something rather audacious, bizarre, and in many respects perverse: the resurrection of musical duels! Presumably, these would be congenial and cordial events, conducted in a spirit of camaraderie and collegiality. Both participants might perform solo works by a given composer (or composers) and perhaps include a duet (possibly with orchestra). I shall go further and outline tentative details for a proposed Bach duel.

The pianists would begin with Bach’s Goldberg Variations, with one artist performing the Aria and Variations 1-15, while the other played Variations 16-30 and the recapitulation of the Aria. If they agreed to refrain from repeats, this would cover a tolerably long first half.

After intermission, the two might join forces and perform Bach’s own arrangements (for two claviers) of the “mirror” fugues from The Art of the Fugue (or as Gustav Leonhardt called it, The Art of Fugue). They might then offer their respective interpretations of Contrapunctus 14, which Bach left unfinished at this death. As these pieces are rarely performed, they would doubtless be a treat for those who enjoy Bach’s keyboard music. 

Of course, such a duel would prove nothing, but it would give contemporary concert-goers the opportunity to appreciate the great battles of the past. Similar competitions involving works by Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms, and other giants might just as easily be contrived. Moreover, there is no reason that the duelists would have to restrict themselves to only one composer. So…what the hell?…

If someone can raise the funds and find an agreeable Bach specialist — e.g., Angela Hewitt, Víkingur Ólafsson, Sir András Schiff — I would be delighted to see whether my arthritic hands are up to one last challenge. Let the games begin!