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Richard and John Contiguglia
Richard and John Contiguglia are identical twins who have collaborated as a piano duo since they were five years old. Throughout their career critics have responded in superlatives to their unique musical partnership. Following the release of their historic recording for Connoisseur Society of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, transcribed for two pianos by Franz Liszt, now a collector’s item, critic Edward Tatnall Canby called the Contiguglias “the most profoundly musical pair of piano virtuosi of this century.” Records and Recording proclaimed that “they have given the two-piano medium a whole new dimension. The Contiguglias stand apart in a lofty world of their own, unrivaled and supreme.” Byron Belt, for Newhouse News Service, called the Contiguglias “foremost among today’s duo-pianists.”
The twins graduated in the top 1% of their class at Yale (1959), with identical averages of 91%, receiving their BA degrees summa cum laude, with philosophical orations. Two years later they received M.Mus. degrees from the Yale Graduate School of Music at the top of their class. Subsequently, they studied for four years in London with the great British pianist, Dame Myra Hess.
Their performances at reunions have brought delight to their classmates and friends at Yale. We are grateful to Richard and John for allowing us to share their genius on our 1959 website.
Directly below, you can click the red “play” button to hear one of their performances, Andante sostenuto, composed by Max Bruch. Follow this link to hear all of the tracks they sent to share with the class.