Qui Vive

Wilhelm Ganz (1833-1914) was a German musician who escaped from the continent in 1848 and spent the rest of his life in London. As a violinist and conductor, he worked alongside Berlioz and Wagner, and held a singingprofessorship at the Guildhall School of Music. Despite being well-regarded in his lifetime, his compositional work has largely fallen into obscurity over the last century.

Ganz’s Op.12 is Qui Vive(c.1860-70): inspired by the Galop, a lively country dance, but intended for concert performance. It is scored for a Piano Duet, and keeps the pianists entertained by modulating several times through closely linked keys,based around Eb Major.