A QUATRE MAINS (Fr.; Germ. Zu vier Händen, Vierhändig; Ital. a quattro mani). Music written for two performers upon one pianoforte, and usually so printed that the part for each player occupies the page which is directly opposite to him.
By far the greater proportion of music ‘à quatre mains
’ consists of arrangements of orchestral and vocal compositions and of quartetts, etc. for stringed instruments; indeed, scarcely any composition of importance for any combination of instruments exists which has...