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{{Short description|Musical composition or arrangement for two performers}} {{Redirect|Duo (music)|a band or musical act featuring two members|musical duo}} {{other uses|Duet (disambiguation)|Duo (disambiguation)}} [[File:Hendrik ter Brugghen - Het duet.jpg|thumb|''The Duet'' (1628), by [[Hendrick ter Brugghen]]]] A '''duet''' ([[italian language|Italian]]: ''duo'') is a [[musical composition]] for two [[Performing arts|performer]]s in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a [[harmony]], as the performers take turns performing a solo section rather than performing simultaneously. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is a "[[piano duet]]" or "[[piano four hands]]".<ref>Christensen, T. (1999). "Four-Hand Piano". ''Journal of the American Musicological Society'', 52(2) 255β298</ref> A piece for two pianists performing together on separate pianos is a "[[List of compositions for piano duo|piano duo]]". "Duet" is also used as a [[verb]] for the act of performing a musical duet, or colloquially as a [[noun]] to refer to the performers of a duet. A [[musical ensemble]] with more than two solo instruments or voices is called a [[Trio (music)|trio]], [[quartet]], [[quintet]], [[sextet]], [[septet]], [[octet (music)|octet]], etc. == History == When [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart]] was young, he and his sister [[Maria Anna Mozart|Marianne]] played a duet of his composition at a London concert in 1765. The four-hand, described as a duet, was in many of his compositions which included five [[sonata]]s; a set of [[Variation (music)|variations]], two performers and one instrument, and a sonata for two pianos. The first published sonata or duet was in 1777.<ref>Miller, H.-M. (1943). The Earliest Keyboard Duets. ''[[The Musical Quarterly]]'', 29(4), 438β457.</ref> In [[Renaissance music]], a duet specifically intended as a teaching tool, to be performed by teacher and student, was called a [[bicinium]] (''see [[Γtude]]''). == In opera == Duets have always been a part of the structure of [[opera]]s. Early 16th-century operas such as ''[[L'Orfeo]]'' and ''[[L'incoronazione di Poppea]]'' involve duets throughout the performance. In 17th-century Italy duets were often used in comic scenes within serious operas. In Baroque France the duet was popular in tragedies, such as songs of vengeance and confrontation. The love duet was characterized by singing in [[Close and open harmony|close harmonies]] of 3rds and 6ths, symbolizing unity after conflict.<ref>{{cite journal|first1 = Michael|last1 = Tilmouth|title = Duet|url = http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/08263|journal = Grove Music Online|access-date = 2014-10-12}}</ref> === Famous operatic duets === * ''La clemenza di Tito'' by [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart]] * ''La Cenerentola'' by [[Gioachino Rossini]] * ''The Puritans'' of [[Vincenzo Bellini]] * ''Don Pasquale'' by [[Gaetano Donizetti]] * ''La traviata'' by [[Giuseppe Verdi]] * ''Aida'' of [[Giuseppe Verdi]] * ''Mefistofele'' of [[Arrigo Boito]] * ''Manon Lescaut'' by [[Giacomo Puccini]] * ''Madama Butterfly'' by [[Giacomo Puccini]] * ''L'amico Fritz'' by [[Pietro Mascagni]] == In pop music == [[File:Johnny Cash & June Carter.png|thumb|upright|[[Johnny Cash]] & [[June Carter Cash|June Carter]]]] Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, duets have been common in the popular music of their respective eras. In addition to a standard vocal duet, some songs have been written to be heard as conversations; for example, "[[Baby, It's Cold Outside]]". Other songs are performed around a theme; for example, [[New York City]] in "[[Empire State of Mind]]". Occasionally, duets are an [[Improvisation (music)|improvisation]] between artists; for example, "[[Under Pressure]]" by [[Queen (band)|Queen]] and [[David Bowie]]. Bowie and Queen frontman [[Freddie Mercury]] reportedly composed the lyrics in a day by improvising together.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Making of Queen and David Bowie's 1981 Hit "Under Pressure": Demos, Studio Sessions & More|url=http://www.openculture.com/2014/06/the-making-of-under-pressure.html|website=www.openculture.com|access-date=2015-01-10}}</ref> Duets are also common in [[Musical film|musical movies]] and [[musical theatre]]; "[[Fit as a Fiddle (song)|Fit as a Fiddle]]" for the 1952 movie ''[[Singin' in the Rain]]'' and its corresponding play of the [[Singin' in the Rain (musical)|same name]].<ref>{{Citation |title=Top 10 Best Movie Musical Duets |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr-LbKtS6l4 |language=en |access-date=2022-12-01}}</ref> == Virtual duets == In addition to traditional duets performed liveβeither in front of an audience or recorded in a studioβa so-called virtual duet can be created by having a singer (or musician) perform over the top of a pre-existing recording. Such a duet is a form of [[overdubbing]]. A virtual duet is sometimes done when the singer (or musician) of the original recording is deceased; for example, a live performance by [[Paul McCartney]] on "[[I've Got a Feeling]]" with an [[A cappella|isolated vocal]] recording of [[John Lennon]] from [[The Beatles]]' famous [[The Beatles' rooftop concert|rooftop performance]],<ref>{{Citation |title=Paul McCartney- I've Got a Feeling (Virtual Duet- John Lennon) 6/4/2022 Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzlhPgvLBKM |language=en |access-date=2022-12-01}}</ref> or a recording of [[Judy Garland]] being dubbed over by her daughter [[Lorna Luft]] on "[[Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas]]".<ref>{{Citation |title=Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Lorna Luft Music Video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yecGKlGyNaA |language=en |access-date=2022-12-01}}</ref> It can also be done with an earlier version of oneself (such as [[Cat Stevens|Yusuf / Cat Stevens]] on "[[Father and Son (song)|Father And Son]]");<ref>{{cite web |title=Father & Son: A Duet 50 Years in the Making |url=https://catstevens.com/father-son/ |access-date=19 April 2021 |website=Yusuf / Cat Stevens |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Martoccio |first=Angie |date=10 September 2020 |title=Yusuf/Cat Stevens Duets with His Younger Self in 'Father and Son' Video |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/yusuf-cat-stevens-father-and-son-video-1056983/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US |access-date=19 April 2021}}</ref> incidentally, [[Ronan Keating]] did his own virtual duet with Yusuf on the same song.<ref>{{Citation |title=Ronan Keating, Yusuf - Father And Son |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVbbYYUMI-c |language=en |access-date=2022-12-01}}</ref> Virtual duets may also be done live via [[Videotelephony|video link]] (such as [[Shaun Escoffery]] duetting with the late [[Eva Cassidy]]'s videotaped performance of "[[Over the Rainbow]]" in honour of the late Sir [[Terry Wogan]])<ref>{{Cite web |last=Richards |first=Will |date=2022-08-17 |title=Julian Lennon was "shocked" by Paul McCartney's virtual John Lennon duet |url=https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/julian-lennon-was-shocked-by-paul-mccartneys-virtual-john-lennon-duet-3292412 |access-date=2023-06-13 |website=NME |language=en-AU}}</ref> or be constructed manually from two pre-existing recordings, generally where each singer/musician can have their own isolated audio channel in the form of a [[Stem (audio)|stem]]. Entire albums of virtual duets have been created, including albums by [[Frank Sinatra]] (''[[Duets (Frank Sinatra album)|Duets]]'' and ''[[Duets II (Frank Sinatra album)|Duets II]]'')''.'' Theoretically, a duet could be constructed from any two pre-recorded singers or musicians so long as there are isolated audio channels from each artist. With the advent of [[audio deepfake]] technology, it is now possible to create virtual duets using an [[Artificial intelligence|AI]] facsimile of a singer (or singers) who never sang the song in the first place. A famous example of this is "[[Heart on My Sleeve (Ghostwriter977 song)|Heart on My Sleeve]]" by ghostwriter977, who wrote and produced an original song using voice models of [[Drake (musician)|Drake]] and [[The Weeknd]]. === Notable pop duets === * "[[Baby, It's Cold Outside]]" β [[Ricardo MontalbΓ‘n]] and [[Esther Williams]], and with roles reversed, [[Red Skelton]] and [[Betty Garrett]], 1948 * "[[Dream a Little Dream of Me]]" β [[Louis Armstrong]] and [[Ella Fitzgerald]], 1950 * "[[Charlie Chaplin|Chaplin]] and [[Buster Keaton|Keaton]] Violin and Piano Duet" β ''[[Limelight (1952 film)|Limelight]]'', 1952 * "[[I Got You Babe]]" β [[Sonny & Cher]], 1965 * "[[Ain't No Mountain High Enough]]" β [[Marvin Gaye]] and [[Tammi Terrell]], 1967 * "[[Jackson (song)|Jackson]]" β [[Johnny Cash]] and [[June Carter Cash|June Carter]], 1967 * "[[Somethin' Stupid]]" β [[Frank Sinatra]] and [[Nancy Sinatra]], 1967 * "[[Waters of March]]" β [[Elis Regina]] and [[AntΓ΄nio Carlos Jobim|Antonio Carlos Jobim]], 1972 * "[[Don't Go Breaking My Heart]]" β [[Elton John]] and [[Kiki Dee]], 1976 * "[[You're the One That I Want|You're The One That I Want]]" β [[John Travolta]] and [[Olivia Newton-John]], 1978 * "[[Endless Love (song)|Endless Love]]" β [[Diana Ross]] and [[Lionel Richie]], 1981 * "[[Under Pressure]]" β [[Queen (band)|Queen]] and [[David Bowie]], 1981 * "[[Up Where We Belong]]" β [[Joe Cocker]] and [[Jennifer Warnes]], 1982 * "[[Ebony and Ivory]]" β [[Paul McCartney]] and [[Stevie Wonder]], 1982 * "[[Islands in the Stream (song)|Islands in the Stream]]" β [[Kenny Rogers]] and [[Dolly Parton]], 1983 * "[[Say Say Say]]" β Paul McCartney and [[Michael Jackson]], 1983 * "[[Don't Give Up (Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush song)|Don't Give Up]]" β [[Peter Gabriel]] and [[Kate Bush]], 1986 * "[[Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now]]" β [[Starship (band)|Starship]], 1987 * "[[Always (Atlantic Starr song)|Always]]" β [[Atlantic Starr]], 1987 * "[[(I've Had) The Time of My Life]]" β [[Bill Medley]] and Jennifer Warnes, 1987 * "[[One Sweet Day]]" β [[Mariah Carey]] and [[Boyz II Men]], 1995 * "[[Scream (Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson song)|Scream]]" β Michael Jackson and [[Janet Jackson]], 1995 * "[[It's Your Love]]" β [[Tim McGraw]] and [[Faith Hill]], 1997 * "[[Tell Him (Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion song)|Tell Him]]" β [[Barbra Streisand]] and [[Celine Dion]], 1997 * "[[I'm Your Angel]]" β [[R. Kelly]] and [[Celine Dion]], 1998 * "[[The Boy Is Mine (Brandy and Monica song)|The Boy Is Mine]]" β [[Brandy Norwood|Brandy]] and [[Monica (singer)|Monica]], 1998 * "[[When You Believe]]" β [[Whitney Houston]] and [[Mariah Carey]], 1998 * "[[Where You Are (Jessica Simpson song)|Where You Are]]" β [[Jessica Simpson]] and [[Nick Lachey]], 2000 * "[[Nobody Wants to Be Lonely]]" β [[Ricky Martin]] and [[Christina Aguilera]], 2001 * "[[I Belong to You (Il ritmo della passione)]]" β [[Eros Ramazzotti]] and [[Anastacia]], 2006 * "[[Beautiful Liar]]" β [[BeyoncΓ©]] and [[Shakira]], 2007 * "[[Non siamo soli|No Estamos Solos]]" β [[Eros Ramazzotti]] and [[Ricky Martin]], 2007 * "[[Limpido]]" β [[Laura Pausini]] and [[Kylie Minogue]], 2013 * "[[Hurt You (Toni Braxton and Babyface song)|Hurt You]]" β [[Toni Braxton]] and [[Babyface (musician)|Babyface]], 2014 * "[[Bad Things (Machine Gun Kelly and Camila Cabello song)|Bad Things]]" β [[Machine Gun Kelly (musician)|Machine Gun Kelly]] and [[Camila Cabello]], 2016 * "[[Die with a Smile]]β[[Lady Gaga]] and [[Bruno Mars]], 2024 ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * {{commonscat-inline}} * {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Duet|ref=none}} * {{Wiktionary-inline|duet}} {{Musical ensembles}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:Duets| ]] [[Category:Musical terminology]]
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