A deux mains
French for “for two hands” — a performance direction for two-handed playing, usually at the piano.
What it means
À deux mains is French for “for two hands” and designates piano pieces or passages played by a single person using both hands. The Italian equivalent is a due mani. The label distinguishes such works from those for four hands (à quatre mains) or two pianos.
In the notation
The label usually appears in the title or subtitle of an edition, for instance on piano transcriptions, to make clear that a work originally conceived for orchestra or several players has been arranged here for one person playing with two hands.
Musical use
Domestic piano playing was especially widespread in the 19th century, and publishers issued numerous arrangements of orchestral works both à deux mains and à quatre mains. The label helped buyers identify the correct version for one or two players.
Other names
Italian: a due mani; by contrast, à quatre mains (French) or a quattro mani (Italian) denotes four-handed playing.