I bought this CD almost by mistake. I was in a hurry when in the store, saw "Shostakovich" and "Preludes" and assumed it was the Preludes AND Fugues, which I have known and loved for many years. So I was a bit disappointed when I got home and discovered these were fugue-less. I'd never heard of this composition. The recording is on Naxos 8.555781, with Konstantin Scherbakov.These things are amazingly beguiling, composed in 1932-33. All very brief (the entire set lasts just over a half-hour), they reflect a wide range of moods. Some are soft and gentle as a whisper while others offer all the angular Shostakovichian power that's so familiar. I played the CD only to sample them for a bit but was so enthralled, I listened to the entire set. And the recorded sound is among the very, very best I have ever heard. It's simply real. If your tastes run anything along these lines, I think you'll be captivated by this recording. I sure was.
-Bob
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Topic - Shostakovich, 24 Preludes for solo piano: Quite something! - hesson11 19:39:09 12/14/06 (9)
- Sometimes I hate doing this---- - gd 08:37:57 12/17/06 (2)
- "another diminution" - Alex M 01:41:45 12/18/06 (0)
- No problem. That's one for me to look for! Thanks. (n/t) - hesson11 19:22:14 12/17/06 (0)
- I second all of the above - JimC 12:19:12 12/16/06 (0)
- I like fugues and the Shostakovich Op. 87 are among the best since Beethoven! - Bambi B 10:42:27 12/15/06 (3)
- Speaking of fugues... - hesson11 15:09:49 12/15/06 (2)
- I really missed on this one ! - Bambi B 15:58:49 12/15/06 (1)
- Re: I really missed on this one ! - hesson11 20:52:13 12/15/06 (0)
- Re: Shostakovich, 24 Preludes for solo piano: Quite something! - PorkPieHat 02:35:54 12/15/06 (0)