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In Reply to: Shostakovich, 24 Preludes for solo piano: Quite something! posted by hesson11 on December 14, 2006 at 19:39:09:
hesson11,I find the Shostakovich "24 Preludes and Fugues" to be really wonderful as well- No. 5 is a favourite. I have a couple of recordings of this, but ithe set by Boris Berman is really attractive. Keith Jarrett recorded them too and though it's not my first choice- I think that is the best performance of classical by Jarrett that I've heard.
The Preludes and Fugues were not from 1932-33 but rather done for the 200 anniversary of Bach's death in 1950 - a bit of a parallel to Mendelssohn's interest in Bach in 1850. And of course, the idea is based on the "Well-Tempered" sets. If you compare Shostakovich's compositions to Bach's in the same kay, there are numerous references- almost evocations.
The Preludes are wonderful pieces too, and Shostakovich ties the pairs together brilliantly, but I'm completely a sucker for fugues and will buy about any recording if it includes a fugue I've never heard. It's surprising how many composers- especially near the end of their careers wrote fugues. I one did a two-hour radio programme of just keyboard fugues and many people are surprised at the number written by composers after the era of counterpoint as the dominate style: Haydn (the epochal Op. 33 Quartets) Beethoven (Sonatas from 28-32, Grosse Fuge, Diabellis, 9th Symphony), Liszt (B.A.C.H.), even Satie. Schubert was studying counterpoint when he died. I think fugues were seen as a compositional challenge and it seems many composers became fascinated.
"Fugue" derives from the same root as "fugitive" and refers to "flight" or fleeing- the idea is the theme is chased in flight creating a distinct kind of energetic drive- a really elegant concept in my view.
Cheers,
Follow Ups:
I've been listening lately to Max Reger's Preludes and Fugues for solo violin (Mateja Marinkovic on ASV CD DCA 876). If you haven't heard them, you might want to give them a try. Quite absorbing pieces.By the way, I didn't mean to say the Shostakovich Preludes and Fugues were composed in 1932-33. That's when the Preludes were written.
Bob,In my fugue-happy way I just took off and assumed you meant the op. 87 Preludes and Fugues also- sorry!
The Reger solo violin fugues are pieces I've never heard and I appreciate your mentioning them. A fugue on a solo violin must take quite the feats of prestidigitation- and super bowing!
Cheers,
I think in all honesty that calling them fugues may be just a tiny bit of an exaggeration, but they certainly are fugue-like! And they are enormously beautiful. That recording I mentioned was the world-premier recording (one volume of a two-volume set of 2 CDs each). It was recorded in 1994, so these works were shamefully neglected for too long.
-Bob
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