Shostakovich - Prelude and Fugue in A major, op.87 no.7

[andhow04]

here is the A major prelude and fugue, one of Shostakovich's most charming compositions for sure, with the pastoral pastiche prelude and the fugue on the Triad - is there any other such fugue??? really an amazing piece, the fugue is quite difficult to maneuver, esp. rhythmically.

[visitor]

top marks good sir!!! loved this. nothing i can really say. thanks for sharing

[cbreemer]

I deeply love this pair too. It is full of sunshine and youthful optimism, like a bright and sunny may morning, which is amazing given the dreary and difficult times Shostakovich lived in, and the problems he was always in with the Soviet authorities. It is truly the sign of a great composer that
he could transcend all that, and create music of such Bach-like translucency.

I find the fugue (which is indeed unique, and far harder than it sounds) played rather too fast. You probably follow the metronome marks, which is laudable, but personally I find it more beautiful at a somewhat more relaxed pace. Well played though, despite the couple of tiny slips (which probably would not have happened had you taken it a little slower).

[andhow04]

thanks again for listening closely to this p&F. regarding the fugue tempo, i admit to being undecided. on one hand, it does sound totally lovely in a more relaxed tempo, and in fact the harmonic color is easier to hear, and it can be relished more. on the other hand, i think the rhythm of the subject itself, particularly in the middle of it like the second and third bars, calls for a very spritely tempo.
shostakovich's own tempo in his recording is quite a bit faster than mine, though nikolaeva's is slower.
richter's is very fast.
i guess for me it is a character issue, and what side of the fugue you want to emphasize. thanks again for listening