Search - Dmitry Shostakovich, Vladimir Ashkenazy :: Shostakovich: 24 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87

Shostakovich as Bach

D. Makofka | 06/08/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'm really torn about Ashkenazy's interpretation. He ignores tempo and dynamic markings, yet brings out thematic and harmonic relationships that I had missed before listening to his interpretation. If you think Shostakovich meant to 'update Bach' with this work, you'll probably like this. If you don't, you may not; but it is still a thoughtful well-executed rendition.

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A truly great piano recording

G.D. | Norway | 03/20/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Simply stunning! Ashkenazy has focused on conducting the latter years, thus giving the impression of at least semi-retirement as a pianist. Then along comes this, possibly his best piano recording ever. Indeed, this is a serious candidate for being one of the great piano recordings of all times.



In fact, the very first C major prelude and fugue receives what is probably the least satisfactory in the set, sounding a little uncertain and inflexible, but marvelous power and eloquence is in store with the second a minor one. And from there on, the playing is utterly superb, highlights including the deceptively easy charm of the seventh, A major one, the tempestuous fifteenth, D flat major, the pensive twenty-third in F major and, not the least, the defiant anguish of the very last, no. 24 in d minor. Ashkenazy might not, overall, be as convincing in the more thoughtfully reflective works, but is never less than interesting - and in the rest he is simply incomparable, probing the depths as none before or after him.



The sound quality is a littly dry (which admittedly doesn't help with those more reflective pieces), but with lots of space and air. This set is, all in all, a must."

Wow!

David Keymer | Modesto CA | 02/27/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The inspiration for these glorious creations is apparently Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, a set of preludes and fugues running through the chromatic scale. All told, there are 48 pieces, 24 sets all played in different keys. This is not the first or the last time a technical challenge has spurred a composer to outdo himself but this challenge seems to have helped the aging Shostakovich get out of the box of late Soviet programmatic music which was confining him.



The pieces are played exquisitely by Richter, who combines musical sophistication with enough rigor and muscle to save the music from becoming high quality romantic mush. It's a revelation to hear this side of Shostakovich. It's not the syncopated, quirky early modernist stuff I'm used to from the composer (which I like, by the way). The music is austere, almost classical, yet infused with the same sensitivity to tonality, harmony and syncopation that I respect and glory in when I hear Shostakovich. This album is truly worth getting."