For my new EP, I taught myself how to play brass instruments, inspired by my love for the band Beirut and their first album, Gulag Orkestar. This track is called Alesia.
Me working in my new studio. Really happy I have a cozy studio finally to work and enough space to be creative... . #femaleproducer #femaledj #femalepianist #brokenbeats #bruk #futurejazz #nujazz #breakbeat #breakbeats #bassmusic #pianomusic #jazzlovers (hier: Berlin, Germany) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqS-tYHMThy/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
Dmitri Shostakovich: Prelude and Fugue in e minor
Shostakovich composed his set of 24 preludes and fugues between 1950 and 1951. Originally, he wanted to write a cycle of finger exercises, but he aspired to create something of deeper meaning. According to the composer’s own words, he played Bach every day, so it is not surprising at all for him to compose
something inspired by the two books of WTC. The cycle was dedicated to and premiered by pianist Tatiana Nikolayeva.
For Shostakovich, non-programmatic music meant the last refuge for expressing his own thoughts and emotions freely, without the fear of censorship and being accused of formalism.
The prelude is short, only 44 bars long, a lamentation orignating from a deep sorrow. This might be the reason for using the classic sigh-motif so frequently in this short movement. It is interesting how the diatonic structure turns into something harmonically experimental, creating the illusion of instability.
The fugue written for four voices follows the prelude attacca, and uses similar structures as Bach did in his own fugues. We have two different subjects, which meet at the final part of the fugue, Another interesting fact about this movement is the peculiar way how Shostakovich balances between classical tonal conventions and an archaic, modal musical language.
For authenticity, I chose a recording by Tatiana Nikolayeva, who was not only the best interpreter of Shostakovich’s music, but a master performing Bach’s works too.
I am happy to announce that the sheet music for Nocturnes of the Seven Modes is now on sale.
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Physical copies can be purchased from Amazon here
https://amazon.com/dp/B0C1DPWPS4
The music can also be purchased digitally from musicnotes, sheetmusicplus, and sheetmusicdirect.
musicnotes
https://www.musicnotes.com/marketplace/sheetmusic/MK0030511
sheetmusicplus
https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/22479177?ac=1
sheetmusicdirect
https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/.../1305800/Product.aspx
You can also get a PDF of the music by buying the album on Bandcamp here