24 Preludes & Fugues Op.87 Vol.2: Piano (Solo)

These 24 works demand serious musicianship without requiring virtuosity for its own sake. Each prelude and fugue pair unfolds a distinct character, harmonic world, and contrapuntal challenge, making Volume 2 perfect for pianists seeking depth and variety in equal measure. The collection bridges Bach and modernism in a way that clarifies both.

Bach reimagined through a composer who witnessed the twentieth century's upheavals. The music is intellectual and emotionally direct at once, ranging from austere fugal argument to introspective meditation, with moments of unexpected warmth breaking through austere counterpoint. Shostakovich never lets you forget the humanity beneath the form.

Advanced pianists preparing recital material, conservatory students studying twentieth-century repertoire, and teachers building a comprehensive solo piano curriculum. This volume works equally well for performance or deep study outside the practice room.

• Treat each prelude-fugue pairing as a self-contained unit with its own narrative arc; resist rushing through the prelude to get to the fugue.
• Study the voice leading in the fugues with a pencil in hand, marking subject entries and episodes so you can articulate the architecture clearly.
• Balance clarity of counterpoint with the lyrical impulses in Shostakovich's melodies; these are not academic exercises but living compositions.
• Use the Peters edition's fingerings as a starting point, then adjust based on your hand size and comfort; Shostakovich's textures often reward unconventional solutions.

Program a pair or series of pairs from Volume 2 in a student recital to showcase technical range and musical maturity. Solo pianists can also place individual selections between larger works in concert to create breathing room. The collection serves as essential study material for a semester or year-long exploration of fugal writing across centuries.

• Reading and executing complex polyphonic textures across wide range of the keyboard
• Tracing subject entries, countersubjects, and episodes in twentieth-century fugal writing
• Managing harmonic language that combines tonal centers with chromatic voice leading
• Sustaining independence of multiple melodic lines without losing phrase direction
• Interpreting expressive nuance within strictly formal structures