- Shostakovich wrote his 24 preludes for piano, Op. 34 between 1932-33.
- Twelve of the preludes are in major keys, and twelve are in minor. They are organized in a cycle of ascending fifths, with each major key followed by its relative minor (the first is in C Major, the second in A minor; the third is in G Major, the fourth in E minor, etc.)
- Each piece has a distinct mood and character.1
- These preludes have been arranged for various configurations, including orchestra, violin and piano, string quartet, and more.
- Leopold Stokowski famously arranged No. 14 for orchestra, for example.
- In terms of timeline, these intimate pieces for piano are bookended by two major works: Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District and Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 35.
Sources
- Robert Matthew-Walker, Notes in accompanying booklet, Shostakovich: Preludes & Piano Sonatas performed by Andrey Gugnin, Hyperion 68267, 2019, compact disc.
Cut IDs
11610 11603 11617 11600