So, time is passing and we are working out way well into the first book at this point. This is a strange fugue, modulates in the middle of the statement! And a strange Prelude, starts frenetically, and then stops and paces slowly into a steady rainfall. Or at least that’s what it makes me think of today.
How did you do on this one today? What a trip. You can’t get used to the key signature; it is enharmonic, but the change from flats to sharps is extremely hard to resolve. He only changes the key signature between the prelude and the fugue once in the two books, and it was today.
Comments:
Nadia: Yesterday, I played a familiar prelude and fugue that I used to practice when I took organ lessons a few years ago. The prelude is perfect for the organ because the different voices have held out notes that can be clearly heard on the organ. I was able to practice this piece on my electric organ in my basement which reminded me of old times I used to play at Ms. Helen’s church and when I took lessons. I plan on practicing future preludes and fugues on the organ as well as piano to get different sounds.
Helen: Hi, Nadia! How cool to play these on your organ, a different sound but so definitely Bach! There are many examples in these two books of the same note being played by both hands, clear indication that he at least intended some of them to be played on a multiple-manual instrument, like the organ.
Today is E major. How is everyone faring? I find today’s P&F so gentle and sunny. Tomorrow’s E minor P&F will be moodier, with something of a two-part invention for the fugue. Do tell!
Here is today’s big question, and everyone in this group has had the opportunity to know the answer, save perhaps the youngest, who might be able to guess the answer: What movie features today’s fugue in a cartoon of rolling balls?
How about that Prelude today! How about that Fugue! Did you catch the inverted subjects? Do you think it qualifies as a double fugue?
Comments:
Celia: I loved playing this one! I found this video that highlights the subject/inverted subject. Beautiful piece! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNlXYLsC_Vs&list=RDgNlXYLsC_Vs&start_radio=1&t=19
Not sure if it would qualify as a double fugue, since the two subjects are related to each other, but also I’m not sure the full definition of a double fugue… 🙂
Helen: What a great link that is, Celia. So, there are folks out there who are highlighting the subjects of all the fugues. Someday, I’ll complete my task of marking all the subjects in the fugues, and I’ll check my work against the others that are out there on the web. I’m sure there is some interpretive quality to this task, and we won’t all have the same markings.
Did you notice that the Prelude ends with a fermata on the double bar as well as the final half note? Which can only mean . . . you’re supposed to keep going into the fugue after a brief pause. And the fugue is four pages long. So, this is a major (haha) commitment.
Mrs. (Lillian) Freundlich used to tell us that when a very young Myra Hess (google her) auditioned at Juilliard, the panel asked her for her compulsory Prelude and Fugue. And Myra Hess looked at the panel and asked . . . “Which one would you like?” Whoa.
Comments:
Celia: As in she knew all of them well enough to perform them by memory at an audition(?!) Wow!
Helen: Yes. She was a force of nature. She also wrote the most famous piano transcription of Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring. According to the notes in the publication, she had gone to a live performance, heard it once, went home and wrote it. She was one of those types.
Sorry to post so late — how many of you learned this one? And one of you may have something to say about tomorrow’s P&F. 🙂
Topically, Lura Johnson has posted a recording — in one take! — of the entire Book I on the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s FaceBook page here. She will host a Fugue workshop and a monthly Bach Brunch (!) in the fall, see or sign up on her own (fabulous) website here.
Comments:
Celia: Sorry I have been a little behind on this, but I learned No. 21 in Bb Major – it’s still one of my favorites! It was really fun to play it again, even though I cannot play the prelude nearly as quickly as I used to.
Helen: Yup, it’s a lot of fun. And you weren’t the only one to have performed it. Did Katie learn this one? Nadia?
Katie: Yes! I did learn this one. I was over-confident when I got to it though and started much faster than I should have. It’s been a while since I played it 😛
Helen: If I had a dollar for every piece I’ve started too fast and had to slow down, I’d be a lot wealthier. But I’m glad you were enthusiastic!
We should all be at the end of Book 1 (or Book 2, depending on your discipline this summer) as of today! If you aren’t , you have about a week to catch up before we begin the other book.
I say every time I start a fugue, “Oh, I LOVE this one.” But the gorgeous sequences that emerge from the haze of this 12-tone wonder still take my breath away. Six pages of fugue. How did you do?
Love, Helen
Comments:
Celia: I really enjoyed playing the fugue – at first I was a little daunted by the length, but it was beautiful and not too incredibly difficult. I have been finding that it is getting easier to sight read preludes/fugues I have not played before as we have been working through Book 1. I don’t know if this is because I am getting more experience with Bach’s style, or if I am just getting back into the groove of sight reading. Either way, this makes me happy!
I’m excited to start playing through Book 2 in a few days!
Helen: So glad you plugged through it, Celia. I’ve gotten to the point that I don’t look to see how long the fugue is, I just start. I can get quite surprised when there’s a page turn, and then another, and then another . . .
First, I’m looking forward to our gathering tomorrow night. Keep the faith, you are doing great.
OK! Time for the next book! JSB (for those of us now in Book 2) presents us with a supremely chromatic prelude for P&F1, a look back perhaps at the last fugue, no. 24 in Book 1. He is throwing down the modulation gauntlet, it seems to me. Also time for another photo — here I am pointing to one of the most difficult lines of the prelude, with an Evil Piano Teacher smirk.
Comments:
Grace: That prelude was so tricky! And the last two lines of the fugue really threw me.
Helen: I mean, C major, right?? Go figure . . .
What a beautiful P&F for today in C minor, but even better, what a grand visit we had on zoom about our summer Well Tempered Experiences! I loved seeing everyone, and hearing your triumphs and travails. I’m so glad we’re forging into the second book, and planning to gather again in a few weeks to celebrate our summer project!
Here are some links that came up during our visit tonight:
Stephen Prutsman playing WTC II on YouTube. (It’s in one take, but there is an index with timings, and I should mention that the controversial part of this wonderful recording is that they are not in order, but in an order that Stephen liked, based roughly on thirds.)
Here is Jenny Lin playing Shostakovich’s Op. 87 Prelude No. 1 in C, and then the Fugue.
And here is Vladimir Ashkenazy playing the same Shostakovich Prelude and Fugue in C.
Lastly, here is the book I’m reading, written by Celia’s cousin!!!!
Love, Helen
Hi, Summer WTC Club,
I meant to post yesterday after playing through that gorgeous C# major P&F, partly because it came up on Sunday night, several of you have played it, and because I just enjoy it so much. But time passes so quickly! Now today, during the Tropical Storm, I played the C# minor of WTCII, another favorite. I played the beautiful prelude horrendously, trying to use the inadequate light coming in from the window. I plan to go back and improve it!
Today’s post is a test for y’all: What (enharmonic) key does Bach modulate to in this Prelude? I say enharmonic, because I can’t think about that many double sharps accurately. 🙂
OK this post is a day late, but I played the Prelude in F major both yesterday and the day before, and the Fugue (and the F major Sinfonia) yesterday. I couldn’t wait to post, and so I utterly forgot to post. Isn’t this our life these days?
I hope you played the F major yesterday. What did you think? I’ll tell you what I think, I think it’s one of the most sublime preludes ever written. I think Bach is introducing us to Debussy about 150 years early. It just floats like sweet F major rose incense over my piano while I play. What a gift.
Comments:
Nadia: Hi everyone! I really enjoyed playing F major yesterday and came back to the fugue multiple times throughout the day. Next, I played F minor (from Book 1) which brought a feeling of nostalgia to me. This was the prelude and fugue I worked on for a few years in high school and it was arguably one of my favorite sets from the WTC collection. Sadly, I was never able to perform the fugue but I always wish I did because it has so many beautiful lines especially when it goes into 4 voices. Hope everyone else is having fun playing through Book 2!
Helen: So glad that you went back and back to the fugue several times. I do that a lot, both with preludes and fugues, and accompanying inventions. The F major WTCI is a lovely fugue!
I fell away this week from blogging about our topic, a summer journey with JSB as our guide through the key signature landscape. Regardless, I have faithfully played the daily P&F, and appended a Sinfonia when one exists in the same key. I pondered the bizarreness of short P&Fs for A major and A minor, compared to the epic journey of g# minor. Why make the difficult that much harder, Mr. Bach? He ain’t saying.
Today will be the P&F in Bb major, no. 21. I haven’t had a chance to play it yet — it is still a little early to be plunking on a grand piano with neighbors on the other side of the wall.
How goes the journey for all of you? I am looking forward to the conclusion of this summer project on Monday, and our celebration discussion in a little under a week!’
Grace: My week got very busy, so I just played 18-21 in one sitting. Took two hours! Oof!!
Helen: Wow. Four preludes and fugues in one sitting, and some of them quite long. I admire your tenacity, Grace!
I have opinions about this P&F. After getting through it, you may have, as well. I’m curious what others thought.
By the way, something has happened to the posts, and I can’t get comments to show without changing the entire theme of my website, which I do not have the energy to do. I’ve spent an entire afternoon trying to get the comments back, they are indeed IN my website, just not ON my website. I’m a piano teacher, apparently, and not a webmaster. (But you already knew that.)
Dear friends, today we complete our journey with JSB’s WTC I & II. I’m taken with his final Prelude and Fugue, I have much to say, but I’ll hold off until you get a chance to express your thoughts when we get together soon.
It’s been a pleasure to go through this passage with you. There’s a difference sitting down to the piano and thinking, wow, *six* other people are observing this same music today, at their pianos, to sitting down without anyone else involved.
Time for an image! Here I am with my three books, WTCI, WTCII, and Inventions & Sinfonias, marked as read through as of 24 August 2020. Send yours via email, and I’ll add it here. Love, Helen
Comments:
Celia: I have to confess – I’ve fallen behind and just played through No. 19 yesterday. Today I hope to play No.20-24. I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow!
Helen: Wow, Celia, we are all pulling for you. That’s a lot of Preludes and Fugues, but you can do it!
Just when you thought it was safe, here we are again. After playing through Chopin’s Opus 28 Preludes for September 2020 — 24 of them in order of the circle of fifths — we are encouraged yet again by the enthusiasm of Celia, Grace, and Sabrina, and the following of Steven, to play another set of 24 pieces, now the Op. 11 Preludes by Scriabin.
How perfect to play Scriabin on the first day of early darkness. I think the guy is dark. The Russian Winter is coming.
Like the Chopin these are in the order of the circle of fifths. Bach put both his sets of 24 Preludes and Fugues in the ascending order of the keyboard.
I’ve just played through today’s Prelude in C major. Wow, flavors of Brahms, Schumann, a little Chopin — truly pan-Romantic. How did you deal with the rhythms? Especially measure 8 (pictured below) and then again at 20 — do tell!
In the end, I am reminded of the tolling church bells at 5pm in Zürich, Switzerland.
GRACE 11/1: This piece was so lovely! I feel like that certain pieces of Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, and Rachmaninoff prepare one for these rhythms. I just loosely and slowly played through the piece so who knows, but it didn’t feel too weird in these sections.
I am really enjoying the Scriabin. Such a different language, and you start to get the gist of the piece about halfway through, and you realize how beautiful it is.
A message has come in via email:
Nadia 11/3: Hi Ms. Helen! I started listening to the Scriabin Preludes on Spotify and I really like them! I’m currently listening to Mikhail Pletnev and I was just wondering if you had any other suggestions of where or who to listen to. Thanks again for including me in this even though I cannot play! I’ll definitely be playing through them when I come home for break soon.
Nadia, that is great that you are listening to them! I like Pletnev, but I also like Kuznetsov, who I found on Youtube. Sadly, it doesn’t appear that Valentina Lisitsa has recorded all of Op. 11 — she would probably be my first choice if she had. She has recorded some of them and uploaded to Youtube.
So, has your music arrived? I sure hope so. Because, this Prelude.
I had to play today’s Prelude twice. Absolutely gorgeous, easy to play, so imaginative, with the repeating B underscoring the dominant tone, which changes to other pitches in a couple of measures when the piece had modulated, and a repeated G calling us back as a secondary dominant, back to the conclusion in E minor.
It’s also always nice to see “Lento” when sight-reading. 🙂
If you are still playing along every day, or even listening, you know why that’s the name of this post.
I counted it in three fives for each measure, which worked until he messed up the groupings and I had to just play eighth eighth eighth for the whole measure and give up counting.
How did you manage this piece?
I’ve been loving these Preludes. Even this one.
Dear Scriabin Club,
How are you? Today is the penultimate (remember that word, and its importance in harmonization?) prelude, and tomorrow will be No. 24, in d minor, I presume, given the circle of fifths approach taken by Mr. Scriabin.
Recently I felt that the difficulty of the preludes was ramping up as we progress through the cycle. Yesterday’s prelude, not as difficult, was welcome, one I performed many years ago with Mr. Rojas. I often drove Mr. Rojas to boredom with my slow, romantic interpretations of Scriabin; he once lay down on the floor and began snoring to emphasize the point. I resolutely kept playing. Then he stood up and begged me to stop.
I’m getting crickets from y’all. But not everyone! A spam group from Turkey found one of the posts, and sent no less than 14 comments, none of which will appear. They were all nice comments. However, I translated the two words identifying the business of the spammers. I cannot type these words in a blog seen by children and their parents. Exciting! (in a way)
I will post for No. 24 tomorrow. Do feel free, my dears, to comment on the post, on the music, on how you’ve lost track or are on track, on what your favorite prelude has been, on what you thought of this cycle of pieces. 🙂 Love, Helen
STEVEN 11/23: I’ve been keeping up, better, actually, than I had with Bach or Chopin. I’ve really enjoyed listening to (and not playing!) the awesome strange rhythms. Some of the quieter pieces get lost a little bit with YouTube compression, sadly, but I loved #6 and #24. (Does listening ahead count as keeping up?) Excited to meet soon and chat about them.
HELEN 11/23: Yes, Steven, listening ahead counts as keeping up! Thanks for mentioning the strange rhythms. I’m eager to hear some of Grace’s comments, as she is our resident percussionist. I’m still hoping that you find somewhere to put at least a keyboard!
GRACE 11/23: I am still on track! I have bookmarked several of the preludes as things to learn some time. And then there are those, like no.14, that I just sort of stare at and wonder how one is supposed to ever play them at speed. The time signatures sure are a fun brain workout! 😳
HELEN 11/23: I’m so pleased to read that you are making it through this cycle! And that you consider, for instance, 15/8, “fun.” You and Steven refer to two of the most octave-intense of the cycle, no. 6 and no. 14. I love the ending of no. 14, just pounding the keyboard mercilessly. But not, alas, at tempo.
Dear Scriabin folk,
We have finished a fourth journey through the key signature/modal landscape; Bach WTCI, Bach WTCII, Chopin Op. 28, and now Scriabin Op. 11.
Scriabin pulled no punches for No. 24 in d minor. Easy key, devilish counting combined with tricky execution. Grace wrote via email this evening: “Whoa, 24 was wild! 6/8 and 5/8 alternating. Scriabin sure had a knack for strange times.” I’ll say. We know from Steven, who was a step ahead of us, that he really loved the sound of this Prelude.
Below is an image to spice up this post: my copy of Scriabin’s Preludes and Etudes. The cover is damaged and torn off, the result of suffering a Missouri tornado in the summer of 1988.
What’s next for us? For sure, a zoom gathering to discuss the joys and travails of Mr. Scriabin is in order. And after that . . . who knows?
Cheers to you for your tenacity and spunk!
Love, Helen
Hello, dear fans of cyclical works.
Brought by the recent failures of the USPS, we have resorted to playing from books delivered by Prime. Happily, William Gillock’s excellent Lyric Preludes in Romantic Style: 24 Short Pieces in All Keys is available, and a welcome break from more ambitious pieces by Bach, Chopin, Scriabin and, soon, Shostakovich.
Today I played through the first of these little pieces, Forest Murmurs. Any problems with m. 6? I’m sure Gillock is rotating in his grave — the publisher has sloppily placed the bass clef sharp on the b, and it should be on the c, as it is in the same beat in the right hand. Regardless, Summy Birchard offers a nice printing of this collection for a fair price, so I’ll try not to complain further.
I’m not sure how to “let vibrate” the chord in m. 24 with an abrupt raising of the pedal and two quarter rests, but we’ll assume Mr. Gillock wishes us to hold the pedal a touch longer, before giving some silence to set off the final three chords at the end.
Nice writing. I hope you are enjoying. Cheers! Love, Helen
CELIA 12/31: Hi Everyone, Happy New Year! I can’t wait to get started on this together! Cheers, Celia
HELEN 1/1: I’m so glad for the enthusiasm, Celia!
GRACE 1/1: Hi Helen, Thanks for the Gillock! Should be a fun and gentle project to start off 2021. Your blog noted all of the same things I cocked my head at 😆 Here’s to a brighter future. -Grace
Today we played the 6th piece from William Gillock’s little book of 24 pieces in all keys. Interlude, a slow, introspective piece in d minor, seems a good choice after the sobering events of the day.
You are to be commended in spending time playing music. The arts are part of what separates us from the beasts, what inspires us and others to strive for being our best selves. Collectively, what we spend our free time doing makes a difference in the greater world.
Love, Helen
NADIA 1/7: Ms. Helen, Thank you for organizing this! I was able to play piano for a long time yesterday and it really helped me relax. Playing piano has been one of the highlights of staying at home for break.
The Gillock preludes are definitely much different than anything that I’ve played before, but I still enjoy them. Since I’m leaving for school very soon, I’ve been playing 2 per day! I look forward to playing through 13&14 today. — Nadia
HELEN 1/7: Nadia, how great. You’re going to be finished soon, but I’m so glad you are participating, and that you find peace in the practice.
Gillock is so very specific about how these little miniatures are to be played. I had to play this one quite a few times to follow all his road signs to a comprehensive reading. Ritardando vs. ritenuto, dolce vs. pianissimo — it all makes a better performance, even though we usually don’t think of some of these pairs as being so very different. And those surprise fermati in the penultimate measure, followed by yikes! a lento on what are usually fast grace notes. I notice also in this book how many times he indicates a pedal for a staccato! He surely means us to strike the key as if we are striking a bell, bouncing lightly off the key, but with the pedal down to carry the sound. It creates a bright golden impression, rather than the more burnished sound of striking and holding the key along with the pedal, and I appreciate his sensitivity to the change in tone.
GRACE 1/7: I am really enjoying these little pieces! They are very fun to read and yet they carry so much intention.
HELEN 1/7: Yes, they do carry so much intention. A nice way of putting it!
We are at the midpoint of the book. Autumn Sketch is a favorite and has been performed by a member of this group.
Yesterday’s Moonlight Mood took me several play-throughs to define the character. As always, I became more impressed with the style and harmonic language with each reading. All of these pieces are little gems.
For those months that we have a project, I put the composer’s name on my daily bullet journal list, so that I don’t forget to read through the piece of the day. Truth be told, when I come into the studio to play that day’s offering, I get very close to happy. This is a grand project.
I gotta tell you, not only do I think this is the most difficult piece in this book to master (m. 9-16 especially) but I think it’s also my favorite. I love the build from the beginning to the final triple fortissimo, the broadness of it, the grandness of it. What do you think of it? Cheers.
NADIA 1/14: I really enjoyed playing through this one as well! Sabrina and I were talking about how Gillock really captured a foreign sound in this piece. I really liked measure 17 to the end!
HELEN 1/14: Yes, 17-end was my favorite part too — so regal!
GRACE 1/14: It is the only one so far that I only played through once. Take from that what you will, perhaps it was just a challenging enough read that it felt like too much to read again!
HELEN 1/14: Understood. A lot going on in this one!
CRAIG 1/14: It was like a polar plunge after the easy “Autumn Sketch”! I played it a few times. It was helpful to think “Just play the black keys.” Oh, except for C flat. Challenging!
For several days in a row now, I keep saying to myself, “oh this is my favorite one.” Bravo, Gillock!
The Humming Bird isn’t mentioned in this title, because I’m still adapting to it, never having played it before yesterday. Yet by coincidence, I also yesterday typed up a story about Gillock’s Humming Bird written by another teacher’s student who submitted the piece for the”Music Tells the Story” festival that I chair.
One of our group here is also playing in this festival, and submitted Winter Scene. Maybe she’ll share her story with us?
CELIA 1/18: I have been loving how emotive these pieces are. Procession of the Mandarin has not been my favorite, but it was definitely an interesting contrast to many of the other pieces in terms of the harmonies and texture. I really enjoyed playing Winter Scene and Hummingbird, and Phantom Rider today was lots of fun! I think I may play it again and try to increase the tempo.
HELEN 1/18: You’re ahead of me! I’ll get to Phantom Rider this evening, and I’ll be prepared now to deal with tempo. 🙂
Today is January 23, meaning I am on the 23rd of these 24 pieces (are you?). An Old Valentine is such a sweet, tender little piece, and again, Gillock’s masterful and specific notation produces beautiful variations of tone.
I’ve been remiss in not posting for about a week. Celia commented in the last post about her enjoyment of Phantom Rider. Phantom Rider surprised me when I played it on the 18th — it is nearly identical to another teaching piece that I’ve used for a couple of my students. It is driving me mad — I can’t place the piece. Anyone have any idea of a teaching piece that is eerily similar to Phantom Rider?
SABRINA 1/24: Hi! I had the same thought about Phantom Rider, so I looked through a couple old books and I think I found the piece—Green Dragonflies from Martha Mier book 2. It looks like Nadia and I both played it at some point. Here’s a picture of them side by side😅
HELEN 1/24: Excellent detective work, Sabrina! It is so close. But, alas, that is not the piece in my ear. *This is the piece in my ear* (which I’m playing by ear for this excerpt because obviously I cannot find the music)
Nearly identical melodic and harmonic information from Phantom Rider.
Anyone else?
I just finished A Witch’s Cat, a piece I didn’t expect to like. (I liked it.)
There were quite a few pieces in this slim volume that I didn’t expect to like. Giving Gillock his due, however — playing the phrases with his micro-managed notations — produced a better impression than I’ve ever had of Gillock’s writing, which is saying quite a bit. Husband Bob was extremely impressed with New Orleans Nightfall, asking once if it was Gershwin (whoa!); and Tony Caramia, a composer of jazz idioms for students, once called William Gillock the high priest of composers for students.
What impresses me about every one of these pieces is that, when played as directed by Gillock, the artistry approaches what might be easy Chopin, or easy Burgmüller, depending on how much or little of a sharp character the individual piece paints. I am beginning to think that this volume could work wonders for young students needing to develop artistic phrasing (and who doesn’t need to do that?).
I’m curious what everyone’s favorite piece was — I’ll have to give this some thought to list my own.
Cheers and love,
Helen
ZAHRAA 1/24: Hi Ms. Helen, Thanks for adding me to all of these updates! I had to move back to school on the 15th, so I was only able to play through a couple, but I did really enjoy it and loved that it brought some joy and music to quarantine. Looking forward to the next time I’m home when I can try out some of the ones I missed! Hope you’re enjoying finishing up the book. See you soon! Zahraa
HELEN 1/24: So great to have you respond, and that you enjoyed some of them, Zahraa!
CELIA 1/27: I really enjoyed playing through the Gillock pieces this month. Sometimes I find pieces with designated themes to be trite, but I didn’t feel that way about these pieces. Most of them were quite evocative of their titles/themes in a way that was authentic and made me smile. It was also gratifying to play them because it was easier to get them to sound the way they were supposed to than it is when sight reading, say, a Bach fugue. I played many of these a few times because I liked them so much!
A few of my favorites were 1. Forest Murmurs, 3. October Morning, 8. Summer Storm, 12. Autumn Sketch, 14. Winter Scene, 18 Phantom Rider, and 24. A Witch’s Cat.
HELEN: Celia, thank you for this thoughtful response. So glad you played through them all!
Hello, dear 24-every-key club.
It’s time for something completely different. How did you do today with this new language? I played through it about four or five times to get to this point:
This is quite a decision on my part to share my fourth or fifth reading with you, but I thought it a good idea, given how far afield Mr. Shostakovich takes us. My suggestion: play this music with as much feeling and gesture as you can muster. Pretend that things resolve. Eventually they will resolve; this is not Schoenberg, however much it may feel at times.
I’m so happy to play with you again. Love, Helen
I’ve owned my copy of this book for probably 15 years, if not more. I’ve never played any of these pieces until now. So, thank you for encouraging these projects! What a gift to have a reason to make myself play through this volume.
I don’t know what you are thinking as you play this music, but I am finding order in the chaos; it is addictive. From the second measure of today’s, with the B-D#, I thought: “Whoa.” At the conclusion, “Wow.” I find this piece so beautiful.
STEVEN 3/2: I listened to these pieces all through February to warm up. I can hear the order in the recording, but I feel like some of it only comes out as you get close to tempo, and I have trouble getting there for more than a measure. More practice required. 🙂
HELEN 3/3: Hi, Steven! I can hear the order at the tempo I can play which, believe me, is not near the indicated tempo. Maybe I’m just a romantic, but I love the sweep of sweet consonance to bitter dissonance, then suddenly back to sweet consonance, and I enjoy it, even slowly. Interesting idea to hear the sounds first!
Is it a fugue? Discuss.
I hope your families are not complaining about the sounds coming out of your instruments this month. Meanwhile, we have this eloquent comment by Steven regarding the difficulty of playing this opus.
STEVEN 3/3: “A better way to put it might be that Shostakovich resolves through multiple steps and I’m reading slowly enough that I lose the point I’m resolving from before I reach the point I’m resolving to. Contrasted with the Bach inventions I’m using as warm-ups, which usually have at most a single passing tone, so I can’t get lost on the way.
I’m still enjoying it, but at some point I’ll have to pick one of these to actually learn so I can get it sounding something like the recording. 🙂
HELEN 3/3: Indeed, Shostakovich makes us wait, and wait, and wait, for resolution. With, for instance, today’s prelude, the final resolution does not entirely resolve. So, there’s that. Regardless, I absolutely love the sound he creates, every time. (So far.)
Does anyone else love this Prelude? I love it well and not wisely. To me, it has the deep romanticism of some of the Op. 87 Preludes and Fugues.
I can imagine that some of you are silent because you are processing what you really think of this music. But let us know your thoughts. I’m sure some can relate to your reaction.
Love, Helen
March 10. Op. 34 No. 10. Gorgeousness wrapped in trills the likes of which I haven’t encountered since learning the first movement of Beethoven’s Concerto No. 3. Or, as Celia might remind us, 109, the last movement.
Here are your excellent comments about No. 7:
CELIA 3/10: I thought No. 7 was beautiful, too! I played it twice this morning and it made much more sense the second time. I would like to play it a few more times. Honestly, I have been kind of non-responsive because I am already several days behind, but I am working on catching up. I am finding that I definitely need to play each of these pieces at least twice to get a sense of what is going on – the music and harmonies don’t intuitively make sense the first time I am playing each piece (although that may be partly due to playing a lot of wrong notes.) I’ve been really tired at the end of the day lately, but I have been finding that playing these pieces first thing in the morning is really wonderful and refreshing – the music makes more sense to my brain at that time of day.
HELEN 3/10: Can’t imagine why you are tired. (Oh, yes I can.) I’m so glad you are taking time to play these pieces twice, and I understand wanting to play each a few more times! And for all of us, how about that discipline of playing Shostakovich in the morning!
GRACE 3/10: I am, indeed, processing. My favorite so far should be no surprise – no 4. I’ve been playing, then listening to a recording, then playing again if I feel so inclined. So often the harmonies really elude my understanding, especially because of their gradual unfolding as Steven mentioned. I found that these preludes had me thinking of my old Prokofiev Capriccio, so much so that I have been playing it again.
HELEN 3/10: No surprise on your favorite, indeed. I’m glad you are listening to these as well as playing. Who are you listening to? Steven, who are you listening to? (To whom are you listening . . .) I’ll post your answers.
GRACE 3/10: Listening to these:https://youtu.be/FqCy3vCGUNU
Yeah those trills are something else!
STEVEN 3/10 (PST): I’ve been listening to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gtoFtPAfes&list=PLvZDNzW5XwavKPa2mZDUBn9rDZnV8Tzwb
I agree with Grace, #4 has been my favorite so far. I was starting to feel like I had the hang of these preludes, at least enough to hear what they should sound like, but then these last two (9 & 10) were really rough for me. I’m looking forward to the later pieces. Listening, at least, I’ve found I generally prefer the second half to the first.
HELEN 3/11: Interesting comments about Grace and Steven liking No. 4 (Fugue Nerds R Us). I like the pianists the two of you chose. Grace’s pianist has a humorous sound, to me, and Steven’s is quite gentle and lyrical. Great stuff.
Today’s no. 15 is whimsical, light, fun. But, Lord have mercy, what of No. 14 yesterday? Grace and Steven to the rescue.
STEVEN 3/14: This one. #14. I’m learning this one.
GRACE 3/14: I can see that 😀 This one is nice and dark. Lovely!
Yesterday’s [ed. note: 3/13, no. 13] kind of caught me off guard – there are some places where the ear is primed for one resolution and then he goes somewhere completely different. Very interesting!
HELEN 3/16: I love these comments. I loved both these pieces, but yes, 14 really grabbed me.
Dear 24 Keys Folk,
What did you think of No. 16? As a passionate lover of Prokoviev, I adored it.
Today’s, No. 17, is a curious thing. I’ll leave it to y’all to comment on it, if anyone is motivated to do so.
Shostakovich is always interesting and provocative, even if I’m not enamored.
I’m still enjoying Steven and Grace’s conversation regarding numbers 13 and 14. I want to hear Steven’s performance of 14, and I constantly ruminate upon Shostakovich’s tonicity and chromaticism. Regardless of the piece, and how I feel about it, I’m always taken with how he gets back to the tonic.
Cheers, Helen
GRACE 3/17: 17 was one of the few that I’ve felt compelled to attempt several times. The mixed meter is a welcome deviation from the “trite” waltz idea he brings up in the first few measures. I definitely didn’t play with the tempo as much as Monika Palsauskaite did. The ending of the piece felt like he was toying with it a little. Pulling in a couple of different directions before settling.
HELEN 3/17: Yes, Grace, agreed. The mark of a master is the ability to walk right up to trite, and then sidestep deftly to charm and substance. I listened to both Palsauskaite and Cherny: they both take significant liberties which, given Shostakovich’s ample tempo and dynamic markings in 17, are to be expected. They massage the piece into a more easily understood entity.
No. 20 in c minor is a ride. Playing through it, I thought to myself, even more than usual with this opus, “Huh.” Then, as is so often the case, the ending left me thinking, “Wow. Brilliant.”
I’ve not gotten around to 21 yet today. On Wednesday we already close out the collection! Are you keeping up? Are you . . . enjoying? I am enjoying! I ask myself, as I settle to read, What will you bring me today, Dmitri?
I finished the Shostakovich Op. 34 tonight! I found it a bit of a anti-climax, but that may have been my sight-reading limitations.
Looking through recent experiences, I especially loved No. 22, played on Monday. Adagio is always welcome when plodding through music for the first time, but that wasn’t the only charm of this piece. I found it utterly beautiful.
I’m eager to hear what those who played through the entire opus thought of this month. Looking forward to our discussion!
Love, Helen
HELEN 5/1: I am beginning this musical journey under different circumstances. I am using a Yamaha keyboard, set up in my father’s dining room in Missouri. The conditions are determined by his being hospitalized in April, and discharged to the house with caregivers and hospice.
As I was running around my house packing last Sunday, you can be sure the Shostakovich Preludes and Fugues made their way into a music bag, and even though in a way it feels like just one more thing I have to do, I am grateful to have a thread of musical creation to express.
Others of our crew are experiencing very different lives right now, and I’m curious to see what effect this little discipline will have on those changes.
My notes from today’s P&F: I know this one well, so there are not many surprises. I had not previously noticed that the fugue is utterly diatonic. Probably the only fugue never to leave the key signature. As it’s in C, this is a great blessing for starting the journey.
KATIE 5/1: I am so sorry to hear about your father.
CELIA 5/2: I’m glad you are able to be there with him but so sorry you are going through such a difficult time. I have not had a chance to play through the first few preludes and fugues yet because we have had company all weekend and the baby is not really on any particular schedule yet, but I did just listen to the first two preludes and fugues and found them both beautiful! I’m looking forward to trying to catch up with playing tomorrow.
GRACE 5/2: Sending you love during this difficult time with your father. I wish him much comfort.
Today’s fugue feels as though it was written by Bach’s morbid doppelganger. Very intriguing to read! I am really enjoying the fugues in particular, which is exciting as I often struggle through fugues (but the struggle is good for me).
STEVEN 5/2: I hope your father’s doing well, and I hope he’s enjoying the Shostakovich as much as I am.
After years of just listening, I can usually hear the pieces in my head while I’m playing, but for today’s prelude (#2) I had to go look it up, and even then couldn’t connect my playing to the way the piece “should” sound. Getting the tempo and the flow between notes right would require a lot more practice than I’m willing to put in on this one.
HELEN 5/3: Yes to both comments here on yesterday’s A minor! I loved it, but it was indeed a wild ride, and like Steven, I kept asking myself what it was supposed to sound like, because my tempo was too slow.
I don’t know if my father can hear the Shostakovich, but it’s a nice thought. Maybe. Depending on one’s tastes and my skill.
STEVEN 5/4: Happy Star Wars Day! (May the 4th)
I love this fugue. The first subject is stately and majestic, the second subject adds some great energy, and the re-introduction of the first subject is epic and carrys through all the way to the end of the piece. If only there weren’t a few measures that require an extra hand or two. The prelude is fun, too, though I chalk at least some of that up to the fact that it’s easy enough I can play a lot of it at or near tempo.
I’ll see how I feel when we finish the book, but there’s strong potential for me to try again on learning this piece.
HELEN 5/4: Bravo, Steven, for keeping me on schedule here, and for this excellent summary of today’s Shostakovich. May the fourth be with you, as well.
I’ll start by saying that I utterly butchered yesterday’s offering. Loved it, but, whoa. Today’s went better for two reasons: 1. It’s easier than yesterday’s, and 2. I was shocked to turn eagerly to the fugue and find the measures numbered, and some tricky sections with fingering that I’ve written out. I then thought, ah, I must have worked on this with Steven some 11 or 12 years ago. As I played it, I remembered it well, and yes, it is wonderful, and yes, with extremely difficult sections that do seem to require an extra hand somewhere.
Today’s Prelude has definite Grace-like qualities. Just . . . saying.
This is a momentous undertaking! How is it going? Sabrina is expecting her scores any day now. She’ll have an interesting story to tell about that. I’m hoping the rest of you are enjoying the difficulty. Really, you can’t think about much else, except maybe (in my case) the home health aide listening to the butchery from the next room, and muse, “I wonder what she thinks I’m playing?”
GRACE 5/5: I had the difficult work of playing “catch-up” today having missed Monday and Tuesday! Those were some LONG fugues to read through all in one sitting. Oof! At least he’s parading through the keys in a manner that makes logical sense to my mind and fingers, which makes it much easier to change between one key and the next.
The 4th prelude does indeed have those dark, broody vibes I enjoy. [Ed. 🙂 ]
Snapped a shot today of my music stand which is looking weird and broody as usual (attached). Somehow whenever I play Shostakovich it just makes me want to play the Prokofiev Capriccio (which really needs some work, so I should say I want to practice it more).
Having Bob’s picture on the piano feels especially appropriate this month. I reached out to one of my fellow UMBC Psych grads ([name removed]) who worked in his lab and told her that I’m playing Shostakovich and thinking of Bob this month. I suggested she could listen along (not necessarily inviting her to join our discussion, just as a way to “join us” in a manner of speaking as a way to connect with his memory) and it seems like she is listening to it as she studies for exams!
HELEN: 5/5: Grace, thank you for this poignant message. Your image is below, which is nearly overwhelming for me today. Beautiful juxtaposition of Bob and Shostakovich. What you didn’t know: Rachmaninoff was my mother’s favorite composer, and so a favorite of my father’s, and I just played Anderson & Roe’s Rach 2/Eric Carmen mash up into his ear, as he is doing the work of leaving life.
Wondering if we’ll hear from Katie today. Girl, this is your Prelude & Fugue, and a favorite of mine, like a quality lemon curd.
After two days of extreme distraction, no piano playing, I approached the keyboard tonight to play Thursday’s dark Prelude and Fugue, and yesterday’s brighter offering. I was stunned by the A major fugue — one very cogent arpeggiated chord after another — so tonal!
I will play today’s Prelude and Fugue — and tomorrow’s — tomorrow.
It’s a grand thing, during loss, during upheaval, during change, during seasons, to have a musical project (and a group to answer to in case I feel like blowing off the project). I’m grateful.
Love,
Helen
HELEN 5/10: I wrote this on May 9, Mother’s Day, yesterday, but didn’t get it posted until May 10.
Yesterday’s fugue, no. 8, was a doozy — five pages of not nearly enough hands, and very hard to count. At least I’ve listened to the piece a lot, and had recognition to fall back on. I thought several times, “what if I were sight-playing this without having heard it first?” Some of you will have to offer your opinion of the experience of reading no. 8.
At least today’s fugue (no. 9) was a relatively short four pages, and only two voices.
Again, I’m taken with how he brings us back to the tonic after such wild wanderings, it’s always so artful and restful after the drama of crazy chromaticism.
STEVEN 5/10: I had much the same reaction. Does Shostakovich know how big hands are? I’ve gotten to the point where I usually don’t bother holding the long notes because I assume that hand will be needed elsewhere. While #9 was a nice break, today’s was back to being pretty tough. I find I’m enjoying the preludes more, just because I can play them well enough to hear the melody. I guess that means I’ll need to go back through the fugues again when my sight-reading is better. 🙂
GRACE 5/10: These last two pieces have been mind-blowing. When I see how long the fugues are I just have to submit to the process and read one measure at a time. I’m enjoying the fugues more than I thought I would. The way today’s ends is haunting. I listened to Ashkenazy play it after I played it and wow! Goosebumps.
HELEN 5/10: Yes both comments regarding No. 10. Difficult, long, and utterly gorgeous. Yup, Steven, ties are hard in Bach, usually impossible (without my clear study of each piece) here. And Grace, thanks to you I listened to the fugue after playing it today. A journey, like driving to a cemetery, with stunning resolution.
HELEN 5/12: G# minor. Five sharps. A four voice fugue, written entirely in 5/4, extended six pages.
Discuss. I’m off to get some sleep after that thing.
CRAIG 5/12: After three separate sittings, I finally finished it. The final chord is really beautiful.
STEVEN 5/13: I really like the subject of #12. The syncopation and chromatic notes give it a very unique flavor. Unfortunately, my reading of it was an absolute trainwreck. I lost pretty much all the rhythm after the first statement of the subject and never got it back. Thankfully, the prelude was nice and easy.
GRACE 5/13: I think the thing that got me the most was the attacca out of 3/4 into a pickup on beat 4 in 5/4 where the theme is almost identical save for syncopation. I tried to explain why this was so interesting to my husband but he didn’t get it. I got through the first page stutteringly, realized there were 5 more, made some general complaining noises, and then just accepted that I’d be there for awhile, rolled up my sleeves, and finished it. There was this moment where he peels all of the voices away back to one and I was pretty surprised by that. Especially helpful because after so many difficult pages I felt I was losing the thread. Getting the theme back front-and-center helped me remember what the heck I was doing!
That final line is such a trip. As always, “how did I get here?”
STEVEN 5/14: It might just be relief after the last few fugues, (5 voices is too many!) but I really liked today’s. I was a little worried about the prelude, but even that wasn’t too bad. The subject felt particularly easy to bring out, which made the fugue much more melodic and fun.
GRACE 5/14: Of course I played catch up today and did yesterday’s and today’s. Woof. I’m finding my sight reading is benefitting a lot from reading Shosty.
HELEN 5/15: You know the Staples button that says “That was easy?” I think we need a Shostakovich button, “That was hard.” It could even come with expletives.
I did not expect Mr. Shostakovich to veer from a rather Prokofiev Wrong-Note-School Prelude and ram into a full twelve-tone row, which sort of resolves with a repeated-note rejection of the row’s rules, sort of a “hey Schoenberg I’ll do it my way” sneer, and which of course is the only understandable thing in this subject. Several times I stopped this rambling thing, with my counting gone out the window (but at least the quarter note was stable, which eliminated much need for counting), sighed and thought “what on EARTH does this thing do?” But just when I thought I was hopelessly lost, he brought back the rhythmic third from the Prelude (I laughed out loud) and ended the thing with reminders of what I think of as the Prokofiev theme. Curious, curious, curious.
Very much enjoyed Craig and Grace and Steven’s comments over the last few days!
GRACE 5/16: Omg that fugue though. I didn’t really look ahead even a few bars to see what was happening when I first played the theme and when I hit the cut time measure, laughed and interrupted myself, started over, hit the first 5/4, lost it again.
Towards the last couple pages when that cadence kept hitting on the way out of the measures of 5, I was just going, “ok this is too funny, and I have no idea what’s going on, but I’m sure if I actually followed the voices I would see why this ridiculous thing keeps happening.” Funny how the measures of 5/4 became the only structure on which I could reliably ground myself!
I, too, cracked up when I hit the prelude theme within the fugue. I think I said something along the lines of, “oh you’re not getting that past me though, maybe I do know what’s going on!”
I don’t think I’ve laughed so much while reading any other piece of music (including the duet from piano camp that slips back and forth between Hungarian Rhapsody and Chopsticks).
HELEN 5/20: Can’t believe four days have passed since I last wrote. However, wow, the music that has filled the space.
Fugue 18 was seven pages long. Prelude 17 reminded me of a Southern harmony.
One of the reasons I play the Well Tempered Clavier each summer is to hone my understanding of key relationships. Somewhere in the last few days I’ve begun to muse as I slog through these pieces, “What am I learning about key relationships from Shostakovich?” Something for us to discuss at the end of the month.
GRACE 5/20: Well I must say my sightreading is improving a lot reading all of this chromatic music! I can’t depend on my ear to correct me, so I’m getting better at just reading it.
I played catch up yesterday (oof). Had a contractor over doing some work, so I started with Bach (C sharp major book two) by way of apology then launched into Shosty 18 and 19. The whole time I’m reading it I’m thinking, “oh this poor man. I’m reading this chromatic music, badly, making this a hostile work environment.” But as he was leaving he was very complimentary! “You should play professionally! That music at the end there, that was really amazing!” I offered my surprise (“really? Shostakovich can be a bit of an acquired taste, I’m glad you enjoyed it”) and explained about the 24 pieces club. “Well, you’re doing great.”
Talked to my friend Alex (fellow podcast host, he knows more music theory than me) about it and he joked, “don’t you know chromaticism is an OSHA violation??”
CELIA 5/20: Sorry I haven’t been responding. I’m loving reading your updates every day. Our new baby Lydia is doing well, but refuses to nap unless someone is holding her! So, feeding her and holding her are the only things on my to-do list that are regularly happening this month.
I haven’t had a chance to play most of the preludes and fugues, but I have been enjoying listening to Ashkenazy play them. I have never listened to these pieces before and am finding them beautiful and intriguing. I can’t wait to discuss them with you soon.
HELEN 5/23: What would I do without that word, penultimate? I love it, and here we are, at the next-to-last Prelude and Fugue, which, with the previous, no. 22, were easier to read, and to me sounded more thoughtful. I was especially struck by the harmonic resolutions in No. 22 — sliding ambiguously into the tonic (especially Prelude 22).
It’s been a tumultuous month for many of us, and I’m gratified by this group’s tenacity, and the sense of community, and the insightful comments. It will soon, very soon, be time to schedule another zoom to discuss the wild journey of Shostakovich Op. 87!
STEVEN 5/23: Looking forward to chatting with you all about them! The second book got a bit tiring, and I’ve fallen behind, but I love #24, so I’ll be playing that tomorrow, and trying to catch up on 20-23 later in the week.