Shostakovich - 24 Preludes & Fugues Opus. 87 Volume 1 Piano Solo Book

Piano / Associate / List B

• Prelude and Fugue in A major No. 7 from 24 Preludes and Fugues Op. 87
• Prelude and Fugue in A minor No. 2 from 24 Preludes and Fugues Op. 87
• Prelude and Fugue in E minor No. 4 from 24 Preludes and Fugues Op. 87

Piano / Certificate of Performance / List A

• Prelude and Fugue in D major No. 5 from 24 Preludes and fugues Op. 87

Piano / Licentiate / List B

• Prelude and Fugue in B minor No. 6 from 24 Preludes and fugues Op. 87
• Prelude and Fugue in D minor No. 24 from 24 Preludes and fugues Op. 87
• Prelude and Fugue in Db major No. 15 from 24 Preludes and fugues Op. 87
• Prelude and Fugue in G major No. 3 from 24 Preludes and fugues Op. 87

Who Was Dmitri Shostakovich?

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975) was a Russian composer and pianist, and one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century. His work spans a broad range of genres, including symphonies, string quartets, concerti, and film music. Shostakovich was born in St. Petersburg and showed prodigious talent as a pianist and composer from a young age. He entered the Petrograd Conservatory at the age of thirteen, where he studied piano and composition.

His life and career were deeply affected by the political climate in the Soviet Union. His relationship with the Soviet government, particularly with Joseph Stalin, was complex and often fraught with peril. After initially enjoying the state's endorsement, Shostakovich fell out of favour in 1936 when his opera "Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District" was criticised as being "formalist" and "bourgeois," initiating a period of official denunciation and scrutiny. This made life precarious for the composer, who was in constant fear for not only his career but also his life and the lives of his family and friends.

Despite the challenges, Shostakovich continued to compose prolifically. His works often contain elements of satire, irony, and the grotesque, as well as profound tragedy and spirit. His music has been interpreted in many ways: as coded dissidence against the Soviet regime, as conformist work that followed the party line, and as a combination of both. Notable works include his Symphony No. 5, which he described as "a Soviet artist's reply to just criticism," and his Symphony No. 7, known as the "Leningrad Symphony," which was performed during the Siege of Leningrad in World War II and became a symbol of Russian resistance.

Shostakovich's 15 symphonies and 15 string quartets are considered particularly significant, and his influence is felt in many different areas of classical music. He was also a significant figure in the realm of film music, with over thirty film scores to his name. A complex figure who is still the subject of much interpretation and debate, Shostakovich remains an enduring presence in the repertoire of orchestras, string quartets, and soloists around the world.