Shostakovich: Piano Sonata No. 1; 24 Preludes

Shostakovich: Piano Sonata No. 1; 24 Preludes

Shostakovich: Piano Sonata No. 1; 24 Preludes
List Price: $8.99
Our Price: $4.54
You Save: $4.45 (49%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $4.25 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Listen soundtracks from this album



(Click here)
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store

CD Details

Brand: Naxos
Composer: Dmitry Shostakovich
Performer: Konstantin Scherbakov
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2003-10-21
Music Label: Naxos
Soundtracks:
  1. I. Moderato
  2. II. Allegretto
  3. III. Andante
  4. IV. Moderato
  5. V. Allegro Vivace
  6. VI. Allegretto
  7. VII. Andante
  8. VIII. Allegretto
  9. IX. Presto
  10. X. Moderato Non Troppo
  11. XI. Allegretto
  12. XII. Allegro Non Troppo
  13. XIII. Moderato
  14. XIV. Adagio
  15. XV. Allegretto
  16. XVI. Andantino
  17. XVII. Largo
  18. XVIII. Allegretto
  19. XIX. Andantino
  20. XX. Allegretto Furioso
  21. XXI. Allegretto Poco Moderato
  22. XXII. Adagio
  23. XXIII. Moderato
  24. XXIV. Allegretto
  25. I. Recitative
  26. II. Serenade
  27. III. Nocturne
  28. IV. Elegy
  29. V. Funeral March
  30. VI. Etude
  31. VII. Danse Macabre
  32. VIII. Canon
  33. IX. Legend
  34. X. Cradle Song
  35. Piano Sonata No.1, Op.12
  36. I. March
  37. II. Waltz
  38. III. Polka

Music reviews of Shostakovich: Piano Sonata No. 1; 24 Preludes

Music Review: Shostakovich's Less-Familiar Piano Music, Very Well Played
Rating: 5 Stars

Konstantin Scherbakov seems to be becoming one of Naxos's house pianists, along with Idil Biret and Jeno Jando. Each of them is a superb artist, although each has had some weaker moments on disc. I was less than pleased with Scherbakov's performance of the Godowsky 'Passacaglia' (although, admittedly, that was on Naxos's sister label, Marco Polo). But he has given us wonderful Schubert/Liszt transcriptions, Liszt transcriptions of Beethoven symphonies and, more important for readers of this review, the large group of Shostakovich 'Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87.'

The 'Preludes, Op. 34' are not to be confused with the much larger and more serious 'Preludes and Fugues.' They are altogether more light-hearted, in general, and briefer. And of course they don't have attached fugues. The 24 preludes are written, like Chopin's, in all the major and minor keys and follow the same succession of keys as Chopin's. I only know one other recording of this group--that by Olli Mustonen, coupled interestingly with similarly arranged preludes by Charles-Henri-Valentin Alkan--and side by side comparison gives the nod to Scherbakov.

'Aphorisms, Op. 13' is a group of ten brief pieces written in 1927. They have intentionally ironic or inapt titles; e.g., the 'Nocturne' is more brash and sardonic than nocturnal. 'Nocturne' also makes use of a theme later quite often used by Shostakovich, the notes DSCH (German notation; in our notation those notes are D Eb C B). None of the Aphorisms lasts much longer than a minute.

'Three Fantastic Dances, Op. 5,' the earliest set here, was written when Shostakovich was only sixteen and are not much heard these days, although I recall hearing them in recital back in the 1950s. They, too, are light-hearted and more like Prokofiev than anything else of his I can recall. The piquant Prokofievan harmonies are in evidence throughout. I suspect if someone heard them and didn't know the composer they would have a hard time placing them, or would think them to be light-hearted Prokofiev occasional pieces. The three of them last only a total of four minutes.

The big piece here, although not in length--that distinction goes to the collection of preludes--is the First Piano Sonata, Op. 12. Still quite early in Shostakovich's output, it uses fairly radical methods, sounding much later than it actually is. In one movement constructed in three more or less discrete sections, it begins with a dissonant (actually, polytonal but with unequal emphasis on the key of C major) storm that rages with quartal and tritonal harmonies. A quieter, slower but no less unsettling section follows with a grotesque funeral march tread. Downward scale passages, set against a trudging bass, become contrapuntal and eventually the whole thing, via a dreamlike passage, grinds to a halt before gradually gathering steam again and building up to an insistent repetition of C-sharp against attempts to resolve into C major. This is a formally quite sophisticated composition that presages some of the techniques used much later in Shostakovich's symphonies (his 8th and 11th, say) and quartets (several of the later ones). Quite an accomplishment for the 20-year-old Shostakovich. And Scherbakov plays the socks off it.

The recorded sound is warm and spacious. I've been very impressed with the sound of the piano in these Scherbakov/Naxos/Marco Polo discs. Further, Scherbakov is fast becoming one of my favorite pianists--his recent Rachmaninov 'Second Piano Sonata' is a treasure--and certainly one I'll be watching over the years to come.

Recommended.

Scott Morrison

More Shostakovich: Piano Sonata No. 1; 24 Preludes free music reviews:
1

Description of Shostakovich: Piano Sonata No. 1; 24 Preludes

All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.

Classical CDs

Music Genres
Bestsellers in Classical CDs
Winterscapes ImageWinterscapes
by London Philharmonic
Prophetic Voice; Published: 2000-07; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $2.75
Price in other shops: $6.99
The Queen, the Bear, & the Bumblebee ImageThe Queen, the Bear, & the Bumblebee
by Dini Petty
Children's Group; Published: 2001-03; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $13.38
Price in other shops: $13.98
Beethoven Lives Upstairs Cdr ImageClassical Kids - Beethoven Lives Upstairs Cdr
Release date: 2000-04-05; Music CD
Best price: $24.98
Tchaikovsky (Life and Works (Naxos)) ImageTchaikovsky (Life and Works (Naxos))
by Malcolm Sinclair, Jeremy Siepmann
Naxos; Published: 2003-11; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $35.99
Jose Carreras - Jubileum Concert [VHS] ImageJose Carreras - Jose Carreras - Jubileum Concert [VHS]
Sling Shot; Release date: 2000-04-18; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $5.86
Price in other shops: $9.99
Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker / Nureyev, Park, Royal Ballet [VHS] ImageTchaikovsky - The Nutcracker / Nureyev, Park, Royal Ballet [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1997-09-09; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.89
Price in other shops: $29.95
Lonely Town Lonley Street / Sergeant's Early Dream [VHS] ImageRambert Dance Company - Lonely Town Lonley Street / Sergeant's Early Dream [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1997-10-28; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops: $29.95
Winter Music: Composing the North ImageWinter Music: Composing the North
by John Luther Adams
Wesleyan; Published: 2004-11-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $25.21
Price in other shops: $25.95
Puccini - La Fanciulla del West / Santi, Domingo, Neblett, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS] ImagePuccini - La Fanciulla del West / Santi, Domingo, Neblett, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1999-05-25; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $6.38
Price in other shops: $29.95
Verdi - Falstaff / Giulini, Bruson, Ricciarelli, Nucci, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS] ImageVerdi - Falstaff / Giulini, Bruson, Ricciarelli, Nucci, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1999-05-25; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $12.95
Price in other shops: $29.95
Similar CDs
Scriabin: Das Solo-Klavierwerk (The Solo Piano Works) ImageScriabin: Das Solo-Klavierwerk (The Solo Piano Works)
Release date: 2011-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $22.79
Price in other shops: $29.99
Shostakovich: String Quartets Nos. 1 - 13 ImageShostakovich: String Quartets Nos. 1 - 13
Release date: 2003-05-20; Music CD
Best price: $20.48
Price in other shops: $29.99
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10 ImageShostakovich: Symphony No. 10
Release date: 2010-11-16; Music CD
Best price: $6.02
Price in other shops: $9.99
Horowitz Plays Scriabin ImageHorowitz Plays Scriabin
Release date: 1989-08-10; Music CD
Best price: $5.89
Price in other shops: $8.99
Albinoni: Adagio / Pachelbel: Canon ImageAlbinoni: Adagio / Pachelbel: Canon
Release date: 1991-01-18; Music CD
Best price: $9.67
Price in other shops: $16.98
Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words ImageMendelssohn: Songs Without Words
Release date: 1997-04-15; Music CD
Best price: $10.39
Price in other shops: $17.98
Shostakovich: Piano Quintet; Piano Trio No. 2 ImageShostakovich: Piano Quintet; Piano Trio No. 2
Release date: 1992-10-09; Music CD
Best price: $12.45
Price in other shops: $20.98
Shostakovich: Piano Works ImageShostakovich: Piano Works
Release date: 2004-02-10; Music CD
Best price: $9.58
Price in other shops: $16.98
Shostakovich: Piano Sonata No. 2; The Limpid Stream; A Child's Exercise Book ImageShostakovich: Piano Sonata No. 2; The Limpid Stream; A Child's Exercise Book
Release date: 2006-09-26; Music CD
Best price: $5.85
Price in other shops: $8.99
Shostakovich: 24 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87 ImageShostakovich: 24 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87
Release date: 2001-02-20; Music CD
Best price: $11.82
Price in other shops: $17.99
Compare prices and find music notes for more than one million Music CD titles