PRELUDEANDFUGUENO. 2INAMINOR, OP. 29(1963-1964)
Rodion Konstantinovich Shchedrin (b. 1932) is a leading composing figure in Russia. He was inspired by Dmitri Shostakovich’s Twenty-Four Preludes and Fugues and decided to write his own twenty-four, dedicating it to his father. Shchedrin completed his first book Op. 29 during 1963-1964, covering the sharp keys, and the second book Op. 45 (1964-1970) covers the flat keys. The cycle tonal plan is similar to Shostakovich’s with Book I following the circle of fifths, increasing in sharps; Book II also follows the circle of fifths, but decreases in flats instead. Both books pair major keys with each relative minor key.
The A minor prelude is neoclassical in style and playful in nature, imitating a Bach two-part invention in conjunction with twentieth-century tonality. In contrast, the fugue is slow and hauntingly beautiful, employing dissonance to remain unsettled and unresolved to the end.
PRELUDEANDFUGUENO. 14INE-FLATMINOR, OP. 45(1964-1970)
Highly chromatic and jarring, the first half of the E-flat minor prelude consists of two aggressive descending passages, each concluding in crashing impacts. The second half is an upward ascent into the void. The ascending fugue subject radiates power and dominance with its aggressive rhythmic content. The highly dissonant fugue concludes with the prelude’s opening descending passages.
TWOCONCERTPIECESFROMTHEBALLETANNAKARENINA(1976)
Premiering in 1972, Rodion Shchedrin’s ballet Anna Karenina follows the story of Leo Tolstoy’s novel, and Russian pianist Mikhail Pletnev transcribed two sections of the ballet music: the Prologue and Horse Racing. The Prologue is the haunting introduction to the ballet and is seemingly a reflection of Anna’s life. Many bell tones and abrasive sounds abruptly burst into the scene and leave no resolution for the listener in the end, alluding to the dark ending of the story. Anna’s lyrical theme contrasts the dark atmosphere and is a quotation of the third movement of Tchaikovsky’s second quartet. The Horse Racing scene features a constant galloping rhythmic motif throughout the entire work, and several cascading runs signify the neighing of a horse. The horse racer however cannot manage the horse, and this is shown through a gradual rise of dramatic tension throughout. The ending is musically horrific and clashing as the scene concludes with the horse becoming very injured and forced to be shot by its racer.
ETUDES-TABLEAUX, OP. 39(1916-1917)
Mostly known for his piano works, Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov (1873-1943) was considered as one of the best pianists in his time and one of the last major figures of Romantic Russian classical music. Rachmaninov composed two set of etudes-tableaux, the first being Op. 33 (1911) and the second and darker set Op. 39 (1916-1917). Op. 39 was his last work composed in Russia before he departed to the West (due to the Russian Revolution) and part of a memorial recital for his friend well-known composer Alexander Scriabin Rachmaninov used the French title étudetableaux for both sets where perhaps he thought of étude not in terms of exercises on the piano but an art sketch adding tableaux which translates to paintings. These studies however are not referring to literal paintings, but instead are figuratively portraying a landscape or picture. Rachmaninov took an ambiguous approach and said, “I do not believe in the artist that discloses too much of his images. Let [the listeners] paint for themselves what it most suggests.”
Often thought of as “The Sea,” the first etude is turbulent and ominous. The relentless right-hand triplets constantly move up and down like the waves of a sea and rhythmically drive the piece with the left hand’s bass line sinisterly moving across the keyboard and grounding the work. This opening etude sets a dark tone that is pervasive throughout the whole set.
According to Rachmaninov, the second etude portrays “The Sea and Seagulls.” A gentle contrast to the first etude, this second etude is calmer, but filled with inconsolable sorrow and loneliness. The opening left-hand pattern is a reference to the Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) motif which represents death. Perhaps these are Rachmaninov’s own expression of his grief of the passing of Scriabin.
The brilliant and energetic third etude features perpetual movement throughout. The right-hand double note passages frantically move throughout the piece along with the phrase structures constantly changing in length and rhythm, depicting relentless instability.
The fourth etude’s most striking feature is the main theme consisting of a repeating-note pattern exchanged throughout all voices. This etude serves as a brief break from the “doom and gloom” with its light and energetic character and abundance of syncopation.
Filled with drama and passion, the fifth etude is known for its deep lyricism and thick chordal accompaniment. The melody consists of two extremes: the first part declamatory in character and the second songlike and delicate.
More programmatic than most in this set, the sixth etude is Rachmaninov’s retelling of the fairytale Little Red Riding Hood. The piece opens with aggressive ascending chromatic runs, representing the wolf’s growl. The wolf’s growl is answered with Riding Hood’s flight represented by frantic repeating sixteenth-note figures. As this piece develops the wolf can be heard to stalk and taunt his prey until the music turns pleading and ends with the wolf’s triumphant growls and snapping of jaw.
Known as “Requiem,” this seventh etude sets the scene of a funeral, opening and closing with a slow funeral procession with its solemn and plotting dense chords. In the middle can be heard a choir, the inevitability of a monotonous ticking clock and Russian church bells ringing out, something Rachmaninov portrayed in many of his compositions.
The eighth etude carries a feeling of sadness and paints a scene of a rainy day. The melody is always present, appearing in different voices throughout the texture, often times simultaneously and periodically containing a bell-like quality.
Rachmaninov mentioned that the ninth etude “has a character that reminds us of an oriental march.” It consists of bell-like sonorities, broad chords, and a repeated-note motif, similar to the fourth etude. This is the only etude set in major, giving the entire opus a majestic and triumphant conclusion.