Composer

:

Sven-Erik Bäck

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Prelude

Compose Date

:

1950

Average_duration

:

7:56

Sven-Erik Bäck's 'Expansive Preludes (4)' is a set of four preludes for solo piano. The work was composed in 1968 and premiered the same year in Stockholm, Sweden. The four movements are titled 'Prelude I', 'Prelude II', 'Prelude III', and 'Prelude IV'. The first movement, 'Prelude I', is marked 'Allegro con brio' and is characterized by its driving rhythms and energetic melodies. The movement is in sonata form, with a lively exposition followed by a more lyrical development section. The movement ends with a virtuosic coda that showcases the pianist's technical abilities. 'Prelude II' is marked 'Andante espressivo' and is a more introspective and melancholic movement. The piece is in ternary form, with a lyrical A section followed by a more agitated B section. The A section returns at the end of the movement, but with a more subdued character. 'Prelude III' is marked 'Allegro vivace' and is the most playful and whimsical of the four movements. The piece is in rondo form, with a lively and syncopated main theme that returns throughout the movement. The middle section of the movement is more lyrical and introspective, but the playful main theme returns to close the movement. The final movement, 'Prelude IV', is marked 'Allegro con fuoco' and is the most virtuosic and technically demanding of the four movements. The piece is in sonata form, with a fiery and energetic exposition followed by a more lyrical and introspective development section. The movement ends with a virtuosic coda that brings the work to a thrilling close. Overall, 'Expansive Preludes (4)' is a challenging and rewarding work for pianists, showcasing Bäck's skillful writing for the instrument and his ability to create a diverse range of moods and characters within a single work.

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