Composer

:

Amy Beach

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Fugue

Compose Date

:

1917

Publication Date

:

1918

First Performance

:

Dec 16, 1914

Average_duration

:

10:46

Amy Beach's Prelude and Fugue for piano, Op. 81, was composed in 1921 and premiered on January 12, 1922, in New York City. The piece consists of two movements, a Prelude and a Fugue, and is approximately 10 minutes in length. The Prelude is marked "Allegro con fuoco" and begins with a fiery and virtuosic introduction. The main theme is then introduced in the right hand, accompanied by a driving left-hand rhythm. The theme is developed throughout the section, with the left hand taking on a more prominent role and the right hand providing intricate filigree. The section ends with a return to the opening material, building to a dramatic climax. The Fugue is marked "Allegro moderato" and begins with a stately and majestic theme in the left hand. The right hand then enters with a counterpoint, and the two themes are developed and interwoven throughout the section. Beach employs a variety of techniques, including inversion and augmentation, to create a complex and intricate texture. The section builds to a powerful climax before resolving in a quiet and introspective coda. Overall, Beach's Prelude and Fugue for piano, Op. 81, is a virtuosic and complex work that showcases her mastery of counterpoint and keyboard technique. The piece is notable for its use of chromaticism and harmonic ambiguity, as well as its dramatic and powerful climaxes.

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