Composer

:

Ferruccio Busoni

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Keyboard

Compose Date

:

1894

Publication Date

:

1894

Average_duration

:

6:45

Das Wohltemperierte Klavier: Book I, KiV B25a is a collection of preludes and fugues for keyboard, composed by Ferruccio Busoni. The work was completed in 1918 and premiered in Zurich in 1922. It consists of 24 preludes and fugues, one in each major and minor key, and is considered one of the most important works in the keyboard repertoire. The preludes and fugues are organized in a cycle, with each major key followed by its relative minor. The work is characterized by its use of counterpoint, with each prelude and fugue exploring different textures and harmonic progressions. Busoni's approach to harmony is often unconventional, with unexpected modulations and chromaticism. The preludes are short, improvisatory pieces that serve as introductions to the fugues. They range in style from the lively and virtuosic Prelude in C major to the introspective and melancholic Prelude in B minor. The fugues are more complex, with multiple voices weaving in and out of each other. They range in style from the strict and academic Fugue in C-sharp major to the playful and whimsical Fugue in G major. Busoni's approach to keyboard writing is highly virtuosic, with many passages requiring great technical skill. However, he also emphasizes the expressive potential of the keyboard, with many passages requiring delicate phrasing and nuanced dynamics. The work is also notable for its use of pedal, with Busoni often using the sustain pedal to create a rich, resonant sound. Overall, Das Wohltemperierte Klavier: Book I, KiV B25a is a masterful work that showcases Busoni's skill as a composer and pianist. Its influence can be heard in the works of many later composers, including Arnold Schoenberg and Igor Stravinsky.

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