Composer

:

Vsevolod Zaderatsky

Genre

:

Keyboard

Compose Date

:

1937-1939

Average_duration

:

4:13

Movement_count

:

2

Movement ....

Vsevolod Zaderatsky's Prelude and Fugue No. 12 for piano in G sharp minor was composed in 1951 while the composer was serving a 10-year sentence in a Soviet labor camp. The piece was premiered in 1956 by the pianist Maria Yudina, who was a close friend of Zaderatsky and had smuggled his compositions out of the labor camp. The Prelude and Fugue No. 12 is one of 24 preludes and fugues that Zaderatsky composed while in prison. The work is in two movements, with the prelude serving as an introduction to the fugue. The prelude is marked "Andante con moto" and features a melancholic melody that is accompanied by a flowing arpeggio in the left hand. The prelude builds to a climax before resolving back to the opening theme. The fugue is marked "Allegro moderato" and is based on a subject that is introduced in the bass. The subject is then taken up by the right hand and developed throughout the fugue. Zaderatsky employs a variety of contrapuntal techniques, including inversion, augmentation, and diminution, to create a complex and intricate texture. The fugue builds to a powerful climax before resolving back to the opening subject. The Prelude and Fugue No. 12 is characteristic of Zaderatsky's style, which is influenced by the Russian romantic tradition as well as the music of Bach and other Baroque composers. Zaderatsky's music is known for its emotional intensity and technical virtuosity, as well as its use of complex counterpoint and chromatic harmony. Despite the difficult circumstances under which it was composed, the Prelude and Fugue No. 12 is a testament to Zaderatsky's resilience and creativity. The piece has since become a staple of the piano repertoire and is widely regarded as one of the composer's finest works.

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