Composer

:

Vsevolod Zaderatsky

Genre

:

Keyboard

Compose Date

:

1937-1939

Average_duration

:

4:11

Movement_count

:

2

Movement ....

Vsevolod Zaderatsky's Prelude and Fugue No. 15 for piano in D flat major 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. 15 is part of a larger collection of 24 preludes and fugues, which Zaderatsky composed during his time in the labor camp. The collection is notable for its technical complexity and emotional depth, as well as for the circumstances under which it was created. The Prelude and Fugue No. 15 is divided into two movements, each with its own distinct character. The Prelude is marked "Andante con moto" and begins with a gentle, flowing melody in the right hand. The left hand provides a steady accompaniment, while the melody gradually builds in intensity. The middle section of the Prelude features a more complex texture, with rapid arpeggios and intricate counterpoint. The piece ends with a return to the opening melody, which is played with greater force and passion. The Fugue is marked "Allegro moderato" and is built around a lively, syncopated theme. The theme is introduced in the right hand and is then imitated by the left hand and other voices. The fugue features a number of intricate episodes, in which the theme is developed and transformed. The piece ends with a triumphant restatement of the theme, played in octaves by both hands. Overall, the Prelude and Fugue No. 15 is a powerful and emotionally charged work, which showcases Zaderatsky's technical skill and musical imagination. Despite the difficult circumstances under which it was created, the piece is a testament to the enduring power of music and the human spirit.

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