Prelude and Fugue in A, Op. 87, No. 7 - Shostakovich.

Question 1

What is the context/background of the Prelude and Fugue in A?

Answer 1

1950-1951 (200th anniversary of Bach’s death).
Neoclassicism.
One of 24 pieces - circular pattern for all the different keys.
1952 - first performance.

Question 2

What are the neo-classical features of the Prelude and Fugue in A? 5

Answer 2

1. Prelude and Fugue structure.
2. Lack of expressive content - Baroque elements.
3. RH melody/rhythm Prelude - recall Bach’s music.
4. RH: Bach chorale melody - 6.
5. Prelude - Bach’s two-part inventions.

Question 3

What is the instrumentation of the Prelude and Fugue in A?

Answer 3

Piano - grade 8 standard.
Even RH and LH interest.
Wide range: 5 octaves - but not extreme.
Low notes avoided - delicate dynamics.
Clear articulation.

Question 4

What is the texture of the Prelude in A? 7

Answer 4

1. Two-part strands - mainly contrapuntal.
2. Tonic pedal note with quaver/semiquaver stream - 1.
3. LH melody, RH chords - 3.
4. Main semiquaver motif alternates hands.
5. Brief RH/LH dialogue - 18.
6. Homorhythmic - 21.
7. Inverted dominant pedal - 23.

Question 5

What is the texture of the Fugue in A? 6

Answer 5

1. Contrapuntal - 3 parts.
2. Monophonic - 1.
3. Dominant answer: 2 part texture - 5.
4. Second subject entry: 3 part texture - 11.
5. Reduced to 2 parts - 29.
6. Arpeggiated Amj triad 11.

Question 6

What is the structure of the Prelude in A?

Answer 6

Short introduction to the Fugue.
5 short sections.
Tonality makes up three-part structure: ABA’ ternary.
A1, A2 - tonic A.
A3, A4 - ambiguous/changing.
A5 - tonic A.
All 5 sections have two short segments: a and b.

a: LH - pedal note.
RH - quaver rest, then 4 conjunct semiquaver, then a quaver stream.

b: LH - similar to RH a.
RH - conjunct melody.

Question 7

What is the structure of the Fugue in A?

Answer 7

Monophonic subject - 1.
Dominant answer - 5.
Exposition: 1-15.
Countersubjects 1 and 2: bars 5 and 11.
Codetta - 9.
Various episodes - 15.
Stretto: 70-75.
Tonic pedal signals end - 96.

Question 8

What is the tonality of the Prelude in A?

Answer 8

Mostly A major.
A3 - Cmj: 10, beat 1/Bbmj: 10, beat 3.
A4 - F#m, Amj - 16, Fmj - 17.
A5 - Abmj, tonally ambiguous, then tonic Amj.

Question 9

What is the tonality of the Fugue in A?

Answer 9

Tonic Amj.
Hints at F#m - 21, C#m - 25.
Back to Amj - 33.
Fmj - 47.
Bb mj - 51.
Back to Amj - 70.
Tonally ambiguous - 83.
Tonic Amj - 89.

Question 10

What is the harmony of the Prelude in A? 6

Answer 10

1. Pedals with I-V7 - diatonic.
2. Suspension - 6.
3. LA dissonance - 1.
4. Inverted dominant RH pedal - 23.
5. Varied harmonic rate.
6. Chromatic - 13.

Question 11

What is the harmony of the Fugue in A? 7

Answer 11

1. Unadorned triads.
2. Slow harmonic rate: same chord for 4 bars.
3. Rarely any bare 5ths/octaves.
4. Implied chords in 2-part textures.
5. Dominant E pedal - 66.
6. Perfect cadence avoidance.
7. Tonic pedal - 96.

Question 12

What is the melody of the Prelude in A?

Answer 12

Two distinct melodic ideas:

1. Semiquaver idea - RH 1.
2. Dotted-crotchet idea - RH 3.

Idea 1 variation:

1. Just ascends: not descending then ascending - 8.
2. A2/A3 - semiquavers added after 9+ quavers.
3. A2/A3 - varied quaver patterns - linked to semiquaver triadic pattern.

Question 13

What is the melody of the Fugue in A? 4

Answer 13

1. Disjunct - mostly triadic.
2. Only conjunct at chord changes - 15.
3. Arpeggios - 3.
4. Avoids 5ths.

Question 14

What is the rhythm/metre of the Prelude in A? 5

Answer 14

1. Compound quadruple metre - 12/8.
2. Compound triple: 9/8 - 22.
3. Mostly rapid quavers/semiquavers.
4. Melody - dotted crotchets
5. Syncopation - 17.

Question 15

What is the rhythm/metre of the Fugue in A? 6

Answer 15

1. Cut common.
2. Subject - rhythmically varied.
3. CS1 - continuous quaver movement.
4. Syncopation - 5.
5. CS2 - syncopated minim, otherwise unsyncopated.
6. Rhythmically unadventurous - scarcely any rests.