Composition Notes
Composed at the age of 18 by Michael Maw, this set of four preludes for piano is dedicated to the Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich. Opening with a march-like motif, the music shifts drastically between piercing screams of sound and quiet melancholy – reflecting Shostakovich’s tumultuous life under the dictatorship of Joseph Stalin. The second prelude opens with youthful energy which then descends into a mysterious ostinato. This builds into a thundering finish where the music shatters into a myriad of echoing fragments. Prelude No. 3 opens with calmness and serenity. The simple repeating motif grows into an agonizing climax, immediately followed by Shostakovich’s signature phrase: DSCH (D Eb C B). This causes a return back to the same peaceful opening – as if reflecting back on the past. The final prelude is a mix of incredible energy and jest, rounding out the set with a boisterous ending.
Instrumentation
- Piano
