Shostakovich: 24 Preludes & Fugues - Alexander Melnikov (2 CDs)

These twenty-four preludes and fugues have become so closely associated with the personality and playing style of their 'official interpreter', Tatiana Nikolaeva, that history has decided that that's the way to perform them without looking any more deeply into the matter. Yet this Op.87 is brimming with fascinating answers for anyone who takes the trouble to ask the right questions; and it is not the least merit of Alexander Melnikov to have approached the work from first principles and come up with his own, eminently musical solutions.

124 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.1 in C major. Moderato3:01
224 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.1 in C major. Moderato (4-voice)3:15
324 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.2 in A minor. Allegro0:55
424 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.2 in A minor. Allegretto (3-voice)1:24
524 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.3 in G major. Moderato non troppo1:56
624 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.3 in G major. Allegro molto (3-voice)1:42
724 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.4 in E minor. Andante2:49
824 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.4 in E minor. Adagio (4-voice double fugue)5:00
924 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.5 in D major. Allegretto1:39
1024 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.5 in D major. Allegretto (3-voice)1:51
1124 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.6 in B minor. Allegretto1:36
1224 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.6 in B minor. Moderato (4-voice)5:22
1324 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.7 in A major. Allegro poco moderato1:07
1424 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.7 in A major. Allegretto (3-voice)2:26
1524 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.8 in F sharp minor. Allegretto1:22
1624 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.8 in F sharp minor. Andante (3-voice)8:43
1724 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.9 in E major. Moderato non troppo2:36
1824 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.9 in E major. Allegro (2-voice)1:39
1924 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.10 in C sharp minor. Allegro1:57
2024 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.10 in C sharp minor. Moderato (4-voice)5:20
2124 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.11 in B major. Allegro1:19
2224 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.11 in B major. Allegro (3-voice)2:09
2324 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.12 in G sharp minor. Andante4:17
2424 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.12 in G sharp minor. Allegro (4-voice)4:20
2524 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.13 in F sharp minor. Moderato con moto2:27
2624 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.13 in F sharp minor. Adagio (5-voice)4:44
2724 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.14 in E flat minor. Adagio4:45
2824 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.14 in E flat minor. Allegro non troppo (3-voice)2:55
2924 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.15 in D flat major. Allegretto2:53
3024 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.15 in D flat major. Allegro molto (4-voice)1:42
3124 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.16 in B flat minor. Andante2:42
3224 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.16 in B flat minor. Adagio (3-voice)7:30
3324 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.17 in A flat major. Allegretto1:51
3424 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.17 in A flat major. Allegretto (4-voice)3:28
3524 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.18 in F minor. Moderato2:15
3624 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.18 in F minor. Moderato con moto (4-voice)4:00
3724 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.19 in E flat major. Allegretto1:50
3824 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.19 in E flat major. Moderato con moto (3-voice)2:47
3924 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.20 in C minor. Adagio3:58
4024 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.20 in C minor. Moderato (4-voice)4:50
4124 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.21 in B flat major. Allegro1:09
4224 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.21 in B flat major. Allegro non troppo (3-voice2:50
4324 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.22 in G minor. Moderato non troppo2:17
4424 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.22 in G minor. Moderato (4-voice)4:01
4524 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.23 in F major. Adagio3:05
4624 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.23 in F major. Moderato con moto (3-voice)3:16
4724 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Prelude no.24 in D minor. Andante4:03
4824 Preludes & Fugues, Op. 87: Fugue no.24 in D minor. Moderato (4-voice double fugue)7:45