Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich ： 24 Preludes and Fugues No.11 in H-Dur Op.87-11

No. 11 from Shostakovich’s “24 Preludes and Fugues” is a two-part miniature pairing a prelude with a fugue. In the prelude, clear motion and rhythmic momentum carry the music forward; in the fugue, the subject is passed among several voices, giving the texture increasing depth and breadth. A central point of interest is the contrast between the prelude’s light, flowing character and the fugue’s tightly woven counterpoint. In performance, the small patterns of the prelude should remain articulate and well defined, while in the fugue each entrance of the subject should be clearly projected and the balance among the voices carefully controlled. The piece calls for a steady overall sense of tempo and a natural distinction between the characters of its two sections.