Music & Writings

On the surface, these two pieces are contrasting. The prelude is calm and pastoral; the fugue is much more energetic. … Read MoreA Major P&F

“Joyful” is the adjective that comes to mind with this set. Both the prelude and the fugue are light, playful, … Read MoreE-flat Major P&F

I don’t often relearn pieces. The piano repertoire is so expansive that it’s hard to justify revisiting old works when … Read MoreE Major P&F

These two pieces couldn’t be a greater contrast. The prelude is slow, lyrical, and somber; the fugue is relentless, featuring … Read MoreC-Sharp Minor P&F

To me, the B Minor prelude and fugue go together as a cohesive pair. Unlike the F# Minor prelude and … Read MoreB Minor P&F

On the spectrum of how closely related these two pieces are, I place them at one of the far ends: … Read MoreB Major P&F

Musical ideas from the F# minor prelude carry over into the F# minor fugue, most notably, the pervasive use of … Read MoreF-Sharp Minor P&F

I find that pairs of preludes and fugues fall on a spectrum from clearly musically paired to basically unrelated. This … Read MoreG Major P&F

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, I generally find that each prelude and fugue pair falls into one of three categories:  Clearly … Read MoreC Minor P&F

(Bach to Basics, if you are inclined toward musical humor) A prelude is what it sounds like: an introductory composition. … Read MoreBack To Basics: What is a prelude and what is a fugue?