Shostakovich Plays Shostakovich - Vol. 3
Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87 Nos. 16-18, 20, 22-24, Three Fantastic Dances, Op. 5.
Dmitri Shostakovich (piano).
Revelation RV 70003. ADD mono. TT 60:31.

Following their release, on Vol. 1 of this series, of Shostakovich at the piano in 11 of his 24 Preludes and Fugues (see DSCH 8), Revelation now present the remaining pieces of Op. 87 that the composer recorded. Preludes and Fugues Nos. 17 and 18 were apparently recorded in 1956, though exact dates are not available, while the remaining five were recorded in 1951 and '52, prior to the public première.

As on Vol. 1, analogue hiss has been virtually banished, and with a rich and stable tone one soon forgets that one is listening to a mono recording. The noise reduction process has not impaired the upper frequency range significantly.

I'm struck, listening to these pieces, by the way the composer chooses to bring forth an Impressionistic aspect latent in the score. I challenge you not to hear Satie in the Bb minor and the G minor Preludes and Fugues. The same wistfulness pervades most of the other Preludes and Fugues on this disc, which, being mainly in minor keys, vary in mood rather less than the pieces presented in Vol. 1.

One potential concern with this disc has been identified by professional pianist and longtime Shostakovich enthusiast Raymond Clarke. He questions the authenticity of Prelude and Fugue No. 17, writing that the level of technical achievement displayed by the pianist in this piece surpasses Shostakovich's own abilities, lacking shortcomings that are evident in other of Shostakovich's recordings. Chief among these clues is Mr. Clarke's observation that Shostakovich was unable to successfully stretch a 10th interval, and redistributed notes between two hands when this was necessary, but in Revelation's No. 17, a conspicuous 10th is stretched effortlessly. I find Mr. Clarke's reasoning highly convincing. Even without an advanced understanding of pianistic technique, one can discern an assuredness in the playing of this piece not quite matched in the others. Mr. Clarke suspects that Sviatoslav Richter may be the pianist responsible for this recording.

It is also suggestive that in the notes accompanying Vol. 1, Revelation stated that Shostakovich recorded 17 of his 24 Preludes and Fugues, whereas that number has increased by one with this release. It is easy to see how such a mix-up could occur, as Revelation's information comes from the Ostankino archive, and, in decades past, archivists may have intentionally mislabelled tapes to evade orders to destroy recordings of artists who fell into disfavour. In any case, Prelude and Fugue No. 17 is played very well indeed, so, with the proviso that it may not be performed by the composer, its presence on this disc is welcome.

All this is not to say that Shostakovich's own playing in the other pieces is unsatisfactory; far from it. Here is a sensitivity to colour, and a sense of revelation of purely personal emotion, that is not hinted at by, say, the architectural approach of Keith Jarrett (ECM 1469/70) or Tatiana Nikolaeva's more extrovert manner (Melodiya 74321198492) [Recordings Editor's note: since this review was written, the BMG/Melodiya release has become unavailable, but the same recording has been reissued on Regis RRC 3005]. The D minor Prelude and Fugue that closes the work is a model of sustained concentration across its dramatic changes in tempo, the occasional flubbed note notwithstanding. Even aside from their privileged status as the composer's own performances, these recordings represent a valuable contribution on purely musical grounds.

The Preludes and Fugues on this CD are a generous enough programme on their own. Revelation's coupling, the pithy Three Fantastic Dances, amounts to not quite three minutes of music. Given the historical value of hearing Shostakovich in another of his compositions, it would be churlish to complain that these light pieces are an unsatisfying partner to the Preludes and Fugues, which they are if one insists on consecutive listening. Regrettably, they have been transferred to CD a semitone sharp. Again, I must thank Raymond Clarke for bringing this to my attention, as I do not have perfect pitch, but I have since checked on the transfer pitch with a piano and confirmed that it is indeed incorrect. The last time Shostakovich enthusiasts had to contend with this problem was when Philips transferred Mravinsky's 1982 performance of the Eighth Symphony a semitone sharp (Philips 422 442-2); happily, that same performance is now available, at the correct speed, on Russian Disc (RD CD 10 917). As for the Three Fantastic Dances, I've alerted Revelation to the problem, and they indicate that they will correct this error on the next pressing of the CD. DSCH will make note of the correction if and when it occurs.

Finally, while the order of Preludes and Fugues is as it appears on the cover, the listed timings for tracks 1 and 4-6 are jumbled. Total playing time is as stated.

W. Mark Roberts
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DSCH No. 9.
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