Dmitri Shostakovich Preludes & Fugues

I love music that is about ideas, and the high calculus of music about ideas is music that is about musical ideas. J.S. Bach is probably the best source for this kind of music; listening to Bach manipulate, transpose, modulate, and reform his ideas in his various inventions, preludes, and fugues is great fun for me, and for some reason, it helps me work.

Lately, I've been transfixed by Keith Jarrett's recording of Shostakovich's series of preludes and fugues. It makes sense to learn that the Soviet composer modeled his series on Bach, whom he adored. The 20th century flavor of these pieces is a very nice change from the baroque patterning that epitomizes JSB--the modal scales in these works, which exhibit the same kind of mathematical interplay of musical ideas, give a Modern sensibility to these works that reminds me of jazz composers and performers. All the more reason that Jarrett's lyrical style is a delight when paired with these compositions.

In many ways, this has been the perfect working music for me during the past month in my new office. Not only does it keep the neighbors from knocking, it stimulates my brain in a way that keeps me fresh and moving.