Preludes and Fugue
for 13 Strings
''Preludes and a Fugue'' for 13 Solo Strings, an unusually difficult, complex and not-easy in reception composition, takes a special place in Lutosławski's creativity. It sets uncommon tasks to the conductor. A series of preludes (7) precedes one fugue. A form of variation used to exist in the past, that was crowned by a fugue, but these sort of variations were, in principle, a cycle of works contrasted among one another. In Lutosławski's case, the preludes are tied by an idiosyncratic 'chain' which makes them one whole, especially that they are not as contrasted as diverse. The polyphony of the fugue is far from the stereotype: effaced, not always clear, as if it was secretive. To sum up, it is a composition formally patterned on Bach, however, in the music course and auditory reception - independently from the contemporary language - far away from the classical patterns. In the commentary to the score the composer wrote: ''This opus can be performed as a whole or various shortened versions. You can play any number of Preludes in any order, including a shortened version of the Fugue or without it.'' Knowing the vast precision of the composer's creative intentions, the tolerance he allowed here, may be surprising. A conscious and unique creative problem is visible here: an expansion of the aleatoricism on form. [Jan Krenz]
- Language of edition: eng, pol
- Cover: softcover
- Type: score
- Size: A4 vertical (210x297 mm)
