Dilettante Music

Often, Shostakovich's preludes and fugues from his Op. 87 set of 24 (1950 - 1951) seem to exist uneasily side by side. At times the fugues seem like evasive replies or stern rebukes or even complete non sequiturs in relation to the preludes that precede them. But the A flat major pair is tightly joined together. Not only do the prelude and fugue share the tempo marking of Shostakovich's favored Allegretto, but the melodic material of the prelude is also reconfigured audibly as the motivic material of the subject of the fugue. The first half of the fugue subject is clearly derived from the central melody of the prelude and the second half of the subject is as clearly based on the accompaniment figure of the opening melody. This temporal and motivic unity serves to enhance the expressive unity of the prelude and fugue: few of Shostakovich's 24 preludes and fugues are as carefree and cheerful as the A flat major pair. ~ All Music Guide