Alexander Melnikov & Cuarteto Casals/3 Presented by Liszt Academy

Beethoven’s influence on Shostakovich has been observed by musicologists, recitalists and concert organisers alike. It is therefore no coincidence that a combination of Beethoven and Shostakovich is so often placed on concert hall programmes the world over, whether it is an orchestral performance or a chamber evening. What is more, it is easy to find pieces that are clearly each the other’s reflection. The two excerpts from the 24 Preludes and Fugues are exception in the three-part concert series, as Shostakovich’s volume reveals Bach’s influence instead of Beethoven’s.Originally, Beethoven had intended his Great Fugue to be the finale of his String Quartet in B-flat major, only to realise later that the dimensions of the movement would burst the frames of a closing movement, so he composed a new finale to his Opus 130. In this performance, however, the Cuarteto Casals will play the entire string quartet – followed by its original finale.