3 Counterpoints on the Preludes and Fugues of the Well-Tempered Clavier
A set of Counterpoints for solo violin on 3 Preludes and Fugues of the Well-Tempered Clavier
Arranged for String Orchestra
Prelude & Fugue in C minor WTC Book II
Prelude & Fugue in F minor WTC Book II
Prelude & Fugue in C minor WTC Book I
Duration: 12′
Premiere: Oct. 1999 Bachanalia String Orchestra, Emile Chudnovsky, solo violin
Merkin Concert Hall, NY
Recorded: Manchester Festival Strings, Ari Rudiakov, conductor
Publisher: Rassel Editions, NY
For many years, Lasser has been writing counterpoints to blend with the Preludes and Fugues of the Well-Tempered Clavier of J.S Bach. What began as playful challenge has become a long-range plan to build counterpoints to all of the 48 Preludes and Fugues of the Well-Tempered Clavier. The composer writes: “These are not just melodies placed over the Bach works, but in fact are truly new contrapuntal lines built out of the same motivic materials of their respective Prelude or Fugue. In the process, a new work emerges.” For this set, Lasser arranged the original Bach Preludes and Fugues for String Orchestra.