Abdel Rahman El Bacha

In the series of Preludes, opus 28 (1836-1839), Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) expressed his admiration of Bach's 'Well-Tempered Clavier'. In that monumental work, Bach elevated the prelude to a full-fledged entity, transcending its original introductory function. Chopin continued along the same course, developing the prelude into an independent, non-programmatic character piece for piano. He arranged his twenty-four preludes after the example of Bach, as a cycle of tonalities that are arranged not chromatically but according to the cycle of fifths, alternating between each major third and a parallel minor third. The work is held together not only by tonal relationships, but also by a certain dramaturgy of contrasts and related expressions. The preludes are the result of changeable moods: wild rhythms are contrasted with sauntering largos, idyllic nocturnes counterbalance finger-breaking etudes, explosive chords alternate with swirling cascades of triplets. Following in the footsteps of Chopin, Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943) composed twenty-four preludes that go through a variety of keys. Although Rachmaninov's preludes were not composed as a complete work and were written in different creative periods, they nonetheless display a remarkable unity of style.