Prelude in F sharp major - This prelude is quite a contrast with the one
in G sharp minor.  The F sharp major is thoroughly comforting and filled
with contentment.  While the left hand pulsates in a gently-rocking manner,
the right hand sings out its melodies.  The result is a floating musical
experience with a fine degree of delicate playfulness.

Both Ashkenazy and Jarrett are quick paced at under two minutes.
Ashkenazy is delightful as his right hand displays an exquisitely delicate
nature, definitely a superb reading.  That's not the case with Jarrett;
both hands are too strong and results in an experience which misses the
heart of the music.  Nikolayeva I certainly brings out all the beauty in
the prelude with a slower tempo but is a little deficient in providing a
delicate atmosphere.  Nikolayeva II is better in this area with a reading
which is more serious and reflective than Ashkenazy's, but just as
rewarding.  Scherbakov also has no problem with the music's delicate nature
but is still well below Ashkenazy's magic; also, Scherbakov's performance
is not well nuanced.  Nikolayeva II and Ashkenazy provide wonderful
interpretations.

Fugue in F sharp major - This reflective music is the only five-voice fugue
in the set.  Involving stretti, augmentation, and diminution, the fugue is
full of subtle hope tinged with sadness and with some agitation thrown in
for effective contrast.

Ashkenazy has the fastest tempo, clocking in at about 4 minutes.  It's not
a particularly contemplative reading.  The more optimistic passages are
very upbeat; the darker ones are somewhat combative.  In this respect,
the performance is one of extremes compared to the other four versions.
Personally, it's probably not a good idea to travel faster than Jarrett(5
minutes); also, the combative displays are jarring and not rewarding.
Speaking of Jarrett, I wouldn't have predicted that the Fugue in F sharp
major was a major highlight of his set, but it certainly is that and more.
He sheds his penchant for relatively suface-bound readings and is totally
immersed in the music.  Jarrett's tempo and accenting seem perfect;
expressive variety is strong and the more agitated passages possess just
the right degree of contrast.  I've been listening to his version for about
an hour with no lessening of interest.

Scherbakov is also in the 5 minute range, but in his case the tempo
sounds pedestrian.  The Nikolayeva versions slow things down greatly.
The Melodiya issue, at 7 minutes, is excellent.  The Hyperion, at 7 1/2
minutes, adds a bleak atmosphere to the music which I find more rewarding
than the Melodiya.  But it's Jarrett whose performance is exceptional.

Prelude in E flat minor - Not one of Shostakovich's more optimistic
preludes.  The E flat minor is stark, menacing, and on the extreme edge
of sanity.  For me, the tremors always rumbling from the bass represent
the heart of the music; that's where the true darkness and meance originate.
Another striking aspect of the prelude is how the tension, as sharp as
possible, never spills over; it just keeps the listener in a constant state
of dread.

Scherbakov and Ashkenazy do a great job with their left hands; those
tremors keep coming and engulfing me.  Jarrett is very good, but the
tremolando rumblings are not as deep or tight as with Ashkenazy or
Scherbakov.  The Nikolayeva II performance is surprisingly often not
close to the edge; Nikolayeva I is better but no match for Scherbakov or
Ashkenazy.  I should point out that one review of the Scherbakov set was
critical of the strength of his tremolos in that they tended to drown
out the melodic lines; that reviewer felt that Nikolayeva's tremolos of
slighter projection were more appropriate.  Personally, I consider that
premise off target, but I though it best to provide the alternative
viewpoint.

Fugue in E flat minor - Although certainly lighter of texture and mood
than its E flat minor partner, this fugue is hardly good-times music.
Sunlight never really penetrates as the modulations insure that an eerie
and somewhat biting atmosphere prevails.  In terms of continuity, the
Prelude, which never spills over, sets us up for an apocalyptic adventure
from the Fugue.  However, the Fugue retreats from the precipice, but not
to greener pastures.  It resides in a state of limbo and confusion with no
resolution in sight as the ending well reveals.  I consider this state of
mind to be not an uncommon one in Shostakovich's music.  The Fugue also has
some fine transparency and tenderness.

I love Scherbakov's performance.  It's on the quick side with great
momentum and rhythm.  Also, the range of moods diplayed by Scherbakov fit
the music perfectly.  Ashkenazy's is the slowest of the five versions,
although I don't think that any particular tempos are better than others.
My problem with Ashkenazy is that he seems to be trying to make the music
as optimistic as possible; that effort takes much of the bite out of things
and reduces the impact of contrasts.  Jarrett also has too much optimism,
but it's likely just natural for him.  Nikolayeva I is even better than
Scherbakov; there is more depth in her reading.  It's so noticeable from
the first bars that Nikolayeva is delivering another special performance.
That last ounce of depth does elude Nikolayeva in her Hyperion recording,
but the performance is as good the Scherbakov.

Prelude in D flat major - A fast paced waltz, this prelude provides a wide
range of activites and moods; it has playful, delicate, and gently swaying
elements.  At the other end, the moods are diabolical, dramatic, urgent,
ironic, and militaristic.

I tend to prefer quicker versions which whip up a whirlwind of changing
moods, and Ashkenazy is exceptional in providing these features.  Jarrett
is rather generic, and the Nikolayeva versions a little too slow to create
whirlwinds.  Scherbakov mostly eschews the whirlwind effect to express a
great deal of hostility and anger.

Fugue in D flat major - If you're looking for unstable, unhinged, and
frenetic music to feast on, this fugue's for you.  Personally, it reminds
me of my typical day at the office; it's no wonder I hate being there.  The
world certainly is wild and crazy.  The D flat major might have a tonal
center somewhere, but I have no desire to look for it.  It's best just to
enter the fugue's environment and realize that there's no such thing as
going too far.  Although I don't like humor in music, I chuckle every time
I play this fugue, assuming that my wife is likely gritting her teeth on
it.  I did eventually ask her opinion of the piece - "If I had to listen
to that for a whole evening, I'd probably stab the person next to me".  I
replied, "What if I was next to you?".  "You better watch out." The two of
us have the most stimulating conversations.  Music like this can kill off
a good relationship.

Nikolayeva II does not make the first cut.  I do believe she is having
trouble negotiating the technical requirements, and this problem ruins
the performance for me.  It's easily her least effective reading so far,
and that's a shame because listening to this music can be one of the most
memorable musical experiences in a lifetime.  I suppose that the earlier
Nikolayeva performance on Melodiya is an improvement, but there's still an
insufficiently fluid motion to the reading which damages momentum, and the
momentum is a major element in this fugue.

Jarrett's performance is the fastest; he's very exciting until with about
a minute left the house crumbles down.  Jarrett essestially loses touch
with the music's themes as the technical demands seem to absorb all his
attention.  Ashkenazy is quick and mercurial; this works splendidly.  Best
of all is Scherbakov with a darker vision than Ashkenazy.  Scherbakov is
the one who knows there are no limits and the one who amazingly always
maintains the fluid nature of the music when there are constant and sudden
tempo changes.  The interpretation is revelatory for me.

Prelude in B flat minor - Largely reflective music consisting of a set
of variations which sounds more like divisions on a ground.  Modulations
are minimal, but a form of increased diminution progresses with each
variation.  The conclusion takes us back to a slow tempo and calm feeling.
One essential ingredient in performance is that each variation flow
naturally from the previous one to provide a sense of continuity.  I don't
get much of a feeling of continuity from Ashkenazy; each episode sounds
somewhat unconnected to the others.  Also, Ashkenazy's projection is quite
weak at times.

Both Jarrett and Scherbakov are superb.  They provide the continuity I
seek and also the sense of starting at 'home', taking increasingly distant
journeys, then finally returning home for good with a strong feeling of
satisfaction.  Nikolayeva I has no problem with continuity although this
facet is weaker than in the Jarrett and Scherbakov issues.  Nikolayeva II
is quite slow in comparison to the other versions and, as with her earlier
effort, can't match the continuity of the two best performances.  There's
also great beauty in the prelude which is best brought out by Scherbakov
and Jarrett.

Fugue in B flat minor - In contrast to its partner, the fugue does not have
any home to start off from.  Shostakovich takes us to a freely floating
environment as if gliding in outer space.  However, in the long coda, a
beacon of light provided by the key of B flat major takes us under its
umbrella and delivers us safely home.  I can't emphasize enough the
importance of a performance conveying great positive impact when that
beacon arrives.

Jarrett's is the least rewarding performance.  He tends to sound rushed
and lacks a fluid delivery, particularly in the higher registers.  Absent
is the feeling of floating which is so prevalent in the Ashkenazy and
Scherbakov readings or a feeling of deep reflection highlighted in both
of the Nikolayeva interpretations.  Jarrett can be infuriating in that one
prelude or fugue finds him honing in on the depth of Shostakovich, then he
follows it up by losing all sense of the composer.  I just find it strange
that he could listen to his performance of the B flat major Fugue and be
satisfied with it.

Although Nikolayeva II, Scherbakov, and Ashkennazy give exceptional
readings, it's Nikolayeva I which gets my highest recommendation.  Her
handling of the transition from minor to major key in the coda is not to
be missed; it gives me the strongest and most positive feeling of finding
home after the free-fall.

Update:  The order of preference hasn't changed, but in the last few series
of preludes/fugues the five versions have been fairly equal in providing
highly rewarding performances.  Even Jarrett came up with a wonderful
reading in his Prelude in B flat minor.  However, the only way he could end
up in the top category would be if I misplaced the other four sets.  Since
I regularly misplace my glasses, wallet, family members, and other critical
items, Jarrett still can have some hope.

Don Satz
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