Saturday February 20 at 5pm

Recorded in session at La Grua Center and aired on our YouTube channel. A private link to the concert will be shared with ticket holders and subscribers approximately 2 hours prior to the start of the event, and again 15 minutes before the start of the event.

Music Matters YouTube: Connecting Bach, Chopin & Shostakovich

MICHAEL BAHMANN, 1886 Chickering concert grand
Affinity Connecting Bach, Chopin, and Shostakovich

Bach  Prelude No. 1 in C, WTC I
Shostakovich  Prelude No. 1 in C, Op. 87
Chopin  Prelude in F, Op. 28, No. 23
Bach  Fugue No. 11 in F, WTC I
Chopin  Etude No. 1 in f
Bach  Fugue No. 12 in f, WTC I
Bach  Prelude No. 20 in a, WTC I
Shostakovich  Fugue No. 2 in a, Op. 87
Chopin  Prelude in c#, Op. 45
Bach  Fugue No. 4 in c#, WTC I
Bach  Fugue No. 1 in C, WTC I
Shostakovich  Fugue No. 1 in C, Op. 87

Not long ago, pianist/harpsichordist/organist Michael Bahmann was putting together a series of solo recitals centered around Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier. He was struck by the remarkable parallels between this seminal collection of studies of key and mood and the similar great tonal canvases by Frédéric Chopin and Dmitri Shostakovich. Each in his different way, the three composers delve into the essence of how keys and intervals relate to each other, and how the choice of key can determine moods ranging from the deepest contemplation and reverie to angular, almost surreal sketches. Michael grouped six pairs of preludes and fugues that share note groups – though never in the same order – and, often enough, complementary textures.

The sonorous, finely nuanced 1886 Chickering concert grand lends its own dimensions of depth, fine shading of touch, and chiaroscuro to Michael Bahmann's multi-hued playing. Natural-light video and sumptuous, transparent stereo assure that the music comes first. • Michael talks about his solo recital, aptly titled Affinity, in an accompanying interview, recorded during the recording session.

Tickets $10. Click here to purchase. Please note, ticket sales end approximately 1/2 hour prior to start of the event.