Exploring the value and expressive possibilities of all twelve major and minor keys is as relevant at the beginning of the twenty-first century as it was in Bach’s time. The 24 Preludes for violin and piano by composer Lera Auerbach (1999) follow the circle of fifths, showing us the entire tonal spectrum.
‘ In writing this work I wanted to create a continuum through which these short pieces could be united into a single composition. The challenge was not only to write a meaningful and complete prelude that may last only a minute, but also to make this short piece an organic part of a larger composition with its own form. Looking at something familiar from an unexpected perspective is one of the special features of these pieces: they are often not what they seem to be at first glance. The context and order of the preludes is therefore important for their understanding. All twenty-four tonalities are combined in a short moment during the last prelude.’ Lera Auerbach
During this performance we combine Auerbach’s Preludes with music by J.S. Bach, which obviously impacted the creating of this composition. Light artist Vladimir Grafov created a light choreography for this performance with self-designed prisms that play with light deviation and mood.
Lisa Jacobs, violin
Helena Basilova, piano
Vladimir Grafov, light design
‘ The result was overwhelming. This was not only due to the interesting combination, but also to the outstanding skills of the two musicians and their extremely precise coordination. Lisa Jacobs proved to be a master of the violin, who knew how to coax magical, spherical tones from the instrument. The finest nuances, variations in volume from the massive carpet of sound to the delicate, quietly fading breath – a fascination in itself. ‘- Goslarsche Zeitung, August 2024.