Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Fingering for Shostakovich Fugue #7 in A major, Op. 87

Has anyone here played this fugue? I'm having a time figuring out a fingering that works (and feels comfortable) for the opening suject and its entrance in the alto and bass.

I have not played this particular fugue, but with my experience from the G-major fugue, the optimal (or only...) fingering possibility can be quite bizarre. I gave up on "comfortable".

I have been very much out of practice the last several months since moving, but need to get my piano tuned and start practicing again. This P&F has been on my radar.

Have you worked on any others DameMyra?

-Daniel

I've played this fugue.

For the opening voice, I used 2-1-2-3-4-5-3. The top of that phrase requires an interval of a fourth between 4 and 5, but it's made easier by moving the elbow out a bit as the hand goes up.

For the alto voice entrance (LH) I used 1-5-1-3-2-1-2. For the bass entrance I did the same thing, except I started with a 5, since the LH has to play a note higher up in the previous beat. For this third entrance, I didn't connect the first two notes, but you could with finger-passing.

I hope that's clear. Let me know if you have any other fingering questions-- or interpretation questions. I have lots of thoughts on interpreting this prelude and fugue, and would be even more interested to hear yours. Have fun with it-- it's one of the best.

-Jason

Thanks for the replies.

Daniel, the only other of his Preludes and Fugues I've played was the set in F minor. A real beauty.

Jason, thanks for the suggestions. I'll give them a try. The fugue is one of my favorites also.

It's interesting when you look at some of these fugues, they seem so "unpianistic", yet, by all accounts, Shostakovich was a marvelous pianist.

Sharon

And indeed, Shostkovich recorded quite a number of his p&fs, including #7. He plays them very well, as you would expect from a composer/sometimes-pianist. To me, there is something uniquely direct in how he plays them - I am not sure how to explain it. Maybe something like this - it sounds as if he is speaking right to your face, except through music.

Some are on YouTube, but I don't find this particular one. That doesn't mean it isn't there, of course, but just that my search didn't turn it up.

For me, I'm not convinced there is anything "unpianistic" about the op. 87 fugues. I mean, fugues in general are probably somewhat on the unpianistic side of things, since whatever that word means, it probably (in part) refers to standard figures and patterns that fit nicely under the hand, while a fugue, made of three or four independent voices, isn't generally going to form these kinds of patterns.

Any specific examples of "unpianistic" writing in op. 87 that you could point to?

-Jason

Fugues are unpianistic by their nature.. Shostakovich was a very pianist-friendly composer.

Since you asked...I've always thought the Db Major prelude was pretty inconsiderate of the pianist, at least if taken anywhere near the metronome marking given. The thirds and octaves are just plain awkward at that speed, and it's not even a fugue.

That's a good example-- that prelude is definitely awkward.

I can't think of any other examples offhand though. Most of the fugues really do fit pretty well under the hand (which is not to say they are easy). Maybe the Ab fugue is awkward (maybe even unpianistic?) in its unrelenting note density....

-J