Shostakovich: 24 Preludes and Fugues – Peter Donohoe

   in Classical Music (Jun, 2017)
Playing straight, expansively and respectfully, Donohoe seems to see the set of 24 Bach-inspired pieces as a single work. His approach is cogent, if sometimes it results in a somewhat dogged quality (the slightly woolly sound doesn’t help). While there is not a hint of mannerism or exhibitionism at any point in these two well-filled discs, the current issue is not to be preferred to Nikolayeva (seek out her revelatory sixties Melodiya recording, fleeter than her two digital remakes) or especially Melnikov (Harmonia Mundi). …