Reicha considered fugal writing to be the ultimate proof of a composer's technical abilities, good taste, and ingenuity.
Compositional Technique
Each of Reicha's Fugal Etudes typically pairs a prelude with a fugue, similar to J.S. Bach's Wohltemperirte Clavier (Well-tempered Clavier).
Performer Biography
Ivan Ilić, the pianist on this recording, holds degrees in mathematics and music and has performed at Carnegie Hall and Wigmore Hall.
Composer Biography
Antoine Reicha, a childhood friend of Beethoven, settled permanently in Paris in 1808 and became a sought-after teacher.
Compositional Technique
Reicha's Études dans le genre Fugué (Studies in Fugal Style), Op. 97, were written for young composers and keyboard players as examples of a style that had fallen out of favor.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Reicha, the composer, believed that natural ability alone was not enough for advanced composition; art and science were necessary to reveal its secrets.
Recording & Production
This recording uses 24-bit / 96 kHz technology, which provides a dynamic range up to 48 dB greater and 256 times the resolution of standard 16-bit recordings.
