160 Mr. Kissin’s recordings have also received numerous awards and accolades, having contributed significantly to the library of masterpieces recorded by the world’s greatest performers. Past awards have included the Edison Klassiek in The Netherlands, Grammy awards, and the Diapason d’Or and the Grand Prix of La Nouvelle Académie du Disque in France. J.S. Bach (1685-1750) Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue, BWV 903 - Chromatic Fantasia - Fugue Johann Sebastian Bach’s Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in B minor is one of his masterpieces. It showcases Bach’s virtuosity and creativity. In the chromatic work (chromaticity is based on semitones), Bach made dramatic and even extreme use of the keyboard instrument (the harpsichord in his time) that included toccata-like sections, slow chords, sections that include tempo and key changes, and sections marked with recitatives (speechlike singing, these indicate a connection to vocal music). Its first part is in the style of a fantasy, that is, a piece with a free structure, and its second part is a structured fugue that follows strict rules of counterpoint (music that combines several voices). Together, the fantasy and the fugue create a perfect balance. The exact date on which the piece was written is unclear, but scholars believe that Bach began writing it in 1720 while working in Weimar and Köthen in Germany and finished it after making several changes and corrections in 1730, while employed as music director in Leipzig. The music as a whole easily moved over time from the harpsichord to the piano and became a main component of today’s piano repertoire. The first part of the Fantasia is full of transitions and scales, and ends with improvised broken chords. The middle section is marked as “Recitativo" and refers to the speech-like singing style of staged Baroque vocal genres such as the oratorio. The hands conduct a dialogue with each other, and the upper voice is reminiscent of a soloist while the responding chords represent "basso continuo" - accompaniment. The third and final section of the fantasia is a combination of the preceding and recitative motifs, ending with a chromatically descending coda. The fugue has three voices and is also based on chromaticity, which gives the piece a sense of tension and even surprises the listener with changing harmonies. The fugue begins in a strict style with an unusual chromatic theme, but slowly loosens up to reveal more fantasy-related elements. It is extraordinary contrapuntal writing, passing through various and distant scales replete with extensive chromatic harmonies. The daring virtuosic elements of the piece together with the innovative structure make it unforgettable, with enormous freedom that allows the performer to express his unique artistic voice. A Tribute Recital
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