Igor Levit, 'Fugue No. 7 In A Major, Op. 87' (Dmitri Shostakovich)

It's best not to question the vastness of Igor Levit's mind, which hums along with the efficiency of a quadruple fugue. The forward-thinking pianist likes to push himself with complex projects, like his new triple-album set, On DSCH, a Dmitri Shostakovich-inspired affair which offers not only all of the composer's 24 Preludes and Fugues, but also a rarely heard tribute piece by Ronald Stevenson that spans nearly 90 minutes without pause. For our purposes here – and to get a taste of Levit's singing, transparent technique – let's opt for brevity: the Fugue No. 7 in A major, where Shostakovich's lighter mood sparkles with interlocking inner voices that ripple as clear as a mountain stream.

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