Houstoun Plays Bach

Michael's Titles

As Michael Houstoun explains in the interview, preparing to play 96 pieces involves a very deep delving into the essential character of each one. This has led him to giving them all short descriptions - or 'pseudo-titles', as he calls them. He offers these as a possible spur to a listener's imagination but stresses that they need not be taken as definitive or even too seriously. With his kind permission, we give them here.

Book One

C major
Prelude: Essence – Purity
Fugue: Awakening

C minor
Prelude: Grim determination
Fugue: Adamant

C sharp major
Prelude: Sylph dance
Fugue: Sunshine

C sharp minor
Prelude: Lamentoso
Fugue: Omens

D major
Prelude: Dragonfly
Fugue: Graduation

D minor
Prelude: Night ride
Fugue: Creeping anxiety

E flat major
Prelude: Splendour
Fugue: Surprise

E flat/D sharp minor
Prelude: The Weight of Sorrow
Fugue: Legend

E major
Prelude: Pastoral charm
Fugue: Giddyup

E minor
Prelude: Scena
Fugue: Storm

F major
Prelude: Scamper
Fugue: Passepied

F minor
Prelude: River of Despond
Fugue: Thou Shalt Not

F sharp major
Prelude: Playing around
Fugue: Sing

F sharp minor
Prelude: Treadmill
Fugue: Uphill

G major
Prelude: Fresh air
Fugue: Robust dance

G minor
Prelude: Wistful
Fugue: Stern advice

A flat major
Prelude: Domestic dance
Fugue: Nobility of the Quotidian

G sharp minor
Prelude: Failed aspiration
Fugue: Grim tale

A major
Prelude: Ambivalence
Fugue: Dancing on the head of a pin

A minor
Prelude: Thickening the plot
Fugue: Implacable

B flat major
Prelude: The lark ascending and descending
Fugue: Citation

B flat minor
Prelude: Road to Golgotha
Fugue: Bottomless pit

B major
Prelude: Above the clouds
Fugue: Embracing

B minor
Prelude and Fugue: The Passion according to J.S.Bach

Book Two

C major
Prelude: The Universe as a Temple
Fugue: Invitation to Joy (birthright)

C minor
Prelude: The dark wheel spins
Fugue: Unhappy resignation

C sharp major
Prelude: Invisible aria
Fugue: Rustic dance, jollity

C sharp minor
Prelude: Sorrow as Consolation
Fugue: Whirling

D major
Prelude: Processional
Fugue: Alms giving

D minor
Prelude: Vehement imprecations
Fugue: What goes up...

E flat major
Prelude: Regal elegance
Fugue: Affirmation (Beethoven)

D sharp minor
Prelude: Agreeing to disagree
Fugue: Hopes are dashed

E major
Prelude: Angelic benediction
Fugue: Holy, holy, holy

E minor
Prelude: The edge of hysteria
Fugue: Bravado

F major
Prelude: Organ playing in the empty cathedral
Fugue: Dance of smiles

F minor
Prelude: Private droplets
Fugue: Stern warning

F sharp major
Prelude: Gracious wife
Fugue: Hearty husband

F sharp minor
Prelude: Poignancy
Fugue: Reality of Sorrow

G major
Prelude: Water
Fugue: Crenellations

G minor
Prelude: Cortege
Fugue: Fatal declamation

A flat major
Prelude: Eloquence
Fugue: Human perfection

G sharp minor
Prelude: Petulant tale
Fugue: Cul-de-sac

A major
Prelude: Pastoral blessing
Fugue: Playful happiness

A minor
Prelude: Maybe...maybe not
Fugue: Angels of Destruction

B flat major
Prelude: Lyric pleasure
Fugue: Persuasive conversation

B flat minor
Prelude: Narration of Sorrow
Fugue: Day of Judgement

B major
Prelude: Be of good cheer
Fugue: Eternal aspiration

B minor
Prelude: Quandary
Fugue: Mocking dance