As an American and a guitarist I can't imagine composing a set of preludes and fugues without a grateful consideration of blues, ragtime and other popular styles. Overtly and obliquely these styles permeate the cycle alongside more obviously traditional European elements. I believe the music of Scott Joplin, Robert Johnson, Duke Ellington, and Thelonius Monk is as indissolubly part of the Western musical heritage as Bach, Haydn, William Byrd or Stravinsky. There is no "opposition" between twelve-bar blues and contrapuntal processes for me.

And if the history of American music is full of blues, it's also full of Gospel (and other styles). Alert listeners will note the variety of traditional Christian hymns woven into the cycle. My aim was to make a cycle that reflected upon the span of polyphonic music up to even its more "modernist" forms, yet remains traditionalist enough that a majority of the music could still potentially be played in liturgical contexts. I've played some of these preludes and fugues in church services. Just as the cycle was not composed with any duality in academic and popular music in mind, neither was it composed to be construed in strictly "concert" or "church" music terms.

Jeremiah Lawson

Artwork courtesy of Abhijit Kar Gupta at http://tinyurl.com/j5rsghd

1. Prelude in A Minor (Jeremiah Lawson)
2. Fugue in A Minor (Jeremiah Lawson)
3. Prelude in B Major (Jeremiah Lawson)
4. Fugue in B Major (Jeremiah Lawson)
5. Prelude in G sharp Minor (Jeremiah Lawson)
6. Fugue in G sharp Minor (Jeremiah Lawson)
7. Prelude in B flat Major (Jeremiah Lawson)
8. Fuguein B flat Major (Jeremiah Lawson)
9. Prelude in G Minor (Jeremiah Lawson)
10. Fugue in G Minor (Jeremiah Lawson)
11. Prelude in A Major (Jeremiah Lawson)
12. Fugue in A Major (Jeremiah Lawson)
13. Prelude in B Minor (Jeremiah Lawson homage to William Byrd)
14. Fugue in B Minor (Jeremiah Lawson homage to William Byrd)
15. Prelude in A flat Major (Jeremiah Lawson)
16. Fugue in A flat Major (Jeremiah Lawson)
17. Prelude in F sharp Minor (Jeremiah Lawson)
18. Fugue in F sharp Minor (Jeremiah Lawson)
19. Prelude in B flat Minor (Jeremiah Lawson)
20. Fugue in B flat Minor (Jeremiah Lawson)
21. Prelude in D Minor (Jeremiah Lawson)
22. Fugue in D Minor (Jeremiah Lawson)

Listen to: the entire album.

Release date: 8/31/2016
Daniel Estrem lives in Minnesota USA

Tagged as: Classical, Contemporary, Instrumental, Composer: Jeremiah Lawson, Classical Guitar

1. A Solo Piano Christmas by Chad Lawson: Multi-award winning pianist and composer who is not afraid to put his hat in anything
2. Christmas Through the Gateway by Osamu Kitajima and Chris Mancinelli: pan pacific ambient dance masters
3. All Hayle to the Days by Harper's Hamper: well loved and lesser known British carols for the festive season, performed with single voices and instruments
4. Sonic Embrace by AndrewPlusJohn: soulful electric guitar in a smooth and gentle landscape
5. Down the Rabbit Hole by Emma Wallace: angst-free modern ragtime
6. Medieval and Traditional Carols, Chansons and Festive Dances by In Nova Cantica: carols and chansons from the 13th - 17th Centuries for dancing, festivities and mayhem
7. Set on a Hill by Chad Lawson: Multi-award winning pianist and composer who is not afraid to put his hat in anything
8. Birds of the State Fair by Made of Wood: Groove laden chillout funk
9. Stargazing by Emiel Stopler: Filmic composer and acoustic fingerstyle guitarist
10. A Balm for Sisyphus by Luke Gartner-Brereton: music for minds
11. Yahndawa by Francois Couture: Canadian composer, musician, orchestrator, arranger and sound designer
12. Reminiscence by Emiel Stopler: Filmic composer and acoustic fingerstyle guitarist
13. A Christmas with Magnatune by Magnatune Compilation: the best music from Magnatune
14. The Garden by Toni Iniguez: classical guitar and Nature
15. Shop Sessions by The Dimples: Relaxing music for the heart and soul
16. Hidden Treasures by Hans Christian: new age meets Indian cello
17. Two Worlds One by Aryeh Frankfurter and Lisa Lynne: Two Worlds, One Music
18. A Harper's Holiday in Wales by Cheryl Ann Fulton: World-class performer and teacher of Medieval, Baroque, Welsh triple, Celtic and Concert harps.
19. Sounds of the Season by Aryeh Frankfurter: Timeless and enchanting folk music for the soul
20. Secret Songs by Lisa Lynne: Inspirational, uplifting, gentle, and soothing Celtic harp, World flutes, guitar and more.

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