Bernard Rands

Preludes

'The creative challenge was to compose a work whose 12 sections are integrated into a formal whole at the same time as each Prelude has its own formal integrity and thus can be selected and performed separately from the others. Robert Levin's experience, skill and knowledge of early keyboard music(s) was influential in determining the spirit and character of each Prelude.'When Debussy completed his Preludes he wrote that he thought they would take their place 'to the left of Schumann and to the right of Chopin.' I would suggest that mine are to the left of Bill Evans and to the right of Oscar Petersen, without implying any specific jazz influence but simply that the work of those two great jazz composer/pianists has always been a joy to me.'