Wenxin Luo: Prelude in B-flat Minor [Composed at Eastman School of Music]

Introduction to Prelude in B-flat Minor

This piece is composed by Wenxin Luo, completed on October 17, 2019 at the Eastman School of Music.

Consisting of four voices and three major thematic areas, this piece goes through a free form with a mixture of the Baroque style and a contemporary tune. The beginning pattern in the first thematic area mirrors the motif of the “Prelude” of WTC I No.22 by Bach. Based on particular harmonic progressions and a lament bass, phrases with the same rhythmic figure occur in different voices.

As a relative key to the previous section, the flowing texture makes the second thematic area departure from the articulated short phrase to a longer linear shape. As the middle voices form a counterpoint of thirds and sixths, melodious line corresponded by repeated and rhythmized bass notes moves the music forward. Based on a sequence of descending fifth elaborated by the calling and responding between different voices, the second half of the second thematic area wines down and bridges into the next section.

Based on a sequence of descending third, the third theme brings about the freshness of the contemporary tune, continuing the flow in the previous section. The most intensive moment arrives when the second thematic material returns, being transformed to include diminished chords, half cadence and deceptive cadence as well. The second half of the third thematic area appears again when the music goes back to its original key, B-flat minor. The whole piece ends with simple and peaceful arpeggiations transformed from the third theme, based on the sequence of descending third with top notes as its melody.



《降B小调前奏曲》简介：

这是罗文心创作的一首钢琴独奏小品，完成于2019年10月17日。此曲采用自由曲式，由四个声部及三个主要主题构成，并结合了巴洛克风格及当代音乐的特点。乐曲第一主题开头借鉴了巴赫《平均律》上册第二十二首中前奏曲的动机。基于特定的和声进行及“哀悼低音”，具有相同节奏类型的乐句交织于不同的声部。第二主题采用关系大调，高音部旋律与带有节奏间歇的低音共同推进，其流动性的织体使乐句变得更为悠长。由下行五度模进衍生出的旋律对答于不同声部，乐曲推向下一部分。第三主题的开展基于下行三度模进，保持着先前的流动性。第二主题再现时，减和弦、半终止及阻碍终止等素材的运用，将乐曲推向了高潮。第三主题后半部分的旋律以乐曲原调再次出现。基于第三主题素材中的模进，全曲在简单平静的分解琶音和高音部旋律中结束。

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