Leonid Desyatnikov: Songs Of Bukovina

Leonid Desyatnikov is one of the most 'textual' composers of our time. However, in his latest chamber opus, Songs of Bukovina, he chooses the format of ... '24 Preludes for Piano'! This is how the cycle is subtitled. The tradition originated by Bach, adapted by romanticism into the microcosm of 'cycle of miniatures', and elevated to the rank of 'intimate diary of the artist' by hyper-individualists like Chopin, Scriabin, et al. is crossbred by Desyatnikov with Transcarpathian folklore. The music of the Bukovinian prelude songs" combines the intonation spice of West Ukrainian flavors with devices from the arsenal of today's composing techniques. "In one interview, Desyatnikov speaks about the alien fundamental principle of his works, the external impulse he follows and departs from, very briefly: "I call it a MacGuffin." Having read this, I went

googling.