The first volume of Olli Mustonen's thoughtfully melded sequence of Bach's '48' (Book 1) and Shostakovich's '24' Preludes and Fugues appeared on RCA, the sequence there based on chromatically ascending keys. Here, the pattern is planned according to the circle of fifths, especially fascinating for listeners who are sensitive to the contrasting colours of individual key signatures.
Consistent to both is the sometimes bewildering extremism of Mustonen's own playing.
Our first port of call is a winning performance of Shostakovich's C major Prelude, with its light, sensual touch, and gently rhapsodised phrasing. Then in bounces the A minor Prelude from Bach's Book 1, brittle and jabbing with dramatic dynamic oscillations, especially in the succeeding fugue where even at speed individual notes either fade to near-inaudability or virtually poke your eyes out. This seems unlikely to be tolerable for long, but, by the end, one's gripped.
Yes, there are affectations, such as the prettily arpeggiated flourish at the start of Bach's E minor Prelude, and the way the succeeding line bobs like a buoy at sea. But then there are such things as the ravishing delicate arpeggios at the start of Shostakovich's D major Prelude, or the shaded spectres in the beautifully played B minor Fugue.
Two very different views of counterpoint then: Bach the consummate master of abstract patterns, Shostakovich more the dramatic tone poet donning Bachian garb. Whatever the ultimate judgement on Mustonen's interpretations, you can't deny either the brilliance or imagination of his playing, or the consistency of his approach.