By Dmitri Shostakovich. 

This work was written by the composer for himself to perform. At this stage in his life he spent much of his time touring and giving concerts asa pianist and was in need of piano music of his own to play that was le ss harsh and abrasive than his earlier piano pieces such as the First Sonata op.12 and the Aphorisms op.13. The Twenty-Four Preludes were an immediate success and they have been yaken up by innumerable pianists since, and also arranged by other performers and composers for every combination from violin and piano to full orchestra.