A commission by the Brentano String Quartet, as part of the Art of the Fugue companion piece project, has Ran constructing a fascinating Prelude to Contrapunctus X. "I opted not to stray outside the r ealm of Bach-like materials and harmonic language," says Ran, instead using her own skills to create "something that's slightly different than the anticipated sum of the parts. A mildly deconstructed Bach, if you will." Bach-Shards leads directly to the entry point of Contrapunctus X, such that the entrance becomes a logical and emotional release of the energy built up throughout Ran's Prelude. Ba ch-Shards should always be performed as a prelude to Contrapunctus X. For advanced players. Duration: 4'