The Russian Piano Tradition: Tatiana Nikolayeva (Recorded 1950-1951)

Album review

Perhaps it was because her premiere in the west did not come until the 1980s, and that her first and only U.S. tour in 1993 culminated in her untimely death from a stroke, that pianist Tatiana Nikolayeva is not a household name the way others from the Russian Piano School are. In her own country, she was every bit as venerable a player as Emil Gilels or Sviatoslav Richter, possessing an extensive repertoire and equally broad discography. For all her talents as a pianist, she was also active and successful as a composer, distinguishing herself by graduating from the Moscow Conservatoire in both piano and composition. This album features performances of Tchaikovsky's Second Piano Concerto, as well as the Concert Fantasy, two works that, like Nikolayeva, have spent limited time in the spotlight of American audiences. Recorded with the USSR State Symphony Orchestra in 1951 and 1950, respectively, the overall sound quality of the album is about what one would expect from a Russian recording of that era: far from superb. The orchestra's playing is almost noisy at times, interfering with the piano any time the two are playing together. Apart from these issues, however, Nikolayeva's playing is quite satisfying. She plays with the muscularity and power of three pianists without ever seeming to force her instrument; conversely, she is able to deliver moments of the utmost tenderness and sensitivity. Her enthusiasm for the score is infectious and quite successful at drawing in and maintaining the listener's attention.
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