J. S. Bach: The Art of the Fugue
Tatyana Nikolayeva is a legendary pianist with a bit of a cult following, especially for her Bach and Shostakovich (the two were close friends; he wrote the great Preludes & Fugues op. 87 for her). This is a live recording from the Sibelius Academy in Helskini on April 26, 1993, a month before her 69th birthday. Nikolayeva had a huge repertoire: "Sometimes I think I know practically everything that has been written for the piano!", she says, laughing, in a 1991 interview. On top of this, she had the habit of playing by memory. This shows in this recording, not necessarily in the few minor flubs, but because there is a real feeling that there's a well-thought-out, cohesive plan to her interpretation, the result of significant mental as well as physical work. This plan involves the pianist taking full advantage of the capabilities of her Steinway, without any special attention to Historically Informed Practices, but complete and absolute attention to the spirit of the music.
Just over six months later, in November 1993, Nikolayeva was playing the Shostakovich Preludes & Fugues at a recital in San Francisco, when she suffered a stroke. Remarkably, she managed to play until the intermission, but she was dead ten days later. This recording, with its poignant final fugue unfinished at Bach's own death, is a superb memorial.
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| Photo: Co Broerse, Amsterdam, 1990 |
This album will be released on March 6, 2020
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