Andrey Gavrilov is a bright, very gifted pianist who at the age of 19 became the winner of the Tchaikovsky Competition, quickly burst into the ranks of the musical elite, has been living abroad since 1985 and is famous for his difficult character, propensity for shocking and eccentric actions.
Andrey Gavrilov is a bright, very gifted pianist who at the age of 19 became the winner of the Tchaikovsky Competition, quickly burst into the ranks of the musical elite, has been living abroad since 1985 and is famous for his difficult character, propensity for shocking and eccentric actions. He can defiantly “fall asleep” on stage during the performance of a concert, if he is not satisfied with the conductor’s interpretation, or five minutes before his performance, without saying a word to anyone, leave the concert hall through the fire exit. His book combines notes about life in the USSR (studying at the Central Music School, the conservatory, portraits of teachers, colleagues, career steps and intrigues on the part of the authorities) and reflections on music, about Mozart and Ravel, about Chopin and his nocturnes (their performance is attached to the book as separate disk). Gavrilov’s memories are a striking combination of love and contempt. Everyone got it, and especially Svyatoslav Richter (Fira), with whom Gavrilov was friends: sincere admiration for the master is accompanied by poisonous criticism of his game, affection by the extravagances of a genius – a cold sentence to him. Until the final pages of this both painful and fascinating reading, one does not know what feeling will prevail, but in the last chapter – it is dedicated to the First Concerto of Tchaikovsky (in student jargon – Teapot) – one finally hears pure delight in front of the power and beauty of great music, its triumph and mystery, its cosmic scope, which is difficult not to be infected.
Slovo, 336 p.