Product Description

Tatiana Nikolayeva's virtuosic brilliance was noted from a very early age, entering the Moscow Conservatory at age 13, and later winning the International Bach Competition. It was at this fete that she met Dmitri Shostakovich, with whom she forged a close friendship. the composer would select her as the first performer of the 24 Preludes and Fugues, which she would record for the famed state-run Melodiya label. This is a reference-quality recording and is regarded as one of the best-ever of this work, here offered in a budget 3-disc set. Rave review by Gramophone and the recipient of a highly-coveted Penguin Guide Rosette.

Review

The first choice must inevitably be Nikolayeva, the 'onlie begetter' as it were. Her reading has enormous concentration and a natural authority that is majestic... wisdom and humanity are there and she finds depths that have eluded most others. --Penguin Guide (Rosette)
Playful, profound, contemplative and dramatic, it's a journey very much worth making, [Nikolayeva] is your ideal guide. This is the one to go for. --Gramophone