Pianist
Yakov Flier made an impression on the Soviet musical scene not only as a sought-after soloist and recitalist, but as through his extremely long, 40-year career as an instructor at the Moscow Conservatoire. Although his name and the bulk of his recordings have since been lost to history, APR has included him in its collection of discs devoted to the Russian Piano Tradition. This program contains the very popular
Chopin Second Sonata,
Rachmaninov Preludes Op. 3/2, and Op. 23/5, along with the (unfortunately) infrequently performed Kabalevsky 24 Preludes, which, like
Chopin's foray into the medium, contains one prelude for each of the minor and major keys.
Flier's technique and musical sensitivity cannot be questioned at any point in the album. He delivers intricate figurations with ease and produces enough power and sound to account for two pianos. His understanding of the Russian folk idiom clearly shines through in his dazzling performance of the Kabalevsky Preludes. Recording technology, such as it was, in the former Soviet Union in the mid-'50s was far behind the rest of the world. What this unfortunately means for listeners is an uneven and at times poor sound quality even in this restored fashion.
Flier's impressive amounts of sound work to his disadvantage at times as it often overpowers the microphones and leaves listeners struggling to determine what exactly is happening. Still, fans of historical recordings will no doubt find a place of honor for this album among their collections, and anyone looking for an archetypal performance of the Kabalevsky should still consider this recording.