Tchaikovsky's most popular work for solo piano is the suite The Seasons, frequently recorded either in whole or as excerpts. Although it was written for home audiences and performers, it appeals to professional pianists because it is chock full of Tchaikovsky's charming melodies and it is a set that alternates his dance-like energy with wistfulness and beauty for a different snapshot of each month of the year. This recording by
Arkady Sevidov is technically well-executed and otherwise pleasant, but it doesn't stand out from the heap of other performances. It's partly due to the recording's sound, which is mediocre.
Sevidov's near athletic strength in the truly exuberant pieces, such as February and September, would be more impressive, even visceral, with more immediate sound. He does manage to thoughtfully shape the more contemplative ones, primarily through dynamics, but any shaping he does with tempo doesn't quite come across as completely natural.
Sevidov's tendency in the Children's Album, Op. 39, also is to be quietly considerate, which makes the little pieces very tender and sweet, but also makes one think that these pieces are all about a lonely, introspective child who is frequently left to play by himself/herself. In other words, it's more an adult's view of childhood than a child's. All in all,
Sevidov's treatment of these two Tchaikovsky sets is personal in a way that doesn't necessarily communicate his or Tchaikovsky's intentions overly well.