Rave Review of New Yulianna Avdeeva Album on Gramophone
Yulianna Avdeeva’s latest album, a full recording of Shostakovich’s 24 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87, came our recently on PENTATONE, marking the 50th anniversary of the great composer’s death. The monumental cycle of Op. 87 harks back to Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier and is considered one of the most demanding works for piano ever written. Avdeeva joins an elite group of pianists who have undertaken the challenge of performing the complete opus, which is rarely heard in its entirety. "Certainly she plays as though each piece means the world to her," writes David Fanning in his review for the July 2025 issue of Gramophone magazine. He continues:
Most impressive of all, to me, in Avdeeva's interpretations, are the more reserved pieces, of which there are many, where character may not be immediately obvious, because self-knowledge is all. Here she displays a quiet concentration that protects the music from any suspicion of routine. Her care for voicing and shading stands as symbolic for care for the most precious human values: a kind of exercise in self-preservation that is hardly less relevant in 2025 than it was in 1950.
Unlike the Well-Tempered Clavier, Shostakovich’s 24 Preludes and Fugues are arranged in the order of the circle of fifths — a visualization of all the major and minor keys, showing how they relate to each other. "To me, the music encapsulates the very essence of Shostakovich’s soul and personality — no fewer than 48 distinct characters are brought to life within the cycle," writes Avdeeva in her notes. "As a whole, it is an intimate, deeply honest expression of the composer’s most profound emotions."
Avdeeva returns to PENTATONE for the album after her acclaimed label debut with Resilience (2023) — which includes Shostakovich's Piano Sonata No. 1 — and Chopin: Voyage (2024). Both albums received outstanding reviews for their exceptional artistry and interpretation.
Read the full review HERE.
Listen to the new album HERE.
