Andrei Gavrilov

For the Russian ice hockey player, see Andrei Gavrilov (ice hockey).
Andrei Gavrilov
Andrei Gavrilov, January 2017.
Born
Andrei Vladimirovich Gavrilov / Андрей Владимирович Гаврилов (Russian)

(1955-09-21) September 21, 1955
Moscow, Soviet Union
EducationMoscow Conservatory, Moscow
OccupationPianist
Years active1974–present
Parent(s)Vladimir Gavrilov (father)
Assanetta Eguiserian (mother)
Musical career
InstrumentPiano
Labels
Websiteandreigavrilov.com

Andrei Gavrilov (in Russian Андрей Гаврилов; born September 21, 1955) is a Russian-Swiss pianist.

Early life and education

Andrei Gavrilov was born in Moscow. His father was Vladimir Gavrilov, a Russian painter, through whom Gavrilov also has German ancestors. His mother was the Armenian pianist Assanetta Eguiserian; she gave Gavrilov his first piano lessons at age 2.

In 1961, he was inducted to the Moscow Central Music School and became a student of Tatyana Kestner. He completed his studies with Lev Naumov at the Moscow Conservatory. By the age of 18, after one semester at the conservatory,[1] he won the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1974, where Melodiya recorded Tchaikovsky's first piano concerto at the prize winner's concert together with a live solo recital. He rose to international fame when, at the Salzburg Festival the same year, he substituted for Sviatoslav Richter. In 1976, a studio recording of Rachmaninoff's third concerto followed. Gavrilov performed in many major music centers of the world, performing up to 90 concerts a year while continuing his studies at the university until 1979.[1]

Career and later life

In 1979, Herbert von Karajan, who had heard him play Tchaikovsky's First Concerto in Berlin, offered to work with him on recordings of all the Rachmaninoff piano concertos. In December 1979, recording sessions were scheduled with the Berlin Philharmonic for the second concerto, but Gavrilov did not appear for the rehearsals. Due to his critical remarks about the Soviet government, the head of the KGB Yuri Andropov, with the approval of Leonid Brezhnev, had seized Gavrilov's passport and flight ticket and cut his telephone line. According to Gavrilov, he was put essentially under house arrest by the KGB. Militia guarding Gavrilov showed him an official paper signed by Andropov threatening his life.[2] Through Mikhail Gorbachev's intervention, this ended in 1984, and Gavrilov received a passport so that he could perform again in the West without having to obtain political asylum. In the following years he briefly lived in London, England.

From 1977 to 1989 he worked exclusively for EMI. From that time came his recording of the Chopin Études and others of works by Chopin, Scriabin, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff and J. S. Bach. From 1991 to 1993 he recorded for Deutsche Grammophon, where he also duplicated some works already recorded for EMI. A number of projects were announced in 1992 but not realized.[3]

In 1989, he moved to Bad Camberg, Germany and received German citizenship. In 1993, he temporarily retired, cancelling concerts and not making further studio recordings.[2] The planned two-year sabbatical eventually grew to eight years. During this time he studied composers and their works as well as religious and philosophical questions, lived for half a year in Fiji, and fundamentally reworked his piano technique.[1] In 2001 he moved to Lucerne, Switzerland, and resumed playing concerts. In August 2008, he moved with his second wife and their son to Kanton Zürich.

In 2012, Andrei Gavrilov held master classes for the first time, in Madrid and later in London.[4][5] In April 2013, Andrei Gavrilov performed a concert in Belgrade, playing and conducting three concertos with the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra.[6] He played another concert conducting two concertos from the piano in Bristol in May 2014.[7]

In 2013, he completed his three-volume autobiography, the first volume of which was published in Russian[8] and German[9] in March and April 2014, and in English[10] in December 2016. He also made his first recording in 20 years, a CD of Chopin Nocturnes, to be included with each copy of the book.

Discography

If not stated otherwise, recordings up to 1976 are released on Melodiya, those from 1977 to 1989 on EMI (in the beginning as a co-production with Melodiya), and those from 1991 to 1993 on Deutsche Grammophon.

1974

1976

1977

1979

1981

  • Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3, with USSR State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Yuri Temirkanov. Live, Melodiya.
  • Weber: Grand Duo Concertant, Op. 48; Brahms: Clarinet Trio, Op 114; Berg: 4 Pieces for Clarinet and Piano. With Ivan Monighetti, violoncello and Anatoly Kamishev, clarinet. Melodiya.

1982

1983

1984

1984/1985

1985/1987

1986

1987

1988

1989

1991

1992:

  • J. S. Bach: Goldberg Variations
  • Britten: Friday Afternoons, Op. 7, Golden Vanity, Op. 78 (both with Wiener Sängerknaben); Sailing, Night, Ballad of Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard (all from Holiday Suite, Op. 5).
  • Prokofiev: 10 Pieces from Romeo und Juliet; Suggestion diabolique. Prelude, Op 12/7. Ravel: Gaspard de la Nuit; Pavane pour une infante défunte.

1993

  • J. S. Bach: French Suites.
  • Grieg: Lyric Pieces, Opp. 12/1; 38/1; 43/1, 2, 6; 47/2-4; 54/1-5; 57/6; 62/4; 65/5-6; 68/3,5; 71/1-3, 6-7

1999

2014

  • Chopin: 9 Nocturnes, No.1 in B flat minor, Op.9/1; No.8 in D flat major, Op.27/2; No.20 in C sharp minor, Op.posth.; No.5 in F sharp major, Op.15/2; No.9 in B major, Op.32/1; No.4 in F major, Op.15/1; No.15 in F minor, Op.55/1; No.10 in A flat major, Op.32/2; No.13 in C minor, Op.48/1 (recording: 17.5.2013 Fazioli Hall, Sacile, Italy)

2018

  • Modest Mussorgsky: "Pictures at an exhibition". UCM records. "Unzipped Classical Music". New private Andrei Gavrilov own label.

2020

  • Robert Schumann : "Symphonic Etudes" op 13, "Papillons" op 2

UCM records. "Unzipped Classical Music". Private Andrei Gavrilov own label.

Other recordings

TV

1979

1985

1989

1990

2000

2020

Radio

2009

Other recordings

2006

References

  1. ^ a b c Gavrilov, Andrei (2004). "Bechstein ist Balsam" (PDF). bechstein.com (in German). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 November 2007.
  2. ^ a b Moss, Stephen (21 December 2006). "The pianist who fell to earth". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  3. ^ Morrison, Bryce (June 1992). "Settling in". Gramophone. p. 21.
  4. ^ "Ebi y Gavrilov actuarán en Encuentros Internacionales de Musica de Alcobendas". ABC (in Spanish). 2012-07-06. Archived from the original on 2014-03-24.
  5. ^ "Andrei Gavrilov Piano Masterclass". Time Out London. Retrieved 2026-03-05.
  6. ^ "Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra and Andrei Gavrilov at Kolarac (12 Apr 13)". Songkick. Retrieved 2015-07-17.
  7. ^ "Bristol Ensemble Northern Lights: Andrei Gavrilov". Colston Hall. Archived from the original on 2015-07-21.
  8. ^ "Андрей Гаврилов 'Чайник, Фира и Андрей'". Книжный магазин «Москва». Retrieved 2026-03-05.
  9. ^ Schlott, Wolfgang (2017-08-09). "Andrei Gavrilov. Tschaikowski, Fira und ich. Erzählung meines Lebens". Tabula Rasa Magazin (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-05.
  10. ^ Gavrilov, Andrei (20 December 2016). Andrei, Fira and Pitch: Scenes from a Musician's Life. Asteroid Publishing. ISBN 978-1926720449.
  11. ^ WorldCat entry for DVD of God rot Tunbridge Wells : the life of Georg Frederic Handel accessed 19 February 2024, and booklet accompanying TPDVD114, 2008.
  12. ^ Moss, Stephen (2006-12-21). "'Feel free': Gavrilov plays Chopin". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-04-13.
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