The correspondence between the Soviet pianist Maria Youdina and Pierre (Piotr) Souvtchinsky, a Russian emigrant settled in Europe, is an exceptional document not only because of the personality of the two protagonists and the ideas which are exchanged, but also of the lighting brought on two worlds separated by an almost impassable wall.
Through her, one perceives the efforts of Maria Youdina to develop contemporary music in Russia, Souvtchinsky helping her by advising her and sending her books and scores. We also measure all the difficulties to which she was exposed, indifferent to obstacles and bullying, sure of being able to overcome them by "strength of mind".
This correspondence is enriched by numerous letters which involve personalities as diverse as Stravinsky, Boulez, Nono, Jolivet, Stockhausen, Adorno, Prieberg, etc., as well as Pasternak, Bakhtine, Balanchine, Volkonski, Pärt, Denisov, etc. It also includes texts by Youdina and Suvchinsky and testimonies by Marina Drozdova and Mikhaïl Bakhtine.
A complete discography of the pianist closes the volume. Finally, two discs complete this one, with very rare recordings, representative of the art of Youdina (Schumann: Kreisleriana, Webern: Variations op. 27 (2 versions), recordings of Mozart, Bartók, Stravinsky, Jolivet and Volkonski and an exceptional document: the voice of Youdina commenting on The Tables of an Exhibition).
 |