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Photos with Yuri Gagarin

Finally my nephew Mikael found these photos in Moscow, in the old album. I asked him to do it for several years, and after a long last they are here!

Yuri Gagarin came to visit the Gnessins Music college on January 31, 1964. I just happened to be among 5 pupils of the Gnessins music school who were selected somehow to deliver a Welcome speech. At that time Yuri Gagarin was the National Hero Number 1, so he was escorted by a few bodyguards (just in case); after our part was over and we presented the speech and flowers, I did the most natural thing I could do at the time - I sat on Gagarin's lap. One of the bodyguards tried to say something, but Gagarin told him off. All that is left in my memory is Gagarin's hand - big, strong and warm - and his smile.

You can see the photos in the Gallery.

After Spanish mini-tour

So - everything has an end, and this little tour with LSO and Yura Temirkanov ended - sadly.

Concert in Madrid was a disaster. I did not check the piano before the concert - apparently it was OKish during the rehearsal. But when we started playing, even the first opening chords in B-Flat were completely out of tune. The loud bit after that started with the bass note misfiring - OK, known regulation problem, but when 5 notes in the base behave like that - either it is a monumental problem with modern Steinways, or a simple act of sabotage. If I would be playing a recital, I would stand up and ask to tune the piano, as the concert cannot take place. With Yura conducting and the full orchestra on stage I simply could not do that - and had to get through all 50 minutes or so (this is how long this concerto lasts) trying to simply survive. Horror! Next time I will try to arrange to bring my own piano - even if I have to pay all my fee for it.

Next day in Ubeda was entirely opposite - everything went well, and the public was fabulous too. Yura was doing real miracles, and sometimes I felt as the air around him becomes more dense and starts crackling - as of electricity. It may sound like a fantasy, but when we play together, I know exactly what he is doing without as much as a single look at him; I just know.

May the 5th

So - 101 years ago mr. Popov supposedly invented radio. This is what we learned at school - but now it looks like certain mr. Marconi managed to do it around the same time - and maybe a bit earlier. OK, whatever - radio is with us ever since, and long live the inventors!

Had a rehearsal today with LSO and Yuri Temirkanov - what a joy! I still cannot believe this concert materialised, but it happened suddenly, and I am looking forward for 11th of May in Madrid - that will be FUN!!!!!!! We are playing Brahms 2 of course - my Number One Mos Favourite piano concerto in the world; I am just fully in love with the piece, and to have a chance to play it with the conductor who can literally read my mind - it is SOMETHING!