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Title details for The Lost Pianos of Siberia by Sophy Roberts - Available

The Lost Pianos of Siberia

by Sophy Roberts
Catherine Bailey
Audiobook
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Siberia's story is traditionally one of exiles, penal colonies, and unmarked graves. Yet there is another tale to tell. Dotted throughout this remote land are pianos―grand instruments created during the boom years of the nineteenth century, as well as humble, Soviet-made uprights that found their way into equally modest homes. They tell the story of how, ever since entering Russian culture under the westernizing influence of Catherine the Great, piano music has run through the country like blood. How these pianos traveled into this snow-bound wilderness in the first place is a testament to noble acts of fortitude by governors, adventurers, and exiles. Siberian pianos have accomplished extraordinary feats, from the instrument that Maria Volkonsky, wife of an exiled Decembrist revolutionary, used to spread music east of the Urals to those that brought reprieve to the Soviet Gulag. That these instruments might still exist in such a hostile landscape is remarkable. That they are still capable of making music in far-flung villages is nothing less than a miracle. The Lost Pianos of Siberia is largely a story of music in this fascinating place, following Roberts on a three-year adventure as she tracks a number of different instruments to find one whose history is definitively Siberian. Her journey reveals a desolate land inhabited by wild tigers and deeply shaped by its dark history, yet one that is also profoundly beautiful―and peppered with pianos.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    September 10, 2020

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781666552232
      • File size: 263537 KB
      • Duration: 09:09:02

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Narrating this spellbinding travelogue/crusade, British actor Katherine Bailey puts her charming sophistication and refined steadiness to good use. Her graceful restraint draws listeners in and pays homage to the author's artistic sensibilities and lucid writing. Travel writer Sophy Roberts is obsessed with finding the pianos Russia imported in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. As she follows leads and questions peasants and famous musicians alike (and is detained by government officials at one point), she uncovers the spirit and culture of Russia's people. She recounts her travels across sparsely populated frozen landscapes and along the way offers an intimate portrait of how Russia's feudal traditions still conflict with Western culture and its opportunities. Her sensitive discussions of the technology and individual tonal character of pianos, along with Bailey's excellent reading, make this production a moving listening experience. T.W. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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