Valery Afanasiev (Piano)
Valery Afanassiev was born in Moscow. He studied piano at the Moscow
Conservatory with Emil Gilels and Yakov Zak. In 1968 he was the winner of the
Bach Competition in Leipzig, and three years later at the Concours Reine
Elisabeth in Brussels. After a tour in Belgium, he decided to seek political
asylum in the West and became a citizen of Belgium.
Afanassiev lives in Versailles
In Germany Afanassiev was first known as a duet partner of Gidon Kremer in
chamber music performances. His interpretations of the piano works of Franz
Schubert, Ludwig van Beethoven and others have aroused controversy on account of
Afanassiev's tempo choices and expressive techniques. A review of his recording
of Schubert's last three piano sonatas stated: "the perversity encountered here
so angered me that I felt I could not dignify what I found here with any kind of
coherent analysis".
Afanassiev has recorded for the Denon, Deutsche Grammophone, and Oehms
labels, among others.
Afanassiev has written poetry, a number of novels and stage plays. He is also
an orchestral conductor.
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