This unusual album begins with archival recordings, in excellent sound, of the Russian-born composer-pianist Alexander Tcherepnin (1899-1977) playing some of his most memorable piano music.

The early Sonata No.1 (1918–19) is a brilliant, virtuosic study in dramatic Slavic romanticism. The atmospheric late Sonata No.2 (1961), never commercially recorded by the composer, is an elegant example of mild modernism in continuous thematic evolution.

The second part of the CD, performed by the Russian pianist Mikhail Shilyaev, presents a selection of attractive, rarely heard works from various periods in Tcherepnin's career. They further illustrate Tcherepnin’s Prokofiev-like fondness for spiky humour, pungent harmony and crisp melody.

Alexander Tcherepnin (1899–1977) was a member of one of Russia’s most important musical dynasties: he was both the son of a composer and the father of two himself. Born in St Petersburg, he worked in Georgia, France, China and Japan before finally settling in the USA. He was one of the outstanding composer-pianists, a colleague of Rachmaninov and Prokofiev.

Mikhail Shilyaev, also Russian-born, is a graduate of the Central School of Music of the Moscow Conservatoire. He has also studied at the Munich Hochschule für Musik, the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and the Royal College of Music and Trinity College in London. His competition successes include the Ibiza International Piano Competition, Intercollegiate Beethoven Competition, Amy Brant Piano Competition and the Vianna da Motta International Piano Competition. This is his first recording for Toccata Classics.

The recordings of Tcherepnin playing his own music were made in the McMillin Theater of Columbia University in 1965, by the engineer Walter Carlos, soon to become famous for 'Switched-On Bach'. The sound, restored by Allan Tucker of Foothill Digital in New York, is remarkably good. Mikhail Shilyaev’s recordings were made in 2012 at Trinity College of Music in London.

Contents:
Alexander Tcherepnin
- Piano Sonata No.1, Op.22
- Piano Sonata No.2, Op.94
- Quatre Préludes Nostalgiques, Op.23
- Prelude, Op.85, No.9

Mikhail Shilyaev
- Moment Musical
- Petite Suite, Op.6
- Rondo à la Russe
- Entretiens, Op.46
- Polka
- Scherzo, Op.3
- Expressions, Op.81
- La Quatrième