Michael Tanner

Playing until her fingers bled: the dedication of the pianist Maria Yudina

Elizabeth Wilson celebrates the great Russian musician who never owned her own piano and gave her earnings to the poor

Maria Yudina at the piano in the late 1920s or early 1930s. [Collection of Yakov Nazarov]
  • Comments

  • Playing with Fire: The Story of Maria Yudina, Pianist in Stalin’s Russia

    Elizabeth Wilson

    Yale University Press, pp. 352, £25

Already a subscriber? Log in

This article is for subscribers only

Subscribe today to get 3 months' delivery of the magazine, as well as online and app access, for only £3.

There’s no commitment, you can cancel any time.

  • Weekly delivery of the magazine
  • Unlimited access to our website and app
  • Enjoy Spectator newsletters and podcasts
  • Explore our online archive, going back to 1828

Read next

Trending

Katy Balls

Will Rwanda save Sunak – or sink him?

Katy Balls
From the magazine
When the Rwanda Bill had its second reading in the House of Commons just before Christmas, there was a revolt on the right of the Tory party. A group of legal experts, with the self-appointed ‘Star Chamber’ title, were convened by Eurosceptic MPs. They declared that Rishi Sunak’s plan was not ‘sufficiently watertight’ to allow

Because you read about bach

Also by Michael Tanner

Latest

Comments

A blooming good offer

Join the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting the next 3 months for £3.

Already a subscriber? Log in