Konstantin Shamray’s Tchaikovsky makes me smile… © 2012 Fanfare

Shamway’s understanding of the rhythmic flexibility required in Tchaikovsky’s style, his good taste in not taking it too far, and his truly impressive technique result in joyful music-making from the first phrase of the jaunty opening Impromptu to the final “Scène dansante.”

This is most welcome: a very well played and recorded traversal of Tchaikovsky’s last set of solo piano pieces…

Pianist Shamray gets just about everything right. He doesn’t shy away from the hints of the other great romantic piano masters, but he retains Tchaikovsky’s unique voice. Few composers could spin out a melody like Tchaikovsky, but the piano is a percussion instrument. It’s much harder to express lyricism on it than with the string section of a symphony orchestra. But Mr Shamray does it! There are plenty of vigorous passages, too, but he doesn’t pound those out.

Shamray proves he has a musical gift which provides much interest throughout this recording. © 2012 International Record Review

these short pieces are beautiful…from the very first note Tchaikovsky transports you into another world with such consummate skill you are left in no doubt that you are in the hands of a genius. He writes with such breathtaking ease you are simply left to marvel at it. Each of these eighteen pieces…is a miniature masterpiece and they all punch well above their weight. From lullabies to mazurkas, from waltzes to meditations, these little gems sparkle with light and are simply delightful. Playing them here is a young Russian pianist Konstantin Shamray…The description of him as having “dynamite in his fingers” is aptly deserved. This is a thoroughly enjoyable disc with well written and documented notes by Keith Anderson giving a background to each piece. © 2012 MusicWeb International Read complete review