Richard Todd wrote in part:

>...Shostakovich heard pianist Tatiana Nikolayeva perform part of the
>Well-Tempered Clavier.  He was so impressed that he went home and composed
>his own 24 Preludes and Fugues, op. 87 for her...Nikolayeva has recorded
>it twice; the more readily available 1990 account on Hyperion (CDA 66441/3,
>3 CDs) is probably the best version available....

As a prelude (no pun intended) to what I'm about to say, I have
collected nearly every version of Shostakovich playing these works himself
over the years, prior to the Revelation reissues.  Although Todd waxes
enthusiastically about Nikolayeva's version, in contrast I found them
unbearable, and prefer Jarret.  No one should pass up the composer's
versions, however.

Jim Hunsley