Alla and the Piano: The Russian Tragedy 1912 to 1924

By Morten Kvistgaard

Publishing Date: January 31, 2019

Print Length: 434 pages

Description:

In 1912, the world is on the brink of dramatic change. Revolution stirs in Tsarist Russia, and war rages in the Balkans against Ottoman rule. The people yearn for freedom, education, and land, and Europe teeters at the edge of disintegration.

Alla Lermontova, a 19-year-old prodigious pianist, has the opportunity to study under the renowned Sergei Rachmaninov in Moscow. However, a chance meeting with Bolshevik Ivan Krug sets off a chain of events that will irrevocably alter her life and the future of her family.

Alla must abandon her dreams of performing as a concert pianist and marry the ambitious lawyer Max Tsirkul. With their children Petr, Igor, and Allochka, she struggles to adapt to the role of a judge’s wife amidst the upheaval of Russian society.

The days of Russia’s privileged elite are numbered. The First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the ensuing Civil War reshape the nation, bringing about famine, Red terror, and US emergency relief. Alla and her family become entangled in this global drama, witnessing the collapse of their once-great country but also finding hope for a brighter future.

Alla and the Piano is based on a true story from one of Russia’s most tumultuous eras. It is the first installment in a trilogy that will chronicle the Lermontov-Tsirkul family’s journey from 1912 to the early 21st century, encompassing both the tragedy and resilience of their lives.