Jesipowa, Anna (EN)

Jesipowa, Essipowa, Essipoff, Anna, Anette, Nikołajewna, *12 February (31 January) 1851 St. Petersburg, †18 (5) August 1914 St. Petersburg, Russian pianist and teacher. In 1865–70, she studied at the conservatory in St. Petersburg in the class of T. Leschetizky (in 1880–92 she was his wife). In 1871–92, she stayed abroad, giving concerts in Europe and the United States (1876). In 1874–92, she performed many times in Poland – in Warsaw (WTM, Resursa Obywatelska, Teatr Wielki) and Łódź, with works by Polish composers in her repertoire. She was the first performer of many compositions by I.J. Paderewski, among others Piano Concerto in A minor (Vienna 1889). In 1892, she settled in St. Petersburg and took up teaching work at a conservatory. She trained many famous pianists, including S. Barer, A. Borowski, L. Kreutzer, J. Lalewicz, and S. Prokofiev. Jesipowa’s playing – shaped in the An. Rubinstein’s performance tradition – was characterised by a soft stroke, lyrical phrases and brilliant finger, octave and chord techniques. According to Paderewski, Jesipowa stood out especially for her interpretation of “small poetic works” (Memoirs, 6^th ed. Kraków 1986). She also became famous as a chamber musician, devoting herself exclusively to this field of performance after 1908. She performed with H. Wieniawski and K. Dawydow, and in 1894–1913 with L. Auer (including evenings of Beethoven and Brahms violin sonatas) and in a trio with L. Auer and A. Wierzbiłłowicz.

Literature: T. Berkman Anna Nikołajewna Jesipowa. Żyzń, diejatielnost’ i piedagogiczeskije princypy, Moscow 1948; N. Bertenson Anna Nikołajewna Jesipowa,  Leningrad 1960.