Wassily Sapellnikoff

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Wassily Sapellnikoff (2 November 1867 (N.S.) or 21 October 1867 (O.S.), Odessa - 17 March 1941, San Remo, Italy) was a Russian pianist.

A more true transliteration of his name is Vasily Leonidovich Sapelnikov, however when he concertised in England he chose the above version.

He studied at the Odessa Conservatory under Louis Brassin and Sophie Menter, and became professor of piano at Moscow Conservatory in 1897. He eventually moved to Leipzig and finally settled in Munich.

He was one of Tchaikovsky's lovers, having gone with the composer on a tour to Germany, France and England. At his debut in Hamburg in 1889, he played Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor with the composer conducting. This concert was a great success and a catalyst for his budding career as a concert pianist in Western Europe. He was the first to play this concerto in England.

In spring 1910 Sapellnikoff recorded 12 pieces for the reproducing piano Welte-Mignon, six from his own works.