Such was my
enthusiasm for his playing that I was delighted when my review copy of his
March 2012 Wigmore Hall recital arrived. Issued on the Wigmore Hall Live label www.wigmore-hall.org.uk Trpčeski plays Schubert, Bach and Liszt.
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It is good that such recitals can be made available on disc, not only for the benefit of those lucky enough to have been at the original concerts but for the many that cannot be there.
As I listened to this new release I found myself writing
such things as ‘lovely pointed rhythms’, ‘wonderful poetry’, ‘beautiful legato
playing’, ‘scintillating’, ‘vibrant and forceful’ and ‘full of Schubertian soul’.
Yet this was whilst listening to the relatively lightweight 16 German Dances D.783, but what
wonderful things Trpceski brings to them. When it came to Schubert’s great Fantasy in C major D.970 ‘Wanderer’
this pianist givs a terrific performance, so fluid with a beautiful left hand
revealing so much. In the allegro con
fuoco, ma non troppo he is also reflective in such a natural and
spontaneous way. How he suddenly builds up tension, not through speed or volume
but with sheer power. He makes a beautiful transition into the adagio that has so many subtleties,
lightening the mood at key points, then again building formidably to a
passionate level. Trpčeski handles all
the subtle changes of mood beautifully and, towards the end, there are some
lovely delicate descending scales.
There is just a minute pause before the presto with some gorgeously rich and sonorous sounds. Trpčeski’s playing is so taut with a wonderful
control of dynamics, yet sounding so spontaneous. Towards the end of this
movement there is some terrific playing, full of power and authority before
leading straight into the allegro for
return of the opening motif, sounding so natural and inevitable to end this
fine performance.
Simon Trpčeski follows the Schubert with Liszt’s arrangement
of Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in A minor,
BWV 543 revealing a great flow of musical creation without ever losing a
grip on the structure. Again Trpčeski’s subtle ability to vary the tempi and
dynamics, to dig deep into Bach, is so impressive.
In Liszt’s Sonetto
del Petrarca No.104 (Deuxième Années de Pèlinerage, S.161) Trpčeski’s
response to every nuance and mood pays such dividends, capturing all of Liszt’s
fleeting moods. This is playing of great poetry and depth as well as formidable
technique.
Les Jeux d’eaux a la
Villa d’Este (Troisième Années de Pèlinerage, S.163) brings a Debussian
quality with this pianist showing such fluidity and depth of expression,
building to a fullness towards the end.
Trpčeski’s quick-fire responses to mood are brought to bear
on Liszt’s most famous Hungarian
Rhapsody, No.2 in C sharp minor, S.244, as is his tremendous virtuosity.
His sense of spontaneity, as though caught in the moment, makes the
performance of this much played work a sheer delight.
Simon Trpčeski gave the audience in Wigmore Hall two
encores, a beautifully serene Ständchen
from Schubert’s Schwenengesang, D.957 arranged by Liszt and a tremendously
brilliant and probing performance of Chopin’s
stormy Prelude in D minor, Op.28 No.24 to
end this outstanding recital.
The recording is excellent. Applause is retained except between
individual Liszt pieces as is Trpčeski’s brief introduction to his encores.
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