Universal Classics www.deutschegrammophon.com have usefully brought together two live
recordings from pianist Daniil Trifonov www.daniiltrifonov.com
, Decca’s Daniil Trifonov plays Frederic
Chopin and Deutsche Grammophon’s Trifonov:
The Carnegie Recital thus bringing us two discs of some of the finest live
music making.
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| 2CD 479 3795 |
Daniil Trifonov www.daniiltrifonov.com was born in
Nizhny Novgorod, Russia in 1991. He started playing the piano when he was five
old and gave his first performance with orchestra at the age of eight. He
studied with Tatiana Zelikman at Moscow’s Gnessin School of Music.
At the age of 17 Trifonov won fifth prize in Moscow’s Fourth International Scriabin Competition.
In May 2011 he began by winning the 13th
Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition in Tel-Aviv before
returning home to secure first prize, the Gold Medal, and Grand Prix at the XIV International Tchaikovsky Competition,
also winning the Audience Award and the Award for the best performance of a
Mozart concerto. In February 2013, Deutsche Grammophon announced the signing of
an exclusive recording agreement with Daniil Trifonov.
Since winning the Tchaikovsky Competition, Trifonov has
travelled the world as recitalist and concerto soloist appearing at such venues
as Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, the Berlin Philharmonie, London’s Queen
Elizabeth Hall, the Auditorium du Louvre in Paris, Tokyo’s Opera City and the
Zurich Tonhalle.
He has appeared with the Vienna Philharmonic, the London
Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonia, the
Mariinsky Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony
Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestre Philharmonique de
Radio France, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra.
Daniil Trifonov’s live recital disc for Decca, Daniil
Trifonov plays Frederic Chopin, was recorded at the Teatro la Fenice,
Venice in May 2010 and the Fazioli Hall, Sacile, Italy in November 2010.
Trifonov finds
some lovely rhythmic qualities in Chopin’s
Rondo ‘à la Mazur’ in F major, Op.5 bringing
a lovely playfulness, full of character together with his beautiful touch, so
light and delicate. There is an insight and thoughtfulness here and a fine
surge of power towards the end.
The Grande Valse
Brillante in E flat major, Op.18 has lightly sprung phrases combined with
an amazing dexterity. There is tremendous playing here with a fine rubato, and
some fine shaping of phrases. The same
tremendous fluidity is given to the Etude in F minor, Op.10 No.8, a quicksilver,
fleeting vision.
In the Andante
Spianato et Grande Polonaise Brillante, Op.22 Trifonov brings a beautiful
right hand theme trickled over a fluid left hand line, a gently conceived
performance, full of atmosphere. Trifonov delivers some most exquisite playing with
fine control and colouring of phrases and a lovely intimacy and spontaneity. He
delivers a fine control with some lovely little details with a marvellous
fluidity and delicacy. There are some fine dynamic passages, full of power and what
a lovely rubato he has.
Next Trifonov plays Chopin’s three Op.56. Mazurka No.33 in B major, Op.56 No.1 opens
with a fine sense of mystery before Trifonov allows the music to develop, delivering
an absolutely wonderful performance full of subtlety, brilliantly wrought. Trifonov
gives a terrific rhythmic punch to the Mazurka
No.34 in C major, Op.56 No.2 delivering a really turbulent performance
whilst the Mazurka No.35 in C minor, Op.56
No.3 opens thoughtfully before moments of turbulence and drama with, again
Trifonov beautifully developing and shaping the music, drawing on all of
Chopin’s mood changes.
By contrast the opening of the Allegro maestoso of Chopin’s Sonata
No.3 in B minor, Op.58 brings a
firm, direct presence. Soon, however, Trifonov shows how he can reveal the
subtleties in this music with more, fine rubato and developing lovely bubbling,
rising passages as well as some lovely trickling phrases. There are moments of
introspective thoughtfulness to contrast with an increasing level of stormier
emotion.
Trifonov’s light rippling touch brings a lovely fluent flow
to the Scherzo: Molto Vivace together
with a sense of freedom and spontaneity with some passages of real strength and
power.
The Largo has a strangely
withdrawn, poise in the opening but, when the main theme arrives it is absolutely
beautiful, Trifonov having led perfectly to the moment. Again there is a feel
of spontaneity as he builds to a fine central peak.
This pianist delivers a finely paced Finale: Presto non tanto with a lovely rubato as the finale
develops, bringing a sense of fire and turbulence with some incredible
dexterity, so fluent. A terrific conclusion to this intense, searching
performance that reveals so much.
This is a most impressive recital with a live recording that
is clear and detailed though a little closely miked. Applause is kept in after the
Andante Spianato et Grande Polonaise
Brillante and at the end of the disc.
The second disc of this set, Deutsche Grammophon’s Trifonov:
The Carnegie Recital was recorded live at the Stern Auditorium/
Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall, New York City in February 2013.
Daniil Trifonov has been drawn to Scriabin’s music since his early teens, something that shows to a
remarkable extent in his performance here of the Piano Sonata No.2 in G sharp minor, Op.19 ‘Sonata-Fantasy.’ When I
received the review copy of this set I played the Scriabin sonata first and was
mesmerised by Trifonov’s extraordinary musicality. In the Andante it is remarkable how he slowly reveals Scriabin’s subtle
theme. Here is playing of the utmost sensitivity and understanding. He rises to
moments of great passion so naturally bringing sublime music making. He follows
with a brilliantly impressive Presto where
his superb touch and articulation is to the fore.
We need to hear more of Trifonov’s Scriabin.
The Lento assai opening
of Liszt’s Piano Sonata in B minor, S.178 is perhaps one of the most
considered and thoughtful I have heard. Trifonov goes on to bring some very
fine articulation, touch, phrasing and shaping of the music, by turns stormy
and poetic. Liszt’s sudden little mood changes are exquisitely shaped and there
is a terrific tautness as he darts here and there. There is some formidable
playing in the more dynamic passages and a feeling of nostalgic calm as the
music leads into the Piu mosso. When the rising motif returns the sense of
inevitability is profound. There are some most exquisite hushed passages with such
a lovely light touch before the music moves swiftly into full flood again,
leading to a terrific reprisal of the rising theme as Trifonov gently,
beautifully and carefully brings the hushed coda.
Here is a B minor sonata that takes some beating.
Chopin appears on
this second disc in the form of his 24 Preludes, Op.28. The Prelude in C
major is gently and nimbly produced before a beautifully hushed and delicate
Prelude in A minor. Trifonov’s fine touch and phrasing gives us a nimble Prelude
in G major and a quicksilver Prelude in D major framing the Prelude in E minor where
this pianist catches Chopin’s introspective side in this beautifully phrased
and paced performance.
The Prelude in B minor brings a nostalgic isolation, so
hushed and sensitive before Trifonov reveals the Prelude in A major as a
strange little dance. Trifonov is tremendous in the Prelude in F sharp minor bringing
wonderful rippling phrases with his lovely touch and rubato, revealing Chopin’s
stormier nature.
The Prelude in E major hovers between resolution and retrospection,
holding a fine balance. There are some very fine passages in the Prelude in C
sharp minor, so lightly and delicately brought off as with the Prelude in B
major. The Prelude in G sharp minor brings well sprung rhythms and a lovely sense
of spontaneity as well as a super little coda.
We return to Chopin’s melancholy nature with the Prelude in
F sharp major, exquisitely hushed before a Prelude in E flat minor that has a
terrific stormy undertow. Chopin’s famous Prelude in D flat major, the so
called Raindrop Prelude, has a purity
and delicacy as well as some lovely rubato, building to a very fine peak.
The Prelude in B flat minor brings more of Trifonov’s fine
fluent playing before a Prelude in A flat major that has a lovely poise, so finely
shaped.
There is thrilling playing in the Prelude in F minor with
Trifonov’s fine fluent touch that he used to fine effect in an exquisite Prelude
in E flat major. The Prelude in C minor has such clarity and restraint with the
Prelude in B flat major bringing a lighter relief, finely judged with exquisite
dynamics.
Trifonov bringing his fine rubato and phrasing to bear on
the stormier Prelude in G minor climbs before the wonderful delicacy of the
Prelude in F major. He doesn’t hold back in the stormy Prelude in D minor providing
a tremendous rhythm and making this a terrific conclusion to these preludes.
There is so much depth and understanding in this very fine
performance of Chopin’s multi-faceted Preludes.
As an encore Daniil Trifonov plays Nicolai Medtner’s Skazki (Tales),
Op.26 No.2 in E flat major, light and transparent, superbly phrased with lovely
light touch, full of panache and joy.
The live recording is excellent in every way. Applause is
kept in after the Preludes and after the encore.
In these two recitals Daniil Trifonov shows himself to be a
rare talent that I look forward to hearing much more from.
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