Daniil Trifonov - R3 live from Wigmore Hall

[Pianorak]

Daniil Trifonov

Radio 3, Thu 09 June - 19:30
Live from Wigmore Hall, London Radio 3,09 06 16 - 19:30

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07dkj68

[Tetrachord]

Looking forward to that one!! A friend who is in Vienna at the moment emailed on Sunday night to say she'd booked to see Trifonov at the Musikverein and when she was over at Cafe Schwarzenberg before the concert in walked The Triff who promptly ordered chocolate cake and coffee. My friend availed herself of the opportunity to have a conversation with him. They exchanged niceties and some laughs, apparently.

[Nick Armstrong]

I'd eyed this one in the Radio Times and put a mental circle round it as a "must-listen" (cf: annoying phrases thread.... )

[LHC]

He was there last night as well, accompanying Matthias Goerne.

The recital of Berg, Schumann, Wolf, Shostakovich and Brahms was played without a break of any kind (even between the songs of different composers), so both were playing/singing pretty much continuously for the best part of 100 minutes. The concentration and stamina required (from audience and performers!) was remarkable.

Interestingly, there was no coughing from the packed out audience throughout the entire performance.

[Nick Armstrong]

Bach/Brahms: Chaconne (Violin Partita No. 2 in D minor, BWV1004)
Schubert: Sonata in G major D894 'Fantasie'
Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Paganini (Book I) Op. 35

Interval

Rachmaninov: Sonata No. 1 in D minor Op. 28


I thought he was hammering away too much in the first half, and gave up during the Schubert, it was annoying me.

I returned for the Rachmaninov which was of course much better....

[Tetrachord]

An interesting response, which doesn't sound promising.

I'll tune in later today, presuming it's already available.

[Nick Armstrong]

An interesting response, which doesn't sound promising.

I'll tune in later today, presuming it's already available.

I also found the piano sound/acoustic rather odd - somewhat jangly/boxy... (But I often have that problem in the Wigmore itself, it must be my ears, because everyone else says how wonderful it is ... )

[mercia]

well they certainly got their money's worth, his first encore - and it sounded as if there could have been another - ended at 10pm precisely and he clearly doesn't like to spend much time acknowledging applause. I can't say I noticed any "hammering" but I am absolutely no expert on piano playing.

[Tetrachord]

I've just listened to the Schubert G Major Sonata - that's all so far from this concert - and I've stopped. It lacks poetry and light and shade. Very disappointing and workmanlike performance from an artist who obviously doesn't feel any affinity for this great Viennese composer!!

This is how it should sound, IMO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWtMBrw9b84

[Nick Armstrong]

I've just listened to the Schubert G Major Sonata - that's all so far from this concert - and I've stopped. It lacks poetry and light and shade. Very disappointing and workmanlike performance from an artist who obviously doesn't feel any affinity for this great Viennese composer!!

Yes. I don't know if my word 'hammering' was the right one, your words are better... but in any case, agreed: it sounded all wrong.

[Keraulophone]

Tetra, I had to stop listening to your Kempff at the start of the G major Sonata due to his time contraction of bars with fewer notes, which I found intensely irritating. I'm against metronomic playing, but just try beating time to that!

I'm yet to hear Trifonov, though a friend was there.

[BBMmk2]

Is it worth a listen?

[Keraulophone]

Is it worth a listen?

The Bach-Brahms Chaconne isn't heard that often, so it's worth a go. Trifonov's Schubert G major Sonata starts well, but becomes more wilful as it progresses, and by the last movement he's up the creek.

The more virtuosic Brahms Variations and particularly the Rachmaninov Sonata, played after an intake of bananas, are hardy enough to survive the Trifonov treatment unscathed; some would say enhanced.