Prom 14: Prokofiev piano concertos (28.07.15)

[Nick Armstrong]

Trifonov ... deeply impressive.

Self and at least 2 other Forumites heard him live in Rachmaninov's Third earlier this year and many may remember our gushing review - he is a simply phenomenal musician.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Self and at least 2 other Forumites heard him live in Rachmaninov's Third earlier this year and many may remember our gushing review - he is a simply phenomenal musician.

- Took the very words from my keyboard, Cali!

[marvin]

I shall only hear them if this concert is televised, which is highly unlikely. I have given up listening to the proms every night on R3 as it's unsociable thing to do in my household.
For myself, concertos 1,2 and 3 only really interest me the 3rd being my fav one. Youtube has plenty of examples anyway.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I do urge boarders to give this Prokofiev concerto-fest a whirl this evening ...

My recommendation would be to record it, and listen to the concert in 5 smaller bites. As is stands, it reminds me of the R3 Mozartfeste/Schubertfeste.

(Ed. I've just noticed this is my quintuple Nelson post: 11111. Fortunately, I'm not superstitious.

[edashtav]

My recommendation would be to record it, and listen to the concert in 5 smaller bites. As is stands, it reminds me of the R3 Mozartfeste/Schubertfeste.

Nothing wrong with "Pick & Re-Mix", Alpie.

[Beef Oven!]

Self and at least 2 other Forumites heard him live in Rachmaninov's Third earlier this year and many may remember our gushing review - he is a simply phenomenal musician.

[Beef Oven!]

Today's chores overran, can't make this Prom

[Nick Armstrong]

3rd being my fav one.

Me too and not living a million miles away from the RAH am still toying with the idea of a tactical strike between the two intervals to grab No 3 and then scarper again...

It's not being televised, marv

[Daniel]

Self and at least 2 other Forumites heard him live in Rachmaninov's Third earlier this year and many may remember our gushing review

I was also at that concert, though didn't see Will there (um, Self, if my hilarious joke is not clear).The first movement sent shivers to every shiver-enabled part of me, I've never heard it played with such raw energy! In the other movements his hand didn't seem to sustain quite such an intense grip on the whip handle to me (or was shaken off by shock of what he'd already given), but that was only by comparison to such a volcanic beginning, it never dipped beneath fantastic!

he is a simply phenomenal musician.

He is. You get the feeling he'd tear the skin off his body to get closer to the music.

[Nick Armstrong]

I was also at that concert, though didn't see Will there (um, Self, if my hilarious joke is not clear).

It was and it wasn't (if you see what I mean)! (I made the joke to myself as I was typing it, so my hilarity was perhaps exhausted! ). Sorry we didn't know you were also there!

The first movement sent shivers to every shiver-enabled part of me, I've never heard it played with such raw energy! In the other movements his hand didn't seem to sustain quite such an intense grip on the whip handle to me (or was shaken off by shock of what he'd already given), but that was only by comparison to such a volcanic beginning, it never dipped beneath fantastic.

He is. You get the feeling he'd tear the skin off his body to get closer to the music.

Yes - and yet it's done with such apparently effortless joy, as if he's surprised and exhilarated by what's happening at the end of his arms! So he appears to be enjoying the whole thing hugely, not in a smug annoying way, but in a completely infectious way.

And I think I know what you mean about the first movement - it can often seem the weakest of the three, so the fact that it was so brilliant was a delight... And yet, it was the third movement which shivered my timbers the most, as it always does, but more so!



But we / I digress...

[teamsaint]

Trif' is upgrading, and got himself a Basingstoke gig in the autumn, ( or spring can't remember which.)
Rach 4.
I am going to be there.
They do London Pride at the Anvil, for Metropolitan types who fancy an evening in the provinces, but are wary of the Ale in distant parts......

[mercia]

"all about the orchestra keeping up with the soloist" says Service

..... or not as the case may be

[edashtav]

Daniil Trifonov – no 1 in Db maj.

Astonishing virtuosity replete with clarity and precision and suffused with more passion than is usually employed when playing the works of the dispassionate chess-master Sergei Sergeivich. Full marks to Gergiev for getting the LSO and revealing some pre-echoes of Jazz in the faster passages. I loved the dreamy mood of the central slow movement, it was so natural that it sounded as Trifonov was improvising. The central section with burgeoning brass sounded momentarily as if Prokofiev were saying, If I wanted to, I could out-Rach Rach.” But no, back to another brittle toccata, and the more mercurial Prokofiev that we know & love so much. Humour abounded only to collapse into the final, clipped version of the majestic main theme. Orchestra and pianist excelled themselves. What a rocket-propelled start to a Concert!

[bluestateprommer]

The only rationale I can see would be if a recording will be issued of the complete 5, but it would be a strange cycle that features one Conductor and 3 Soloists

VG said in the intro that it was his idea, without any mention of a recording, more in the spirit of "doing something different". Quick report on #1; DT's fingers threatened to get ahead of the music more than once (kind of like Tom Service as a presenter), but at least a few moments from the LSO sounded like pianissimo (a running criticism of Gergiev). No idea what the Arena chant was at the start.

[edashtav]

Sergei Babayan – no 2 in G minor.

Gosh, does Sergei know this piece,- what a marvellous, relaxed swagger he imparts to the piano’s first entry! Gergiev & the orchestra are faithfully picking up his detailed inflections – this is marvellous music-making in one of my favourite Prokofiev works. I’ve never heard Babayan but the power and insight of his playing is bowling me over – if someone told me that this concerto was for 4 hands at two pianos, I’d have to believe them. It’s many years since I experienced piano playing of the quality displayed in the first movement.

On to a “short ride in a fast machine” that shows Prokofiev setting an example that John Adams couldn’t equal. Brilliant!

In the third movement, I was staggered by Babayan’s variety of attack , there’s never a moment of routine in his playing, he conjures whatever’s needed and the result is a constantly changing kaleidoscopic set of images, full of colours and shapes. This is what is needed for a Festival performance: an artist ready to reveal hidden depths of well-loved works. My word, the orchestra has caught on fire! I thought Trifonov was as good as it gets in the first concerto but this is remarkable, Babayan told us he loved this work, & he’s proving it. Fingers crossed that he likes the 5th concerto almost as much.

Listening to this formidable performance was a treat, a revelation, an education and a privilege. Message to the BBC; please get Babayon back, early & often.

The Arena chant ,bsp, referred to Gergiev stance re Putin and his expansionist adventures, I think.