Venice Daniil Trifonov Piano Recital

A young man, lean as Cassius, appears at the side of the stage – walks carefully to the centre then, ignoring the steps, jumps off on to the platform below where stands a magnificent model D piano – walks to the front of the platform – takes a very angular bow – turns and sits in front of the keyboard then attacks it with a ferocity I normally associate with a young Argarich.

The piano is on a platform which extends one third of the way down the auditorium taking out quite a few stalls seats. The piano is therefore almost at the centre of the theatre and the boxes next to the stage are actually behind the piano. The sound which results from such a placing is very clear. I notice that they are using a single Blumlein pair to record the recital. Eruptions of those loud sections are almost overwhelming with such a favourable placing in the theatre. Extremely soft sounds which Trifonov coaxes from the piano come over well in this dry acoustic. After all, an instrument like this has its own reverberation system which is perfectly natural. But it is interesting to hear pedalling used in this way.

Trifonov’s first half was all Chopin, which he performed with expression and the usual astonishing facility. The second half was all Scriabin – 6 preludes and the Opus 23 sonata. Both also came over well. He played two encores including the Liszt ‘La Campanella”. I’ve added some URLs to some of Trifonv’s videos and also a little Chopin played by others.
Frederic Chopin – Etude Op.10 No.1 Martha Argerich
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX3qQ5Z1-sQ
Daniil Trifonov – Chopin: Scherzo op.54 n.4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P34vJshlyc
Daniil Trifonov – La campanella
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH5Qsd0k4ZY
Daniil Trifonov: Prokofiev 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f444ZAgPzFc&feature=PlayList&p=…647CCB7BC19C3D1E&playnext_from=PL&index=0&playnext=1
Martha Argerich – Scherzo op. 31 in Bb minor – Frédéric Chopin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXQBRTzu7Ao
Evgeny Kissin-Chopin-Waltz in E Minor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcF4HrfF_xw
Chopin – Lang Lang – Valse Brilliante
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viHg_kIWUeI
Chopin, Etude Op. 10 No. 4 in C# minor – Martha Argerich
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMl0hrnxHA4
Martha Agerich plays Chopin Andante Spianato
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tk4HPtmtjE