October 13, 2024
Spivey Hall
Morrow, GA – USA
Daniil Trifonov, piano.
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY: Sonata in C-Sharp Minor
Frédéric CHOPIN: Selected Waltzes
Samuel BARBER: Piano Sonata
TCHAIKOVSKY/tr. Mikhail PLETNEV: Suite from “The Sleeping Beauty,” Op. 66
William Ford | 14 OCT 2024
Spivey Hall, the acoustical gem on the campus of Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia, opened its concert season with a performance by Russian-born pianist Daniil Trifonov, hailed by the Times of London as “…the most astounding pianist of our age.” While this praise may seem hyperbolic, Trifonov has earned his superstar status through a combination of technical brilliance, musical sensitivity, and a profound understanding of his repertoire. His rare U.S. appearances make his visit to Spivey Hall all the more noteworthy.
Trifonov’s program was ambitious, featuring romantic and post-romantic pieces inspired by dance, all of which demand both technical mastery and interpretive depth. The works he chose are dramatic and complex in form and structure.
The concert began with Tchaikovsky’s Sonata in C-sharp Minor, Op. 80 (1865), an early work revised later in the composer’s life but never published during his lifetime. Though Tchaikovsky’s piano music is not as frequently performed as his symphonic works, this sonata reveals his emerging Russian voice, despite being rooted in Germanic structural traditions. Passionate and stormy in its first and final movements, the sonata is interspersed with lyrical, introspective sections.
Unlike some of Tchaikovsky’s later works, this piece avoids the composer’s characteristic false stops, awkward transitions, and excess emotionality. The third movement, a scherzo, shares thematic material with his Symphony No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 13 (“Winter Dreams”), a personal favorite of mine. Trifonov delivered this sonata with flair, embracing its lyricism and bombast, and his control over the piano’s dynamics was breathtaking.
Next, Trifonov performed six waltzes by Chopin, each displaying the composer’s deep understanding of the piano’s expressive possibilities. These waltzes are technically brilliant, capable of evoking both joy and sorrow within a single piece. The Waltz in E Major is charming, free from the dramatic contrasts seen in some of the other waltzes. The Waltz in F Minor is melancholic and reflective, while the Waltz in A-flat Major is playful and complex, alternating between moods. The famous “Minute Waltz” (Waltz in D-flat Major) demands extraordinary finger dexterity to maintain its elegance and lightness. The Waltz in A Minor and Waltz in E Minor are both introspective and somber. Trifonov brought out the subtle emotional nuances, phrasing, and dynamics that make Chopin’s waltzes so richly expressive, and his performance was flawless.
A last-minute substitution, Rachmaninoff’s Variations on a Theme of Corelli, Op. 42, followed. This work consists of 20 variations on a theme attributed to Corelli, which incorporates the Iberian folk tune “La Folia.” Listeners familiar with Rachmaninoff’s more famous Paganini Variations will recognize the similarities in structure and invention. The variations range from brief to expansive, but all are virtuosic. Trifonov executed the piece with ease, his fingers often appearing as blurs as he navigated the devilishly difficult passages.
The program concluded with Mikhail Pletnev’s virtuosic transcription of Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty. This is not just a simple transcription but a work that highlights the piano’s capacity for texture and color. The piece contains intricate passages, dramatic contrasts, and rapidly shifting dynamics, serving as a showcase for a pianist’s artistry and virtuosity. Pletnev captures the drama, lyricism, and occasional ponderousness of Tchaikovsky’s episodic ballet music, and Trifonov handled its technical challenges masterfully, with some astonishing growls in the bass created by his left hand.
In response to overwhelming applause, Trifonov treated the audience to four encores: Art Tatum’s “I Cover The Waterfront,” Bullumba Landestoy’s Val de Santo Domingo, Bill Evans’s “When I Fall in Love;,“ and Landestoy’s Estudio en Samba.
Despite his remarkable success and extraordinary talent, Trifonov remains humble and unassuming. This quiet demeanor contrasts sharply with the fiery passion of his performances, endearing him to audiences even more. His flawless technique allows him to perform at incredible speeds, tackle intricate fingerings, and manage difficult articulations with ease, all while maintaining clarity and control. His Spivey Hall performance was no exception, offering moments of intense drama alongside exquisite subtlety. ■
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- Daniil Trifonov: daniiltrifonov.com
- Spivey Hall: spiveyhall.org
Read more by William Ford.
