Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – DANIIL TRIFONOV dazzles in a masterful all-Bach recital

• By drediman
• March 6, 2020
• No Comments

Daniil Trifonov plays and all-Bach program at Alice Tully Hall.

This week, I had the great privilege of catching Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov perform an all-Bach program at Alice Tully Hall. The sold-out, one-night-only concert (presented in association with the New York Philharmonic) promised to be one of the more intriguing offerings of Lincoln Center’s Great Performers series, and it did not disappoint. Through sheer skill and determination, Mr. Trifonov proved to be every bit the superstar he’s become, even when performing a concert completely dedicated to a composer that hasn’t been a part of his wheelhouse – until now, that is.

The recital began with “Chaconne for the left hand from Violin Partita No. 2 in D minor”, as arranged by Brahms. Right off the bat, Mr. Trifonov played with the dexterous virtuosity and bold poetic flair he’s come to be known for. The performance was an appetizing prelude to the concert’s main course, the spectacular and spectacularly difficult “Art of Fugue”. The work is comprised of 14 hugely complex fugues, which Mr. Trifonov attacked with a dazzling display of concentration and uncharacteristically restrained but nonetheless theatrical showmanship. By all accounts, his musicianship proved masterful as he juggled and tamed – fugue by fugue – the piece’s simultaneous, interweaving strands with extraordinary skill and discipline. Indeed, the athletic forward momentum of his performance was thrilling to behold. The concert concluded with an expert account of “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”.

But the evening didn’t end there. Mr. Trifonov continued to wow the audience via a handful of encores by three composers fathered by Bach – Johann Christian Bach’s “Sonata in A major”, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach’s “Polonaise in E minor” (from “Twelve Polonaises”), and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach’s “Rondo in C minor”. Seemingly out of relief after having mastered “Art of Fugue”, he playfully tore into these pieces like a mad scientist with the his trademark lithe, bright, and consistently thoughtful playing. 

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

DANIIL TRIFONOV
Classical Music
Alice Tully Hall
2 hours (with one intermission)
Closed