The best classical music album of the past two years.
For me, the best classical music recording of the past two years is Daniil Trifonov’s Destination Rachmaninov — Departure (Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.fr, Amazon.de). Since it is difficult if not impossible to compare Bach to Beethoven or Mahler to Rachmaninov, let’s call it my favorite classical music recording of the last two years.
The young Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov (*1991) is admired by both critics and the public alike. He has for instance been awarded Gramophone‘s 2016 Artist of the Year Award. I had hoped to hear him perform Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto op. 18 live. Unfortunately, the only Rachmaninov I heard him play live in 2019 was at the Berlin Philharmonie on February 21, 2019 where the official program comprised Beethoven, Schumann and Prokofiev. However, the two encores were by Rachmaninov: his transcriptions for piano solo of the famous Vocalise from his 14 Romances (Op. 34) as well as his solo piano version of the Allegro ma non tanto from The Silver Sleigh Bells, a part of Rachmaninov’s choral symphony The Bells (Op. 35), based on a Russian adaptation of the Edgar Allan Poe poem of the same title by Konstantin Balmont. Trifonov showed that he can express feelings and that he has substance.
Back to Sergei Rachmaninov’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No 2 in C minor op. 18 (Deutsche Grammphon, October 2018; order the CD from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.fr, Amazon.de). The rendition by Daniil Trifonov is emotional and masterful. On the CD, he teams up with the Canadian conductor (and pianist) Yannick Nézet-Séguin (*1975) and the Philadelphia Orchestra. The result of this artistic collaboration is simply breathtaking. Find Rachmaninov sheet music.
Many years ago in Geneva, I witnessed a wonderful live performanc of Rachmaninov’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No 2 in C minor op. 18 by the Russian pianist Vladimir Ashkenazi (*1937). Unfortunately, the recording Ashkenazy had released back then was dull. The contrast with Daniil Trifonov’s 2018 CD recorded with Nézet-Séguin and the Philadelphia Orchestra could not be starker. The lively rendition gives you the illusion to witness a live performance with its unique vibrations. Unfortunately, I have not heard the Philadelphia Orchestra live since Yannick Nézet-Séguin became its Music Director in the 2012-2013 season. My impression based on this CD is that the orchestra has made great progress under his direction and has never sounded as great as now.
Daniil Trifonov underlines: “With his Second Piano Concerto, Rachmaninov announced his re-invention as an artist. The piece was one of the first he composed after a long period of silence, and represents and entirely new kind of pianism. Rachmaninov requires the pianist not just to master the work’s virtuosity, but also to search for a unique combination of tonal richness and concentrated expressivity. … When we think of Rachmaninov’s music being full of nostalgia, the Second Concerto is where the idea, form, technique and lyrical inspiration find their mature balance and expression.”
From the very first notes of the Moderato in the first movement played by Trifonov and the Philadelphia Orchestra, their interpretation of Rachmaninov’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in C minor op. 18 takes you on a wonderful journey to a magic and romantic land of joy and pure love, full of strong emotions.
In the CD booklet, Trifonov states that the Second Piano Concerto is one of Rachmaninov’s least romantic works. “It is more classical. After years of struggle, Rachmaninov rediscovered simplicity of timing … the expression is heartfelt but transparent. There is no excess. This piece is sober, almost minimalistic in development, relying on polyphony rather than decorous embellishment. …”
Nevertheless, for me, the Second Piano Concerto is as romantic as it gets. It is one of my all time favorite compositions. And it has been a favorite of the public since its first performance in 1901.
In addition to Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto, Destination Rachmaninov — Departure (Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.fr, Amazon.de) also contains the composer’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 4 in G minor op. 40, a composition less appealing and a performance not quite as stellar, as well as the Suite from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Partita for Violin in E major BWV 1006, which is solid. Go for this CD for Rachmaninov’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in C minor op. 18, the best recording of this emotional piece I have ever heard. You will not regret it.
All photos on this page are the copyright of photographer Dario Acosta and the classical music label Deutsche Grammophon. Find Rachmaninov sheet music.
Article added on December 16, 2019 at 10:37 German time.
