Commenter Frank gave me a heads up on this delightful piece.
You can listen to Raphael Orozco doing the piece at YouTube – Part 1.
Update: The Rachmaninoff piece on YouTube was mislabeled. I have corrected that. Frank in the comments has the correct link to Rachmaninoff playing the piece.
Comments
5 responses to “More Daniil Trifonov”
This is an inspired performance. I’ve listened to it a half-dozen times and still find it unbelievable. This was for a holiday recital December 28th, in Tel Aviv. What a great piece of Art Deco/Romantic music.
I’ve listened to it 3 or 4 times since you sent it to me. Love it. It was one of my favorites growing up.
The links you have appear to be Rachmaninov playing if you go by the title, but are in fact a recording by the Royal Philharmonic with Raphael Orozco, probably sometime in the 1980’s. I have a number of Orozco recordings. He was a fine pianist and this is one of his best.
Here is a link to the old Rachminov recording:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izzTnAbXs2k&feature=related
There is a big difference in sound quality among the three, with the Orozco recording by far superior. It was a studio recording with possible retakes, dubbing, and added instruments – 3 cellos instead of 2 – extra violins for the lush sound, etc.
If I had to choose, I’d take the live Trifonov recording any day. Just one of the many great things he does is in the syncopation. He totally gets it. There is a small solo piano bit in one of the last variations where if you listen closely he makes it sound like jazz improvisation. Very clever and in keeping with the then modern elements that Rachmaninov brought in. I could criticize if forced, but the overall performance is so great than any minor problem is just nitpicking. Of course the orchestra isn’t The Philadephia Orchestra under Ormandy, but then what is? And Trifonov is still very young lacking the strength and command required of difficult double octave passages, like those of the finale. But that is not the essence of this piece. Trifonov brings it to life like no one I’ve ever heard with shear brilliance and bravado.
Correction: should read above 2 to 3 extra cellos, not 3 instead of 2.
Frank,
Thanks for the correction!