Igor Stravinsky: Serenade in A
Sergei Prokofiev:
- Sarcasms Op. 17
- Piano Sonata No. 8 in B flat major, Op. 84
Igor Stravinsky: The Firebird (Suite for Piano)
Sergei Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 16
Igor Stravinsky: Three Movements from Petrushka
Alexander Scriabin: Piano Concerto in F sharp minor, Op. 20

The opening two decades of the 20th century were a turbulent period of change and rapid development throughout many countries of the world. Russia in particular, with the advent of the communist soviet government, was entering a dangerously fractured time in their history. Nonetheless that country was without a doubt a cultural and artistic powerhouse during those years, especially in music. Great composers from the previous century like Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov, etc... were passing the baton to a young generation of firebrands ready to uphold a rich tradition all the while forging a path forward. And three of the greatest Russian music ambassadors of the time form the backbone of this apropos collection.

Russian pianist Daniil Olegovich Trifonov, described by The Times in 2018 as "without question the most astounding pianist of our age", well captures and projects the spirit of the time, and brings together its fragmented puzzle pieces to form a complete picture of the musical potpourri of the day. The highly romantic and yet visionary music of Scriabin, the bold and yet conformist style of Stravinsky, and the new Soviet sound of the "anti-Soviet" Prokofiev. Although composed in 1944, the same year as his iconic Fifth Symphony, Prokofiev's Piano Sonata No. 8 remains one of the greatest examples of sonata writing of the period, and Trifonov does it full justice. Another thing he does exceptionally well, is put across the virtuosic barbarity and lyrical beauty of Stravinsky's The Firebird. And best of all is the inclusion in this program of the badly neglected Piano Concerto in F sharp minor by Alexander Scriabin. A work which despite being firmly rooted in the 19th century and very much in line with the famous Piano Concertos by Rachmaninov, was laying down the harmonic groundwork for the next decades to come. And again here Daniil Trifonov with the eye to eye support of conductor Valery Gergiev delivers a superlative account of this highly passionate pianistic tour de force and treasure that deserves to be better known.

I must admit that I was highly disappointed with Trifonov's recent recording foray featuring Rachmaninov's Concertos, but I believe the problem was mostly due to conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin's insistence on squeezing every last drop of melted cheese from the score, which had the negative effect of making the music sound forced, mannered and affected. But that is definitely not the case this time around. Enjoy this finely curated collection.