Back in 2010, he took third place at the Chopin Competition, which caused quite a stir—Martha Argerich, for one, wasn’t thrilled. But just a year later, he took home first prize at the Tchaikovsky Piano Competition. Now based in New York, he’s currently on tour with Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and their chief conductor, Rafael Payare. If you haven’t guessed it by now, the pianist in question is none other than Daniil Trifonov. Tonight, their tour made a stop at Munich’s Isarphilharmonie.

Berlioz’s Le Carnaval Romain Overture, Op. 9, kicked off the concert—a short yet vibrant piece bursting with energy, drawn from themes in his less-than-successful opera, Benvenuto Cellini.

The big black concert grand was already on stage from the start, so by the time the nearly 10-minute overture was over, all that was left was to shuffle a few musicians off the stage, bring on the evening’s soloist, and set up a music stand for Payare—who conducted not only the opening piece but also the finale entirely from memory!

The piano concerto was Schumann’s in A minor. Dramatic, as the piece is written, we’re immediately thrown into the first chords. There’s no doubt about it: Trifonov has full control over the landscape of black and white—luckily for us. With his head hovering just above the keys, he winds his way around them, as elegant and melodic as Schumann’s lieder can be. Yes, you could hear him breathe quite heavily through his nostrils, but that has probably more to do with phrasing than a racing heartbeat.

The interplay with the orchestra was exactly as it should be. Without looking up much from the keyboard, Trifonov and the orchestra blended seamlessly, and in the sections where the piano acts more as accompaniment, it melded beautifully with the orchestra. This allowed Trifonov to step forward even more when it was his turn. His playing was incredibly clear, and not a single repetition was played the same way! Very nice! 

Wuhu, an encore!

There’s something truly magical about that moment when a soloist returns to the stage amidst thunderous applause and cheers, and as soon as they settle on the piano bench, the room is wrapped in silence almost instantly. We were lucky to experience such a moment. The piece? A glimpse of a young Tchaikovsky, crafting his art in his final year at the St. Petersburg Conservatory: Piano Sonata Op. posth. 80 3rd mvt. A work that whispers hints of Rachmaninoff to come.

After the break, we were treated to more Berlioz. This time, his probably most famous and frequently performed work: Symphonie Fantastique. And, indeed, it was quite fantastique to listen to. The orchestra played beautifully. One thing worth mentioning is the dialogue between the English horn and oboe in the beginning of the third movement—absolutely spot on. But that was just one of many magnificent moments. To top it off, the musicians looked like they were genuinely enjoying themselves—a delightful bonus for us in the audience!

As for our conductor, Payare, I’m not sure he needs to hit the gym if he’s conducting a few times a week. I’ve rarely seen so much activity on the podium. He could’ve almost been standing on a trampoline, the way he bounced along with the music—it was almost like a choreographed dance. But hey, it worked!

Programme: 

Daniil Trifonov, Piano

Rafael Payare, Conductor

Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal

• Berlioz: Ouvertüre “Römischer Kerneval” op. 9
• Schumann: Konzert für Klavier und Orchester a-moll op. 54
• Berlioz: “Symphonie fantastique” op. 14