Schumann composed the deceptively uncomplicated miniatures that make up Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) in part as a love letter to his future wife, Clara Wieck. Although he called them “as light as a bubble,” Clara saw clearly that he had invested these “scenes of touching simplicity” with the emotional turmoil of his inner life.
Written when the composer was planning a career as a concert pianist, the short but notoriously difficult Toccata, Op. 7, was designed to show off Schumann’s virtuosity and stamina. On one occasion recorded in his diary, he played the work through 10 times in a single sitting.
German Romantic writer E. T. A. Hoffmann, who created the memorable character of the half-crazed Kapellmeister Johannes Kreisler, was Schumann’s soulmate and literary counterpart. Kreisleriana pays homage to its namesake in the form of eight fantasy-like pieces that also reflect the contrasting personalities of the composer’s fictional alter egos: the impulsive Florestan and the dreamy Eusebius.
Inspired by Bach’s 48 canonic preludes and fugues, Shostakovich’s Op. 87 is the culmination of his lifelong admiration for the Baroque composer’s contrapuntal mastery. Although they were initially conceived as technical exercises, Shostakovich’s preludes and fugues are among his most intricately wrought and richly expressive creations.
Combining consummate technique with rare sensitivity, Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov has
made a spectacular ascent to classical stardom. Since winning first prize at both the 2011
International Tchaikovsky Competition and the 2011 Arthur Rubinstein International Piano
Master Competition at the age of 20, Mr. Trifonov has appeared with the world's foremost
orchestras and performed solo recitals in its greatest venues.
Earlier this fall, Mr. Trifonov released Transcendental, his third album as an
exclusive Deutsche Grammophon artist; it marks the label's first recording of Liszt's
complete concert etudes. Winner of Gramophone's 2016 Artist of the Year Award, he
also performed Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto under Riccardo Muti at the gala finale of
the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's 125th anniversary celebrations.
Having received his second Grammy Award-nomination for the album Rachmaninov
Variations, Mr. Trifonov performs the composer's Third Piano Concerto for his debut
with the Berliner Philharmoniker under Sir Simon Rattle at the orchestra's famous New
Year's Eve concerts, which are scheduled to air live in theaters throughout Europe. He also
makes debuts this season with the Melbourne and Sydney symphony orchestras, returns to the
Los Angeles and Royal Liverpool philharmonics, and headlines the Munich Philharmonic
Orchestra's Rachmaninoff cycle tour with longtime collaborator Valery Gergiev. Mr. Trifonov
also performs Mozart with the New York Philharmonic, The Cleveland Orchestra, The
Philadelphia Orchestra, and Staatskapelle Dresden, as well as at the Salzburg Festival and
BBC Proms; Ravel with the Staatskapelle Dresden; Beethoven with the Tonhalle-Orchester
Zürich; Prokofiev with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra; Chopin on tour with the Mahler
Chamber Orchestra; and Schumann with the Houston Symphony, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic
Orchestra, and on tour with Riccardo Chailly and the Teatro alla Scala Orchestra.
An accomplished composer, Mr. Trifonov performs his own acclaimed concerto in Kansas City
this season. With a new program of Schumann, Shostakovich, and Stravinsky, he makes recital
debuts at London's Barbican Centre and Melbourne's Recital Centre; appears in Berlin,
Vienna, Florence, Madrid, Oslo, and Moscow; and returns to Philadelphia and Baltimore. Mr.
Trifonov also gives duo recitals in Princeton and Sarasota with his former teacher, pianist
Sergei Babayan, and returns to the Tanglewood, Verbier, Baden-Baden, and Salzburg
festivals.
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