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Monday, February 22, 2016

In Context: Folk, Form, and Fire: The Prokofiev Piano Concertos











Conductor Valery Gergiev, the Mariinsky Orchestra, and five renowned soloists perform Sergei Prokofiev's piano concertos in this marriage of virtuosic repertoire and pianistic might—part of year two of the Mariinsky’s residency at BAM. Context is everything, so get even closer to the program with this curated selection of articles and videos related to the show. After you've attended the show, let us know what you thought below and by posting on social media using #MariinskyBAM.

Program Notes

The Mariinsky at BAM (PDF)

Read

Article
“Prokofiev Lyrical, Prokofiev Grotesque” (BAM blog)
One was supposed to be easy (It wasn’t). One was supposed to boost the career of a one-armed pianist (It didn’t). But Prokofiev’s piano concertos mesmerize nonetheless.

Article
“Prokofiev: The Genius in Stalin’s Shadow” (Radio Free Europe)
Prokofiev’s return to the Soviet Union was the ultimate Faustian bargain.

Article
“Daniil Trifonov: A Pianist Ahead of his Time” (Washington Post)
A profile of the rising Russian star.

Watch & Listen

Website

Drawing on the theatre's rich legacy, the Mariinsky Label showcases the company's extraordinary talent with new recordings of both iconic and lesser-known works.

Audio & Video
Sergei Prokofiev (BBC)
Explore all things Prokofiev at this BBC site devoted to the composer.

Video
Living the Classical Life: Daniil Trifonov (YouTube)
Practicing underwater helps, a simple phrase can be played a thousand ways, and other lessons from the introspective star.

Video
George Li in Recital (RuTube.ru)
Li offers Beethoven, Liszt, and Chopin in this solo performance.

Video
Sergei Redkin at the XV Tchaikovsky Competition (Medici.tv)
Watch Redkin’s performance in Round 1 of the prestigious competition.

Video
Sergei Babayan & Daniil Trifonov Play Rachmaninoff (Medici.tv)
The pianists perform the composer’s Suite No.2 for two pianos.

Video
Alexander Toradze Plays Prokofiev (YouTube)
Toradze plays the raucous final movement of Prokofiev’s seventh piano sonata.

Now your turn...


What did you think? Who captured the folk, who the form, and who the fire? Tell us what's on your mind in the comments below and on social media using #MariinskyBAM.

11 comments:

  1. 1st and 3rd fantastic, astonishing,almost supernatural, esp Trifonov's 3rd. Mind boggling, exciting, fabulous. 2nd was splayed in a weirdly slow and disjointed fashion by Toradze which I found excruciating at times. If he was trying to make the piece sound ugly, he succeeded with his bizarre rubato and anti-melodic emphasis. De Gustibus I guess. Most seemed to thrill to it. The 4th was done charmingly by a young pianist Seggei Redkin who seemed too shy almost to be on stage but that suited the piece. The 5th was given a convincing account by Segei Babayan, the best I've heard of this not-so-great piece. Bravi to the wonderful orchestra members who played marvelously. Finally a shout-out to the amazing acoustics of the BAM opera house. From the front Mezz, the balance between the piano and orchestra was perfect.

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    Replies
    1. Babayan, Trifonov's teacher, was far more than convincing. he was astonishing and elevated the piece to the rank of the 3rd concerto. This concert, which will not be repeated, was unforgettable. The greatest concert of the season. Those of us who were fortunate enough to see Redkin in the Tchaikovsky Competition last summer know that he is not shy. George Li and Redkin both have brilliant careers ahead of them. Bravo to Maestro Gergiev for creating this platform for two rising stars.

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    2. Thanks for the added background. Agree: Unforgettable.

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  2. Thanks to all members of the orchestra. The Marinskii did not disappoint. Toradze made some (skillful) revisions to the 3nd. The 3rd definitely made the trip from California worth it. All performances were most skillful. Thanks

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  3. I thought the evening was very uneven, with undistinguished, flaccid playing by the orchestra, dull conducting, and only fair Prokofiev. Trifonov was outstanding as usual. Too many concerti in one night! I grew tired of hearing the piano pounded, and for me there was too much moving up and down the keyboard in dull, show-off style. A friend said it was a very "masculine" evening and that he would have appreciated more "feminine" influences. I agreed. So I am half-complaining about the music itself, partially complaining about hearing five piano concertos in one night, irritated with the tight seating in the mezzanine for expensive tickets, and completely unimpressed with the Mariinsky Orchestra -- they seemed bored out of their minds.

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  4. A good concert, I think. This guy in Mezzanine, Row C, Seat 2 kept making rustling sounds with his hands on his jacket in his lap throughout the entire evening. So infuriating. What are you doing spending $100+ to hear this orchestra and these pianists, and making noise throughout the entire performance? I was in Mezzanine Row B, Seat 1 (across the aisle), and I think I gave him the look about 50 times, to no avail. Of course, no one sitting next to him paid him any mind, and to my mind, he was an active ruiner of the evening. An apt audience otherwise was dead quiet and respectful, and this would have helped to win the night for all, except for this garbage person. I'm calling out the exact seat name so that maybe if he stops by these parts, he'll see that at least someone is trying to call him out for his abject rude behavior. Maybe this was one of the protesters from out front making his way into the audience to perform a not-so-quiet protest inside? I can not fathom what kind of person does this, and can only surmise a certain mental instability. So, I think, this was a good show, but it's hard to judge based on how infuriating the evening was.

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  5. Totally disagree with Mr. Sonne's comments on Toradze, although Peter and John are clearly way more expert musicologically than I am. But I actually came online to note that the Program Notes are still "Coming Soon" when the concert is now PAST. I generally try to pass up on the printed program, assuming that saves trees, but found that approach backfired when I was unable to read details about the performers. Ditto for this evening's tribute to Maya. "Coming Soon" when the event is past is not what one expects from the forward-looking home of the Next Wave and its many fabulous offerings. But, back to the music: as Mr. Sonne says, "de gustibus..." For my wife and I, Concerto #2 was in fact the high point of the long but totally energizing and rewarding evening! I'm even looking for Toradze's CD of all 5 concerti.

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    Replies
    1. Hi there, the program notes have been uploaded—apologies for the delay!

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  6. An extraordinarily ambitious program, that demonstrated how Prokiev's composing developed. The 3rd stood out - not just for the effortlessly virtuosic display by Trifinov, but perhaps because it is the most lyrical concerto. The performance by Toradze was eccentric and at times too mannered, but nevertheless credible - he is one of the great living Prokofiev interpreters. I really enjoyed his cadenza in the first movement - it's very exciting to hear music created in real time, that conforms to the original piece. I am grateful to Gergiev for being bold enough to present this concert program.

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