At first glance it might seem that the Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov is playing it safe with his Perspectives series this season. To show Chopin’s enormous influence, Mr. Trifonov played two sets of variations on Chopin themes by, respectively, the Catalan composer Federico Mompou and Rachmaninoff. There were shorter pieces in tribute to Chopin by Samuel Barber, Edvard Grieg, Schumann and Tchaikovsky (which can be heard on Mr. Trifonov’s new two-disc “Chopin Evocations” recording). And consider where Mr. Trifonov is going with his Perspectives series. In April he plays two Chopin programs with the Kremerata Baltica chamber orchestra, each dominated by one of Chopin’s two concertos, but in unusual arrangements for piano and chamber ensemble.

Source: New York Times October 29, 2017 19:14 UTC