The all-Schubert program that was promised by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra late last year – had morphed into a Tchaikovsky/Schubert affair. Instead of a late Schubert Sonata, the first half was devoted to Tchaikovsky and The Children’s Album (Opus 38 of 1878). And what a delightful collection of characters pieces it is. The beauty of simplicity of ‘Sweet Dreams’, and the ‘Sick Doll’ were rendered with palpable tenderness. Daniel Trifonov is known for his dazzling technique, but in these works he displayed an exquisitely soft padded touch, that drew us with a deft delicacy into their Ravelian fairytale world,. This was an alluring and enchanting stroll through childhood objects and dreams that invited deep concentration on the beauty and charm of the playing and the musical invention.
The dazzling technique was on full display in the faster sections, particularly for “the Old Witch”. The crispness and rhythmic delineation of each of the national dances - Polish, Russian, German and Italian were dazzling miniatures. The cycle is bound together by religious mediations, commencing with a morning prayer and ending with ‘In the church’ – the latter was weighted with a childlike reverence that haunted in its slowly dying harmonics. The hovering silence and suspension were magical. This was playing of the highest order. With his lank, long black hair and stark black clothing, Trifonov seemed to channel elements of the orthodox church in this final piece.
The second half of this shared recital was dedicated to Schubert’s Schwanengesang (D957 of 1828) with the baritone Mathias Goerne accompanied by Trifonov.
Mathias Goerne’s voice is at its most interesting in its lower reaches - the darkness and power it can summon is deeply impressive. In the penultimate song, ‘Der Doppelgänger’ he thrilled with the intensity of his response to the angst filled mediation on the lost self and its searing heartache. And we truly heard the words – “So manche Nacht, in alter Zeit” – despite the Wagnerian heft of this formidable and foreboding song. This was the highlight of his cycle.
The darker, slower songs of Schwanengesang suited him admirably. ‘Kriegers Ahnung’, ‘Aufenthalt’, ‘Der Atlas’ and ‘Die Stadt’ all benefited from the dark angst the Goerne can summon.
When beauty of tone and fleetness are required, he is less appealing. The voice itself is ordinary, without a primary vocal stamp. Technique is excellent. He exhibits wonderful breath control and a wide dynamic range. But diction is a problem. All those wonderful expressive German words are not pointed or shaded – he is not a colourist with his voice. Phrases are bound together beautifully, but this tends to smother the words into one elongated general phrase.
The masculine bravura of ‘Abschied’ was only partially realised, as the spring from “Ade” to “Baume”, “Sonne”, and “Sterne” never stood out in his story telling. His ‘Standchen’ seemed earth bound, unable to invite the dearest one towards Schubert’s intended rapture. There is nothing honeyed about his tone. Consequently, the lilting barcarolle of ‘Fischermadchen” was muted by the opaqueness of the voice in its higher reaches.
But the piano playing for Trifonov was deeply satisfying - setting each scene with deft beauty and rhythmic impulse The recurring phrase in ‘Die Stadt’ was eerily beautiful, the rhythmic repetition of ‘Kriegers Ahnung’ was obsessively real, while the delightful filigree of ‘Abschied’ was clearly pointed. In summary, this was a much more satisfying recital than the Winterreise that these two wonderful artists had essayed three days before.
Schubert’s Swan Songs – Sydney Symphony Orchestra - City Recital Hall, Sydney, March 30, 2025
Gar Jones
The dazzling technique was on full display in the faster sections, particularly for “the Old Witch”. The crispness and rhythmic delineation of each of the national dances - Polish, Russian, German and Italian were dazzling miniatures. The cycle is bound together by religious mediations, commencing with a morning prayer and ending with ‘In the church’ – the latter was weighted with a childlike reverence that haunted in its slowly dying harmonics. The hovering silence and suspension were magical. This was playing of the highest order. With his lank, long black hair and stark black clothing, Trifonov seemed to channel elements of the orthodox church in this final piece.
The second half of this shared recital was dedicated to Schubert’s Schwanengesang (D957 of 1828) with the baritone Mathias Goerne accompanied by Trifonov.
Mathias Goerne’s voice is at its most interesting in its lower reaches - the darkness and power it can summon is deeply impressive. In the penultimate song, ‘Der Doppelgänger’ he thrilled with the intensity of his response to the angst filled mediation on the lost self and its searing heartache. And we truly heard the words – “So manche Nacht, in alter Zeit” – despite the Wagnerian heft of this formidable and foreboding song. This was the highlight of his cycle.
The darker, slower songs of Schwanengesang suited him admirably. ‘Kriegers Ahnung’, ‘Aufenthalt’, ‘Der Atlas’ and ‘Die Stadt’ all benefited from the dark angst the Goerne can summon.
When beauty of tone and fleetness are required, he is less appealing. The voice itself is ordinary, without a primary vocal stamp. Technique is excellent. He exhibits wonderful breath control and a wide dynamic range. But diction is a problem. All those wonderful expressive German words are not pointed or shaded – he is not a colourist with his voice. Phrases are bound together beautifully, but this tends to smother the words into one elongated general phrase.
The masculine bravura of ‘Abschied’ was only partially realised, as the spring from “Ade” to “Baume”, “Sonne”, and “Sterne” never stood out in his story telling. His ‘Standchen’ seemed earth bound, unable to invite the dearest one towards Schubert’s intended rapture. There is nothing honeyed about his tone. Consequently, the lilting barcarolle of ‘Fischermadchen” was muted by the opaqueness of the voice in its higher reaches.
But the piano playing for Trifonov was deeply satisfying - setting each scene with deft beauty and rhythmic impulse The recurring phrase in ‘Die Stadt’ was eerily beautiful, the rhythmic repetition of ‘Kriegers Ahnung’ was obsessively real, while the delightful filigree of ‘Abschied’ was clearly pointed. In summary, this was a much more satisfying recital than the Winterreise that these two wonderful artists had essayed three days before.
Schubert’s Swan Songs – Sydney Symphony Orchestra - City Recital Hall, Sydney, March 30, 2025
Gar Jones