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Trpčeski's No-Holds-Barred Performance of Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.1 with Chicago Symphony and Jakub Hrůša
Simon Trpčeski has recorded all of Rachmaninoff’s concertos as well as much of his solo keyboard output, and that experience was manifest in his no-holds-barred performance Thursday night. Launched with a punchy opening fanfare by Hrůša and the orchestra, Trpčeski leaped into the unbridled virtuosity of the opening movement, bringing the requisite power and panache as well as relaxing into the aching lyricism of the second theme.
The Macedonian pianist is a theatrical presence at the keyboard but he undoubtedly has the chops, tackling the fistfuls of notes with blazing speed and command, and putting across the youthful impetuosity of this score. Trpčeski artfully drew out the limpid theme of the Andante, and the final movement was as fast and exciting as one could ask, with Hrůša and the orchestra providing equally galvanic support. As well as matching his soloist’s fiery style, Hrůša illuminated details one rarely hears in this work, such as the bassoons’ singing line under the piano in the slow movement.
The vociferous ovations brought Trpčeski back out for a solo encore by his compatriot, Dimitrije Bužarovski (with Hrůša taking a seat at the back of the stage to hear it as well). “Ne si go prodavaj, Koljo” is an arrangement of a Macedonian folk song, beginning in a spare and introspective manner with a sudden jazzy breakout in the middle before returning to the subdued melancholy of the opening. The pianist played Bužarovski’s music with great nuance and sensitivity.
Trpčeski Interview with Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Pianist Simon Trpčeski has built an international reputation with his thoughtful and authentic musicianship. Trpčeski made his debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 2008, and especially in recent years, he has become something of a regular soloist with the ensemble. In his more than two-decade career, Trpčeski has constantly worked to expand his repertory and improve and deepen his playing. “I have always strived for development — to be a better person in general and hopefully that would make a better musician out of me,” he said.
