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Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky isn\u2019t known for his solo piano music, but this new disc from Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov is seeking to change that impression. <\/p>\n
Trifonov\u2019s career has been on a meteoric rise since winning the grand prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2011. Over the last decade, he\u2019s released stunning albums of the music of Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninoff, plus a compelling disc of American piano concertos. <\/p>\n
But this is the first time he\u2019s turned his full attention to Tchaikovsky, and it was worth the wait.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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As the cover captures, the works on this new two-disc album are unusually playful for Tchaikovsky. The centerpiece is the \u201cChildren\u2019s Album,\u201d sometimes called his \u201cAlbum for the Young,\u201d a collection of 24 very short pieces Tchaikovsky dedicated to his young nephew. These follow in the tradition of Robert Schumann\u2019s \u201cScenes from Childhood\u201d as simple pieces inspired by typical childhood experiences, like playing with dolls and hobbyhorses, singing songs and attending church. Trifonov takes the work seriously but keeps the tone light, resulting in a perfectly balanced performance throughout.<\/p>\n