He actually knows Beethoven. At the opening of the Isarphilharmonie in October, Valery Gergiev conducted all five piano concertos by Ludwig van Beethoven, with Daniil Trifonov performing the solo part in an enchanting way. So now again Beethoven, the fourth piano concerto, with Gergiev and the Munich Philharmonic, again in the Isarphilharmonie, but this time the piano is played by Rudolf Buchbinder, to whom the orchestra first congratulates him on his birthday – on December 1st he was 75 years old.
It is fascinating with what skepticism Buchbinder opens the concert alone. He must have played it hundreds of times, but he didn’t become precocious about it. Completely sovereign, that is, maybe even convinced that at this moment he found the final access to the work for him. But he still seems to be trying something out, since the overemphasis on massive bass chords, there the fragile poetry in the second movement. Buchbinder sets the guidelines, Gergiev conducts afterwards, without any great ideas of his own – it was similar at the opening. Again, the comfort of the piano and the grandiose acoustics of the Isarphilharmonie remain, which Buchbinder also demonstrates with great virtuosity with the encore, the Scherzo from the “Jagdsonata”.
After the break, Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony, and Gergiev appears transformed, now completely mentally present, which is immediately carried over to the orchestra. Everyone is wide awake, and as strange as this music is, it is played wonderfully. Of course: You can clearly see that there is a lack of 1350 listeners, you also notice it in the acoustics, you don’t even need to talk about the sadness of a sparse gathering. Prokofiev’s music often tumbles around here with no real aim, but the second movement becomes a sparkling masterpiece, rousing, jazzy, grotesque and very urban. Then moments of yearning beauty float by before Gergiev and the Philharmonic quickly turn into the home straight. Cheers of the few.