For his latest Deutsche Grammophon project, Daniil Trifonov is embarking on a pianistic journey across the Americas. Released on October 4, 2024, the first of two volumes, My American Story – North, takes in a wide range of repertoire from the United States, the country the pianist has called home for almost half his life. The album ranges from jazz and swing to modernism, minimalism and popular soundtracks, covering a century of US music for solo piano or piano and orchestra. “I did not intend to record an anthology,” says Trifonov. “These are simply favorites of mine that speak to me on a musical level.” Joined by The Philadelphia Orchestra and its Music and Artistic Director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, in George Gershwin’s much-loved Concerto in F and the world premiere of the brand-new concerto written for him by Mason Bates, Trifonov also performs solo works by John Adams, John Cage, Aaron Copland, John Corigliano, Dave Grusin, Thomas Newman, Art Tatum and Bill Evans.
My American Story – North is released digitally, on 2 CDs and as a 3-LP vinyl version (offering extended liner notes, additional photos and two bonus tracks). One of these, Trifonov’s transcription of “Secunda” from the soundtrack to the popular video game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was released as a digital single on July 19. This was followed on August 23 by his transcription of Victor Young’s “When I Fall in Love” (as interpreted by Bill Evans), which was accompanied by a video; on September 6 by John Adams’s “China Gates”; and on September 20 by the main theme from Thomas Newman’s American Beauty. A video for the finale of Gershwin’s Concerto in F comes out today, October 4.
Find more information and order the album here.