You might like to know what Daniil was so keen to communicate about the piano.

Always when one sees anything but a Steinway on stage people are ready with comments. 

As I told you at the rehearsal he made the piano sing and as you know we were sitting very close in an empty hall. 

Daniil I think was frustrated that the magnificent performance that he shared with us was not the sublime one he had in his head that we were robbed of. 

Sitting further back it was obvious the piano just did not project in the slow movement in particular.But also the very opening melody note in the first movement should be so sublime like a Vengarov in Tchaikowsky.Or the sound of Rubinstein,Curzon or now Pressler. 

I suppose it is the difference between a very fine italian instrument and a Stradivari. 

Why did Michelangeli cancel so often if the piano was not perfect ….it was because that perfectly chiselled  unique sound was only possible on a perfect instrument.The rhythmic passages came over better than I have ever heard .The bright sound penetrating the orchestra and the accompaniment to the sublime strings in the last movement was nothing short of  miraculous.I think Daniil has earned the right to be  able to command the instrument he needs  for his genius.It will not be easy to find …………but he who seeketh………… 

I did not bring the subject up but the geni inside Daniil needed to explain to people that cared . 

Poor Christopher finding himself again on your doorstep with me  was impatiently waiting whilst his taxi clock was happily ticking away .But it was a small price to pay for a genius who just wanted to share his thoughts and enthusiasm  with us. 

What a privilege to be witness to birth of  another Richter and all thanks to you dear Annabelle. 

I stress this is just my opinion,that was also Daniils, that I share with you. 

I heard afterwards that there had been some discussion about this magnificent but not perfect instrument. 

We were ,in fact kept out of the hall until the last minute in an effort to find the right voice for Daniil. 

The secret of Stradivari ……… if only Fazioli could work that one out …..but they have been trying for many hundreds of years …to no avail.