Martha Argerich plays Liszt Concerto No.1[Part 4 of 4]

[horozcorc]

a masterpiece from a master... The best sound that my ears could ever hear!!!

[grinschpun]

Increíble la parte de 00:50 y malísima la parte de 3:46...

[guava96]

all four videos are magnificent. I love Franz Liszt !

[jjg7]

Argerich has always played in the most EFFORTLESS way possible.  Just look at how she executes those fast octaves.

[ueblondon]

absolutely fantastic

[ochaken0katsu]

OH MY GOD!!! I Love Martha!!!! Kyaaaaaa!!!

[jemp31]

Overall, I think Richter's version is better, but Argerich's fourth movement makes me wanna explode from excitement. Beyond extraordinary!

[mmoynan]

@jemp31 I know what you mean. I feel like his has more Liszt-ian weight to it. It just feels more solid and meaty. But I love Argerich's for the same reason I love all of her other interpretations; endlessly inventive, exciting, and almost always ingeniously executed. I'd like a recording of both.

[chu10rro]

As always, Argerich made it seem so easy... Another truly electrifying performance. If I had been born a couple of decades before and been rich, I would have traveled all over the world following her concert schedule. At least I have YouTube and the generosity of those willing to share with me these digital gems. Thanks for posting.

[SuckerSove]

omfg <3

[brolobear]

God, I love this...exactly what it should be...apparently, she has the same idea of the piece that I had when I played it...the last movement is RELENTLESS. It should just build and build until the audience is about to lose it's mind...it should sound like the pianist is possessed. She nailed it.

[afertyus1000]

@brolobear post yours i would love to hear it

[federicoxxl]

She does not play fast, just what is should be. That night was unforgettable thanks to Martha. The orchestra is the worst in the world, if she was waiting for them the performance was a disaster. Instinctively she continued her way, she could not expect anything from those mediocre musicians.

[salviati]

Who is the orchestra, please?

[federicoxxl]

This orchestra was formed for this concert and was composed by musicians of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Buenos Aires and National Symphony Orchestra

[sKiiLYNE]

Look at the triangleist at 2:03

[zzzzzzzzzzzzzzander]

the audience couldn't let her finish could they

[maddpianist]

I've recently learned this piece. Liszt marked this movement "marziale". In my opinion it loses the stately feel of a march if begin at too quick of a tempo, as is done here, not to mention that the continual accelerando would force ridiculous tempi that obscure many of the colors that Liszt is using. I do trust that Argerich is, in fact, playing all the notes, but at times near the end I can only hear about half of them clearly, which is as much as can be done at this tempo.

[fionasapple]

It's such a shame that Argerich didn't have a tutor like you who could have taught her how to play this concerto...'correctly'

[mowmowmow9]

Last 30 seconds=epic.

[rainyIrene]

fantastic~!!!

[francisco6050]

2:00 to 2:11 little tarantella!

Love Liszt!!!!!!

[shangqinli]

By itself, this concerto is already an awesome masterpiece conceived by a genius. But Martha brings it up to a still higher dimension with incredible brio. Everything is there, power, emotion, sensitivity. The very best rendering of that concerto I have ever heard. Martha, you're simply the best.

[Ellinidara]

she's incredible,she's a monster of music and piano.

[JListhename]

Clarity? yes. Technique? oh, most certainly? Emotion? some, but Emotion by the standards of Liszt's music? none!

[alexkonow]

Since when is emotion a prerequisite for playing Liszt? Wasn't Liszt a showy virtuoso?

[fionasapple]

mostly yes. but he does have his moments of extreme emotion. not in this movement though. this is mostly about virtuosity imo so saying this here is meaningless really.

[alexkonow]

Perhaps but I suppose it's all a matter of taste anyway.

[liszt80]

ignorant! go studying to realize that Liszt was one of the biggest musical genius.

[alexkonow]

Well, there is no doubt he was a genius. I love Liszt with all my heart and I have recordings of almost all his piano works but this concerto really is a lot of virtuosity and catchy tunes. This concerto is one of my favorites but you simply can't equate Liszt with being a terribly emotional person. Even pieces like the transcriptions Widmung (which Schumann disliked) and Liebestraum, although beautiful, are largely so effective because of crashing chords. I love him to death but he's no Faure.

[liszt80]

Liszt was too brilliant to write something so "ordinary", grotesque and rambling. The first movement is so short and quite odd, then section after sections, there are many moods and too many elements all mixed together... (think of the perfection of Sonata, a "severe" work). Both Liszt Concertos must be seen simply as a parody of all typical Concertos examples and standards, ingenious caricatures, like Mozart's "Musical Joke"...

[alexkonow]

Well, Liszt's work often captured Romantic music perfectly. While this may be of little innovation and nuances, I find the melodies lovely and stirring. It's not really expressive, I think. It's just music for music's sake. :)

[callenishss]

reminds me of stravinsky tho he didnt exist yet

[thejerk00]

What some people fail to realize is that virtuosity itself evokes certain values, like vitality, energy, and grace. There can be plenty of emotions involved. (Of course, there have to be nontrivial underlying themes for it to mean anything.)

I'm not accusing you, but I wanted to say this. The people who denigrate virtuosity remind me of the people who deem that any building taller than 3 stories is just "vanity on part of the architect." These are the people I hate.

[alexkonow]

Naturally virtuosity does evoke these values but is excitement really an emotion? Perhaps I didn't explain myself clearly but this piece, to me, does not seem like "serious music" but more like a crowd-pleaser. There's nothing wrong with that but it really isn't an emotional piece because it focuses so much on technicality and you don't really need to spend hours thinking about where you'll play something rubato or where you'll dwell on a certain chord sentimentally.

[thejerk00]

Ah. Fair enough... it is more of a 'fun piece' than a deep statement. But dang, it is fun.

[demosj]

Eloquently stated. Moritz Rosenthal said [paraphrase] 'I've found that those that insist that technique is unimportant to music-making simply lack it themselves.'

[anthonyvlawson]

Liszt had little option but to finish up with a proper cadence and all, but the audience can't wait for that nonsense... Love it!

[Snappers3]

Argerich is a love - hate performer for me. This however is definately in my "love" perfromances.

[drumbumgh87]

Props to the Triangle player.

[thepianomaniac]

Wow, that is pure FIRE! Martha Argerich is definitely one of the best pianists ever, hands down, absolutely, no questions asked.

[leandrobeikes]

great!!!

[floydrharper]

Demigod

[jghamm]

the audience is amazing!!!!!!!!!

[beklopt]

This was a landmark in Buenos Aires musical life. This was captured on June 1986 live from the Teatro Colón and broadcasted through the official tv network to the whole country. Martha had not played in BA for 14 years and came only to play one single evening at which she performed Beethoven´s second, Liszt first and Prokofiev´s third. The conductor was (polish born)the late Maestro Simón Blech. A truly marathonic evening!

Even the rehersals were "sold out"!!!!

She came again in 1999...

[MusicaAntiqua71]

another recommended albums to pure appreciators : Arnaldo Cohen's recently released one including Totentanz. Jorge Bolet-Robert Irving partnership in 1960 on Everest (or Bescol) label would be a pure joy. :-)

[MusicaAntiqua71]

whooa~ i must be careful about those snipers behind my back or voluntarilly shut my mouth up. :-)

[kreutzo1]

yo estuve presente en esta maravillosa performance de Martha Argerich en el Teatro Colon de Buenos Aires.Fue sin duda,la gran experiencia de mi vida.

[MusicaAntiqua71]

is this really great? i am afraid i don't think so. her tempi, rubato, excessive bravura is too radical to my ears. and her interpretation is straitforward. i agree to some comments below about Richter. His version is phenomenal. Lazar Berman's on Lazar Berman Edition(Brillian Classics, NOT DG version) and A.Watts-A.Litton partnership on Telrac is excellent too.

[glenngould99]

to answer your question - yes this really great. The triangle man's interpretation was a little straightforward and he uses too much rhubarb but Martha stands alone...

[arthurchan1993]

different ppl have ways in putting their styles out ... i think she has focused a bit too much on her "presto" playing, but i think her style in the previous movements are great, and her playing throughout the concerto is of exemplary standard :)

[abbjorko]

grande Martha, my friend

[aldebussy]

Simply....OH MY GOD.

[JasonERAU]

Wow, what an amazingly responsive audience there is on the web....

[debchik]

Of course she's a great player, but has anyone heard Richter's recording of this concerto with Kondrashin? He plays with insight such as I've never heard in anyone else's interpretation. I doubt one can find Richter's performance on video, but anyway the CD is amazing.

[paolohudson]

very true. But I have to say, the best recording I've heard is Krystian Zimerman's. He's absolutely perfect for this concerto. Richter's recording of the Second is also mindblowing, definitely the most intriguing recording i've heard of that concerto.

[juajua28]

tendrian que comparar solo las versiones de estudio....Argerich grabo este concierto con Abbado y en hace unos año lo volvio a grabar con Dutoit, ambas versiones son perfectas y muy superiores a las de Richter y Zimermann

[JasonERAU]

What orchestra and conductor is this?

[JasonERAU]

Holy mother of God, Argerich would absolutely destroy any pianist currently out there. That was extraordinary. Please anyone, if Argerich has any more intense recordings, let me know.

[JasonERAU]

Wow, I don't think i've seen or heard a better female pianist, ever.

[Snappers3]

Finally, a non 'pussy' performance of this movement!!!

[oboistru]

What city is that?

Public that can't wait with clapping until the end of the piece is ridiculous.

[Nataliena]

certainly not a city of conservative, anal poeple. Common this is Liszt not Mozart!

[whatiskungfan]

must be somewhere in china..lol..

[whatiskungfan]

I say that's gotta be some arrogant Americans, only Americans scream like pigs..lol..

[jzer21]

Americans generally don't yell "bravo." They whistle and clap and go "wooooo."

[1810fox]

Yes, we can expect the end to applaud. But when it is playing the best pianist in the world, our compatriot, we do not want to wait until the end of the piece. Ana prikrasna, krasavitsa!!!

[richterfreak]

There are but a handful of pianists (living and dead) who could deliver this kind of white hot bravura. This is the stuff of legends.

[Hindustu]

I like the version that Richter plays on better, but this is simply stunning to watch.

[meowoow]

amazing...

[disolk]

I can't think of a better version of this concerto... I'm surprised when people don't recognize her as the greatest pianist of our time... incredible...

[cuteshox]

Me neither! This is the best version of this concerto I've ever seen! Man oh man!!!

[anblanco333]

larga vida a la hermosisima y genial martha argerich, diosa absoluta del piano de todos los tiempos...

[admiralkirk2286]

The only one that culd hve played thispiece any better is FRANZ LISZT himself. Give this woman 100000 stars, then again; why should anyone be surprise? This is MARTHA ARGERICH. Have have only twenty different version of this piece, the only one who even come close is the old Steven Douglas version. She makes the rest sound like beginners.

[homoe87]

"then again; why should anyone be surprise? This is MARTHA ARGERICH."

Lol, that's the best way I've heard it put so far.

This performance has all the bravura needed for Liszt, but still is musical, breathless, and exciting. My favorite passage is at 3:00. Absolutely thrilling. Then, when you think she's at her limit, she brandishes her octaves (3:06), and even more miraculous is when she actually SLOWS DOWN her final diverging chromatic octaves (3:31) so the orchestra can keep up.

[globalmuse]

This is SO fabulous! I just can't imagine anyone playing that better. Does anyone know when this was done? Venue? Conductor and orchestra? Thanks so much for posting.

[iamakkarin]

i LOVE this performance! usually when you play with an orchestra, you're trying to catch up to the orchestra and not fall behind...but towards the end of this movement, it's the other way around. haha

[LightFinder]

THIS IS OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!

[LightFinder]

GOD!!! I'M SPEECHLESS!

[chad410]

wow that blew me away just like it did when I watched her live in LOndon.There was a current that went through the whole audience.just like then.