Martha Argerich plays Schumann piano concerto

[dieguitochinga]

Nice

[sessionmessiah]

Oh my goodness. Romantic Music is .. just.. otherworldly

has the ability to make you feel like you 're flying if you close your eyes.... ..!!!

[windstorm1000]

There are many piano concertos which are 'romantic'--but few that speak of 'romantic love' as this one does.....It is obvious that it is Robert speaking to his Clara. The main theme is like a love poem in music.

[BassicStorm]

@windstorm1000 agree totz

[MuppetQuaker]

Pleasant. Just that : Pleasant.

[Codekiko6]

Simply stated... AWESOME !!!!

[OktoberStorm]

I'm very happy to read that she is cancer-free. Live long, Martha!

[JollyRoger183]

@ minute 1:33 I am like - hey - that looks familiar - could it be Leipzig? ^^

Why did I miss that :'(

[dbpsoccer121]

Wow, I never realized until just now how much resemblance the oboe theme in the beginning bears to the main theme in the first movement of the A minor Cello concerto... amazing

[Tenifus]

Happy Birthday Martha!

[jafigueroa41]

¡ Bellísimo !

[bassmajor]

one of the best piano concertos of all time! All of Schumann's feelings found their way into this piece without any compromises. I loooove it!

[BassicStorm]

main theme of this concerto kills me! so Wonderfull

[biegel88]

She indeed brings the yearning and tender warmth to this. Ms. Argerich has grown into a most natural and warm artist during her career.

[pauloalfredo100]

audio from dvd is better than audio from blu-ray - low and lame - don't buy blu-ray in this case - dvd is superior

[MrTigran19]

I agree with you completely

[filopaa1990]

besame mucho..

[caricama]

whoa, Medicitv, don't you dare cut off Argerich's performance in the middle!!!!!

[MrMrMikayel]

Bravo!!!

Very nice!!!

[johnhofi]

Beauty is not subjective, i.e., we are not animals. Nor are we the parts of some grand mechanism that dictates to us...what are we, then, to create such beauty ?

[aleferrarif08]

Beautiful

[pupusman]

Khagar, nobody is right or wrong because beauty is a subjective quality - that you do not hear at all in Martha Argerich's playing speaks more to your musical acumen than it does mine.

[charmingemily]

sounds a little like chopin in first piano entrance:)

[foreverbrancusi]

of course. they were contemporaians

[yongrenjie]

@charmingemily Resembles Grieg more, imo. Descending chords... Chopin's just a few chords, followed by an arpeggio

[zeeweirdeye]

@KhagarBalugrak: There are degrees of good and bad, not simply good, bad. Maybe on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being worst), you would choose 6.

You need to have reference line to draw upon. Maybe you meant so and so played better than argerich.

Another thing about subjctivity: meaning is a construct but we can be objective in meaning if we have a common ground.

[savinganangel]

I really have to watch the rest of this. Beautiful performance.

[KhagarBalugrak]

I see that many people think that famous musicians should never be criticized. They think Argerich is beyond reproach. But unless we separate the good from the bad in everyone's playing, how will we ever be able to play well ourselves?

[freakytea]

The problem is that what is "good" and "bad" is a subjective matter in this case. I hear a ton of expression and emotion in this clip. You don't. Who is right, and who is wrong? There's no accounting for taste, and it will always come down to that.

However, I do believe that with musical maturity comes the ability to appreciate a greater variety of interpretations.

[KhagarBalugrak]

Well, the actual facts regarding someone's playing are not a subjective matter. Truth itself is never subjective. However, we are all limited in our consciousness; hence, different people perceive the same situation differently.

As far as Argerich's playing is concerned, yes, in a couple places, she did something nice. The rest was scattered, random, uneven, and sometimes even harsh. No musical integrity at all.

[freakytea]

Well, I have very different ideas about music and art than you do, because I believe that interpretation is completely subjective. There are certainly some very famous pianists that I don't connect with, but I would never call them bad. They just aren't for me.

I hear amazing things in Argerich's playing, and the way I feel when I hear it is real. I guess you could just call your taste in music better than mine, but wouldn't that be a tad arrogant?

[KhagarBalugrak]

You might be right. Maybe Argerich really is expressing great things that I'm not hearing. What I can say is that I'm not hearing what you're hearing, and that I've never heard anything consistently beautiful in Argerich's playing.

But truth is not subjective. In this video, either Argerich played beautifully or she didn't. She couldn't have played with beauty AND at the same time played with no beauty. That would be a contradiction. One of us is wrong.

[ithaca1017]

"But truth is not subjective. In this video, either Argerich played beautifully or she didn't."

You're an idiot. Do you know what an opinion is? I hate olives, I think they are disgusting. Some people think they are delicious. So olives are either disgusting, or delicious. Doesn't that sound retarded? Music and taste are COMPLETELY subjective. No one is wrong when it comes to their opinion. The only ones who are wrong are those trying to claim their opinion as some absolute truth...namely you.

[arturon111]

Listen to Arrau's Schumann Concerto here on youtube,... thats the best rendition of this concerto,... both technically and musically

[Powerslider]

Nicely put! If only the rest of the world would understand this... ^^

[ProRachStravinsKiev]

@KhagarBalugrak The Schumann concerto is not the best example of Argerich's style. I've always thought of it as one of her weaker recordings. It's still good, but lacks a certain... sweetness, if you will, that much of Schumann's music requires. I have heard her play sweetly before, I think she just happened to miss it on this one. While she still plays the concerto brilliantly, I don't see it as outshining Myra Hess or Cliburn.

[chrwir88]

What I find most fascinating about this response is how it affirms the opposite in my eyes--

Well, the actual facts regarding someone's playing are not a subjective matter. Truth itself is never subjective, however, we are all limited in our consciousness; hence, different people perceive the same situation differently.

As far as Argerich's playing is concerned mostly the scattered, random, uneven, harsh qualities of schumann's torment were starkly defined against Argerich's agility and grace.

[swanningaround]

Khagar. I agree with what you say. Argerich IS above reproach. :)

Seriously though, if someone like yourself doesn't like something, no one will change their mind. Of course there are people like myself who think anything Martha plays is just perfect. You obviously don't like this sample. You must be hearing something I am not. The playing seems bang on to me.

[ithaca1017]

@KhagarBalugrak: respond to me here and not to my profile so everyone else can be privy to your ridiculous arguments.

[AliceVirtu]

Khagar (che in italiano ha un senso preciso),

I am curious to listen as you play the piano..

[pupusman]

Khagar you gutless hack. Her playing is so lyrical, how can you not hear that??

[KhagarBalugrak]

You fool,

She played with lyricism in the opening for about 10 seconds. After that, nothing - no expression, just notes.

[MeterNYC]

@KhagarBalugrak Your criticism is absurd. All the things you claim that she lacks ( form of expression, musical integrity), she posses; those things you say she does well (great mechanism and technique) - she is oft criticized for not having enough of. You obviously have no idea what your are talking about.

[Pianist46]

@KhagarBalugrak Although I severely disagree with you, I appreciate that you are presenting your ideas in a respectable fashion. Thank you for not swearing and going psycho on YouTube, whether your ideas are controversial or not.

I, on the other hand, think Argerich is marvelous and don't know how you could not see expression or beauty in it. That is just my opinion.

[bernard1422]

Argerich!!! Give her an A. Give her the kingdom!

[pdeb09]

Beautiful and melodic and even romantic!

[crapatitus]

lol it better be romantic. its schumann

[billyguns2]

Yes, for me Schumann's music defines Romanticism. This is a gorgeous performance, don't you think? I also like Rubinstein with Krips, Richter with Wislocki, and Lipatti with Karajan.

[isym444]

lol, Argerich is lookin stylish in this vid with her bracelet =P

[rwcole39]

Most of the conductor's work is done before the performance, as s/he bring his or her interpretation and perspective to the piece during rehearsal.

[LetTheMusicFlow1]

how coincidental! i thought the same thing until just a while ago. Listen to Claudio Abbaudo conducting something. Prokofiev's Death of Tybalt is one of my favorites. theres such a musicality in the performance of the orchestra that just cannot come without a brilliant conductor.

[CornillieJunior]

Oww, I'm so exited! Within a month I'll see her play this live in Brussels!! She's just one of the greatest.

[BarbaraPloyer333]

Gasp! You're going to see Argerich!? I'm SOOOO jealous! (No- really... I'm jealous.)

I'd like to go see her someday... =(

[CornillieJunior]

Yes, it's also a dream that's coming true! I was just on time to get tickets, fjuw!

[marrieter08]

you can not really compare hip hop to classical music for they are entirely different and thier elements are absolutely omniscient...

[gabrielfernandez92]

and fool people tries to compare "hip hop" with this..

This is amazing! I can't stop of looking at this..

[giantaxel]

This piece is gorgeous!

[Poohbear0340]

I thought that playing a piece fast doesn't always translate into good; nor bad. I thought that expression and interpretation was the most important thing. I agree that speed is important, but not so much as interpretation. Am I incorrect or misguided in any fashion "reaperman or noangel"?

[noangelnorsonne]

You can't just think like that! Playing piano is not about if you are male or female: it's about your habilities, much practice and the way you feel music... What a stupid way of thinking ¬¬

[reaperman2004]

Seanydee500 - unless you play piano (and by play piano - I mean play repertoire like this) then you may as well shut the hell up, since you have NO FUCKING CLUE what your talking about.

My Piano teacher has played dozens of concerti and can play just as fast as any of these professionals on YouTube (she was a University lecturer).

Their strength doesn't come from their biceps, but simply from your fingers - and after 30 years of playing - Their as strong as a fucking rock.

[NoGee06]

Seanydee is right, the strength when playing octaves at fortissimo does in fact come from the shoulders. It doesn't necessarily require strong shoulder or arm muscles, but you do need to put some weight into it. Try doing it with only moving your fingers and nothing else. It doesn't work that way and it doesn't feel natural. Try thinking before you downvote.

[andrewstephns]

Okay, the F word is not necessary here.

Having said that, yes, strength in your fingers is vital, BUT it's NOTHING without strength in your whole hand, wrists, arms, shoulders, and even your back! When I've played a piece with big chord structure or lengthy runs, my ENTIRE upper body gets a workout. I'm not doubting that your teachers fingers were as "strong as a F'ing rock", but I can guarantee that if your teacher also had strong wrists, shoulders, and a strong back to play a piece like this.

[reaperman2004]

Oh the F word was necessary - I can assure you of that.

[seanydee500]

Actually your completely wrong, When you play octaves or chords fortissimo most of the power and strenght comes from the shoulders, and yes I have performed this concerto before.

[sexandthesuburbs]

you must really suck

[thunder1909]

Shoulders? Are you insane? How are you supposed to play with your shoulders? Technique comes from fingers and wrists only, if it were the shoulders, we'd see a lot of pianists with shoulders injuries. Lolz you're so fucking dumb.

[minastronasse]

Agree. And dudes simply should not be allowed to play the flute (they don't have, you know, that special ability)...

[Sim882]

this sounds even better than the full version played when she was younger

PLEASE SOMEONE UPLOAD IT ALL

[maxerdob]

Callas : just one .Martha : just one

[kyleclef]

this is on sky arts alot (the whole concert) just record it for free, i've got it recorded in hd, and i don't intend to delete it for a long time! she is truly the best musician alive!

[weetabixharry]

Any chance of you uploading that to YouTube? I would love to watch the concert in its entirety!

[kyleclef]

i would but i don't know how, sorry :)

[weetabixharry]

That's a shame - it really is incredibly easy. There's a huge wealth of information on the Internet to guide you as well.

For example, just try searching for "HOW TO: Upload YouTube videos" on YouTube.

One thing you will probably have to do is divide the video into 10minute sections. This is also incredibly easy. There's a wide range of free software (such as Windows Movie Maker) which allow you to do this effortlessly.

It would be a great contribution if you could take the time to upload!

[lovethepiano]

Open a Youtube Directors account and you have no time limit.

[Sim882]

PLEASE UPLOAD THIS

IT SOUNDS PERFECT

[sh0ck3r81]

Tecnicamente titanica e assolutamente fantastica, come sempre..

..Sure, she's great!

[pookiehohn]

Magic powers: Yes.

Witch: no.

[Horowitz02]

Perfect balance!!!!

[manussss3]

grande oeuvre !

[DarkRaiTuber]

wow this is beautiful.

[mdoub]

what if she aged backwards, like benjamin button?

[bordaz1]

what?

[Rossevanya]

Linda interpretação! O oboe...wow!!! Martha forever!!

[argerich68]

Grandiosi e titanici...che altro dire???

[ArlenIceQueen]

MAGNIFIQUE!