Happy birthday to Frédéric Chopin ! Martha Argerich, Grzegorz Nowak / Sinfonia Varsovia Chopin : piano concerto n. 1, op. 11 in e minor (one of her best ever) Warsaw, December 4, 1992 (live) Thanks again to Björn Östlund for sharing !
“In his own words, the Varsovia experience was fabulous musically but highlighted with high drama fit for a teleserye. The engagement was some ten years after she quit the jury of Chopin International Competition in protest over Ivo Pogorelić’s non-inclusion in the list of finalists (he was one of the best). The drama started in the only rehearsal scheduled for the day. “Martha (Argerich) did not show up. The manager told me that she would not perform because the previous night, she did not get any sleep quarreling with her partner Alexandre Rabinovitch (a conductor). At the time of the first rehearsal, they are still quarreling in the hotel room. I suggested that the Radio Varsovia should offer Rabinovitch a guided tour of Warsaw so that my soloist could get some sleep and perform the Chopin E Minor concerto without rehearsal.” When Argerich showed up in the theater in the evening, she drank several cups of coffee and told the Polish conductor she could not perform. “She looked too tired and her hands were shaking. I suggested that she should at least let the audience see her for a few minutes during orchestral opening and if she did not play at all or play but stop at any moment, I would explain it to the audience. We played the introduction with all our heart, hoping that she would play at least one movement. She liked what we played. She started touching the keys and played like a Goddess with flawless technique, full of passion, drama and temperament, love, tenderness, melancholy - a totally inspired, perfect, dream-like performance. It is absolutely true that music unites people in such a unique way that all conflicts, hatred, disagreements or negative feelings are quickly replaced with understanding, friendship and love. Guess who was the first person who stormed backstage and wholeheartedly congratulated Martha? It was Rabinovitch who was totally moved by this performance.” As it turned out, Argerich’s partner forgot all the quarrels of the last twenty-four hours and after the performance was in full love again with that wonderful artist and woman of consequence. He recalled the wonderful outcome of that dramatic concert. “The concert was broadcast live by the Radio Varsovia. After Rabinovitch, she let other people congratulate Martha. Clever manager asked her if she would agree to release a CD with this wonderful performance. When she said yes, he pulled a printed agreement and asked her to sign. That’s how a very unusual CD was issued with a typical program from concerts complete with overture, piano concerto and symphony.” “ From an interview with the conductor, I believe referring to this performance
One of humanity's great geniuses...no matter how many times one watches her - everytime she is utterly miraculous. Thank you for another incredible upload, Charles. It has made my evening!
Marta es sin dudas la mejor intérprete de este concierto tan emblemático . Su manera de frasear tan espontánea y fresca. Gracias por subir este valioso material
I love, love extremely. But, to me, the BEST performance for this MASTERPIECE is the last time she played it in Varsaw, if I do not remember wrong fot the last Chopin competition. Musica, pathos, colours, maturity is, absolutely form another planet!!.. she's NOT human!
I will say i love that 2010 version, although I am looking forward to hearing her play it again this summer with Barenboim (! - not sure how this will work out, I don’t believe he has ever accompanied the Chopin concerto with her, but after all the accompaniment is not like most other concertos, being much simpler). Otherwise the 1998 version with dutoit and the Montreal s/o is fantastic too.
