What were Barenboim and Argerich up to?

What were Barenboim and Argerich up to?

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norman lebrecht

August 22, 2016

From yesterday’s Sunday Times.

 

barenboim pull quote

Here’s the actual text:

 

barenboim pull quote 2

Comments

  • Olassus says:

    Oy!

  • Diego Theumann says:

    There is no way for me to find the actual text? Could you please help me find it ?

    • Hywel David says:

      From The Sunday Times 21 August 2016 – Hugh Canning’s review

      “The West-Eastern’s second concert – repeated at the Proms last Wednesday – found Barenboim on more familiar territory; Widmann’s concert overture ‘Con brio’, served as a striking opener for ‘bleeding chunks’ of orchestral Wagner and Liszt’s Piano Concerto No 1, in which he was joined by his old sparring partner and compatriot Martha Argerich as soloist. Argerich has just turned 75, but her commanding technique and musical spontaneity are still miraculously intact, the muscularity of her arms and fingers those of a much younger person. Her Liszt is formidable yet almost improvisatory in the lyrical passages: she brings extraordinary flexibility of phrasing and rhythmic freedom to these without sacrificing momentum.

      Arguably the world’s most charismatic woman in music, Argerich is a Garbo in reverse: a one-off who no longer wants to be alone. Indeed, she has virtually stopped playing solo works, even in her encores. She and Barenboim joined forces at the piano for one of Schubert’s four-hand Rondo duets. It was a piece of Hausmusik, friends playing with each other for their mutual pleasure, and deeply touching.”

  • Cyril Blair says:

    Well if this is what it takes to keep classical music alive, get to it, performers. More playing with each other for mutual pleasure, more deep touching.

    • Bruce says:

      BUT – you have to be willing to do it with a lot of people watching you. (Not a problem for most exhibitionists —- errm, I mean performers)

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