Martha Argerich: Brahms is for women who love older men

From Olivier Bellamy, “Martha Argerich raconte”. Buchet – Chastel, 2021.

Olivier Bellamy: Do you like Brahms? I once read that it (his music) depresses you.

Martha Argerich: When I play it, I love it, but it’s not the kind of music I’m naturally inclined to. I worked on the Piano Concerto No. 2 with Gulda, but I never played it in concert. It may be a story of libido. Certain pianists adore his music: Irene Russo, Hélène Grimaud, Karin Lechner… They are perhaps women attracted to older men. That was never the case with me. I played his Piano Sonata No. 2 for a while because it is very Schumannian (…) I like Brahms. It was Gulda who didn’t like him very much.”

Newly uploaded concert performance: