Martha Argerich, off the world tour

Martha Argerich, off the world tour

Daily Comfort Zone

norman lebrecht

May 16, 2023

An enthusiast today posted a video of Martha playing the Ravel G major concerto last summer.

The Belgrade orchestra is short of world class and slightly casual.

But Argerich is flawless and astonishing.

Just watch.

And catch that ovation.

Comments

  • Martha says:

    Martha iz amazing, as ever! RTS Orchestra… Bless them, they do try very hard…

  • NYCgirl says:

    She is so incredible

    • Ng says:

      Sorry…. accidentally clicked the thumb down button twice. Meant to delete the error, but it turned out to be twice thumb down. I meant to click .

  • Andrew Tunis says:

    First time I have ever seen the English Horn player get up and move beside the pianist for the slow movement. I suspect there were issues in rehearsal. Martha’s slow movement opening was achingly beautiful.

  • Jeffrey Biegel says:

    She is inspiring, not only as a pianist and musician, but as a person who is timeless, youthful, yet mature now in her freedom of breathing, pulse, emotion, style. God bless you, dear Martha.

  • Deidre Smith says:

    Where is the article? Only the headline appears! What is happening to cause here to be off the world tour?

    • Young says:

      I think the headline simply means this is a video “from” (taken “off”) her world tour. It’s a bit misleading.

  • Anna Marks says:

    Frankly, the orchestra is unlistenable. Miracle Martha did not slam the piano closed and leave.

  • Marko Kassenaar says:

    The orchestra is terrible….how come Argerich ends up on stage with an amateurish band like this?

  • MMcGrath says:

    Wonderful. So many notes being played by that humble orchestra and one wonders which are the right ones – BUT they gave it their all and will remember this performance for the rest of their lives. And I’d rather have a noisy orchestra than none at all. Bravo Belgrade!

    • Mari z Tuccitto says:

      Thank God she plays for the people. What keeps her going is performing. That’s what is important. Not every city has the financial means to hire 5 star musicians, especially in Belgrade.

  • Mark Mortimer says:

    I didn’t think the orchestra was too bad actually. But as for Martha- she’s a genius- still playing the Ravel Concerto better than anyone at almost 80 years old.

  • LESTER WILSON says:

    July 1983 I had tickets to see her play in a church in Cadaques and she cancelled. We had Igo Pogorelich instead! [Ravel, Haydn, Prokofiev].
    Every decade, Ravel’s music gets better.

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