Amazing Martha Argerich closes with Beethoven’s Choral Fantasia
OrchestrasThe closing concert of her Buenos Aires festival was Beethoven’s dry run with piano for his eventual ninth symphony.
Be amazed.
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A great choice to close a festival. I should love to have been there.
But isn’t that you, Norman, standing just behind her? You do get around.
Still, this other one remains the Choral Fantasy to end all.
https://youtu.be/5QmoIKQZX8Y
Listening to Dame Argerich’s formidable statement in the opening cadenza, I am bitterly reminded of the imbecilic assertions of a certain American “academic” regarding the “mediocrity” of Beethoven’s compositional language.
This “Fantasy” is indeed a dry run for the (lately overplayed and over-ritualized) Ninth symphony but it is also an incomparable source of information on Beethoven’s creative process. I wonder is said academic has ever perused this piece (even better: performed it) or if he has had more than a “passing acquaintance” with Beethoven’s major works. The “Fantasy” has been besieged by commentators perhaps unable to grasp its content and significance as a prototypical composition. In the hands of supreme performers -despite some distracting incidences seen in this video with the unwieldly piano score- the “Fantasy” makes sense, becoming a rewarding artistic experience which again validates Beethoven’s approach to structure and content.
Wonderful, thanks so much Norman. Interesting to see decent camerwork too not the usual BBC incontinent five seconds here and five seconds there variety
Utterely love the way Martha Argerich grasps the first chords!
Sung this Fantasie as mezzosoprano soloist and would like to say it is much more magnificent music as many may think, and a splendid precursor of Beethoven’s Ninth!
Wonderful posting. Thank you for the video. How lucky we are to have her!
Absolute mystery for me, musically and on a personal, even intimate level…How Martha could be marry long ago and play so much with Dutoit since. I admire her fidelity but cannot understand what she sees in him as a partner. They have completely opposite personality, that ‘s bland plate of pasta on one side and spicy ketchup on the other. He’s so young, not a single white hair!… ridiculous.He would do an excellent page turner, because he can only read the music, not interpret it. Well I will never understand this partnership on any level…
Dutoit is 86, four years older than his former wife!
Fabulous artistry on Martha Argerich’s part, as always — and I love how she sings along with the chorus in the final minutes of the piece!
Something wasn’t properly calibrated with the sextet singing, however; either the tenor was too soft or the bass too loud, or both, and the melody line got lost in the process. Seems like this could have been easily rectified in rehearsal.
At the very end of the video when we see Argerich and Dutoit slowing exiting the stage arm in arm, you can’t help but recognize the special personal bond they’ve shared over the many decades, come what may …
I believe this site should be very nice to follow, a bit expensive, though…
Mr. Lebrecht, thank you so much for posting these videos of the incredible and incomparable Argerich—-what a privilege and joy it is to hear her, very very much appreciated!