The Inimitable Martha Argerich!
It is a well-known fact that the brilliant pianist Martha Argerich cancels more concerts than she performs, and that is expected and so not disturbing to symphony audience subscribers. However, lest we forget just how electrifying a performer and solid a musician she really is, here is a testimony from the Verbier Festival in the Swiss Alps - a format she rarely misses. These recordings are from the 2009 Festival and the 2010 Festival and each was recorded live. Argerich collaborates with Gábor Takács-Nagy and the Verbier Chamber Orchestra in fresh and sparkling performances of the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major (form 2009) and the Shostakovich Concerto in C minor for Piano, Trumpet, and String Orchestra, Op. 35 (better known as his Piano Concerto No. 1) with David Guerrier, trumpet. Argerich has recorded these works before and played them in public many times, but this particular set of performances is dazzling. Such flair and abandonment and yet still...
Superb performances compromised by a stereo only recording
Martha Argerich is widely respected as one of the world's finest pianists. Her recordings are much sought after especially as she has been so long reluctant to enter recording studios, much preferring to be recorded 'live' at a very few concerts - usually in the company of friends. These recordings from Verbier in 2009 and 2010 are therefore examples of very few such events and inevitably will be of great interest to many collectors.
Argerich has a considerable reputation as a fine Beethoven pianist and on this occasion she does not disappoint. This performance of one of Beethoven's earlier concertos has considerable sparkle throughout based on her usual tight control of rhythm modified by the variations of touch and phrasing that are her hallmarks. The scale of the performance is correctly kept within the emotional scale of the compositional period. An exquisite performance of a Scarlatti sonata is added as an encore to the delight of the enthusiastic audience...
Good...But not Very well.
I did purchase this blue ray because I am locking for perfect performance of all pianos concertos from Beethoven. I think I am a perfectionist. To me this one item did not very well. To me stereo and not surround sound are not a problem. Like reference of perfectionism of five pianos concertos from Beethoven I have nominated Claudio Arrau because I do have and have been hearing that on Phillips cds audio. Shostakovich, Gábor Takács-Nagy and Bizet's symphony and the Verbier Chamber Orchestra are just fine.
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