Piano Concerto No.1 In D Flat, Op. 10: Allegro Brioso
Piano Concerto No.1 In D Flat, Op. 10: Andante Assai
Piano Concerto No.1 In D Flat, Op. 10: Allegro Scherzando
Piano Concerto No.3, Sz. 119: Allegretto
Piano Concerto No.3, Sz. 119: Allegro Religioso - (Poco Piú Mosso) - Tempo I
Piano Concerto No.3, Sz. 119: Allegro Vivace - (Presto)
Piano Concerto No.3 In C, Op.26: Andante - Allegro
Piano Concerto No.3 In C, Op.26: Tema (Andantino) And Variations
Piano Concerto No.3 In C, Op.26: Allegro Ma Non Troppo - Meno Messo - Allegro
Martha Argerich first recorded the Prokofiev Third Concerto in the late '60s. Her fiery, hair-trigger playing, abetted by Claudio Abbado's incisive support with the Berlin Philharmonic in top form, set new standards for th... more »is warhorse. No one's come close to topping her extraordinary achievement, not even Argerich herself in this remake with Charles Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. The recording quality, for one, is less well defined. Dutoit imparts less character to the orchestral tuttis than Abbado, and Argerich's fingerwork, remarkable by anyone else's standard, is a shade more casual (compare the extensive unison octave runs: stupefyingly perfect in the early version, brilliantly competent here.). By contrast, the pianist's scintillating, witty traversal of Prokofiev's brash First Concerto shines with youthful ardor. While one can easily admire the lyric fire she brings to Bartók's third Concerto, some of her agogic fussings pull focus from, rather than strengthen, the music's inherent classicism. Zoltán Koscis, András Schiff, and Annie Fischer (all Hungarian pianists, not uncoincidentally) imbue their phrasings with a more internalized, speech-like expression. --Jed Distler« less
Martha Argerich first recorded the Prokofiev Third Concerto in the late '60s. Her fiery, hair-trigger playing, abetted by Claudio Abbado's incisive support with the Berlin Philharmonic in top form, set new standards for this warhorse. No one's come close to topping her extraordinary achievement, not even Argerich herself in this remake with Charles Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. The recording quality, for one, is less well defined. Dutoit imparts less character to the orchestral tuttis than Abbado, and Argerich's fingerwork, remarkable by anyone else's standard, is a shade more casual (compare the extensive unison octave runs: stupefyingly perfect in the early version, brilliantly competent here.). By contrast, the pianist's scintillating, witty traversal of Prokofiev's brash First Concerto shines with youthful ardor. While one can easily admire the lyric fire she brings to Bartók's third Concerto, some of her agogic fussings pull focus from, rather than strengthen, the music's inherent classicism. Zoltán Koscis, András Schiff, and Annie Fischer (all Hungarian pianists, not uncoincidentally) imbue their phrasings with a more internalized, speech-like expression. --Jed Distler
Melvyn M. Sobel | Freeport (Long Island), New York | 10/13/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"And dumbstruck, as well!
Indeed, in my experience, this is the only recording of his First Piano Concerto wherein the relentless keyboard banging and typical hectoring orchestral volatility take a subservient role to the abundant wonders imbued in this music.
Listen, for example, to the majestic unfurling of the glorious opening Allegro brioso of Concerto No. 1--- and, then, after an exciting horn fanfare, Argerich enters with the most phenomenal, articulated, running passagework. It takes the breath away! How well Argerich has "aged" playing this work, how caressing her panache, her quiet intensity. There's no fierceness anymore, no aggression, just revelation and a manifold interconnectedness with the music. Throughout, it's moments like this that propel the performance, that make it so completely appealing. Listen, again, to the flutes' eerie fluttering shortly into the Andante assai--- and how Argerich's magical piano comes whispering, cat-like and hushed. Lastly, thrill to the way Argerich and Dutoit pursue the cyclical material of the Allegro scherzando finale to a hair-raising conclusion. Prokofiev? I'd hardly recognize you.
As if this weren't enough, Concerto No. 3 shimmers and glows in the outer movements and is translucent in the Andantino "variations." That Argerich has matured and mellowed is so telling, especially here, in a concerto she first tackled back in 1957. No longer is her need to "showcase" her dynamism or "whiteknuckle" the keyboard. No. No need at all.
Thus she turns Bartok's Third Piano Concerto into an almost mystical experience, yet filled with a sense of jubilant humanity. Listen to the interplay between orchestra and soloist in the Allegretto first movement, and that incredibly haunting Hungarian melody Bartok threads throughout. To say this is thrilling would be putting it mildly. Listen, as well, to the heartfelt aura surrounding the Allegro religioso, the plaintive piano figurations, the warmly supportive orchestra.
What we hear on this CD is sublimely wrought, mesmerizing, emotionally profound and powerfully gifted pianism. Martha Argerich brings new life to these acerbic masterpieces--- taming them into gentle giants---sympathetically supported by Dutoit.
No reservations about the sound: it is full and rich, the piano just forward enough to be perfectly natural.
[Running time: 70:12]
"
Zestful & Refined
M. Seeley | Charlotte, NC | 02/25/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Martha Argerich's gives the listener an invigorating view of Prokofiev's youthful iconoclasm. Her entire reading is less hard-driven than Richter, but arguably more zestful and animated, less fierce.Her performance of the Third Concerto is perhaps more languid than in her early legendary performance with Abbado. Nevertheless, it is still quite nimble and definitely more open to passing caprice and fancy. It is in the Bartok concerto where she really shines. Some like Bartok a little rougher, but Argerich brings more refinement, giving the composer his own voice rather than imposing her own. This piano concerto has a Mozartean grace to it. She achieves a remarkable, delicate chamber-like balance that has sometimes eluded her in the past. Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony achieve fine support and unity. The recording is clear and naturally balanced. While lacking her trademark spark, all three performances are full of integrity."
This is a fabulous CD
Craig Matteson | Ann Arbor, MI | 09/09/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Don't worry about the nit pickers. If you love this music, this is a fabulous performance of each of these great pieces. If you don't know this music, you owe it to yourself to get this CD and listen to it over and over again.Argerich isn't just an important living pianist, she is one of the all time greats. Whether you always agree with her choices or not, she is always compelling. She is a treasure.Here, the Bartok is performed by Argerich in an absolutely wonderful way. The orchestra does a spectacular job in making this music sounds as wonderful as it is.The two Prokofiev concertos (1 & 3) are done with humor and energy as well as with intellect and taste.Look, if you are still trying to get into twentieth century music, here is a CD that can help you make that move. These pieces are proof of the beauty and greatness of music making in the last century.Listening to this CD is as much fun and intoxicating as your favorite roller coaster ride."
New gains, new losses
P. Rah | Sion, Switzerland | 08/31/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Two of the three concertos represented here are first recordings for Argerich. The first piano concerto of Prokofiev is real fun to listen to. As Argerich herself admits, she understands the composer's sense of humour, and 'his sensitivity'. Her performances reveal the subtleties of the score as well as the seemingly banal sense of humour Prokofiev injects into his music. And, as always, her technique is faultless.Her Bartok is again technically brilliant. Her intuitive musicality is put into wonderful use, as it sounds well-thought-out, but it also sounds naturally spontaneous.I am afraid to say the Prokofiev 3rd concerto fares less well. And for this, I put the blame on Dutoit, not Argerich.
After the lyrical slow introduction, the piano introduces the main theme. All is fine at the start. But less than one minute after the pianist has entered, one hears strange tempi fluctuations from Argerich. They not only sound forced, but they don't make musical sense. For example, where the piano has repeated runs in octaves, here at 6:21, Argerich starts very quickly, but slows down (a very subtle change, but noticeable). To me, it sounds as if Dutoit is forcing her to keep her speed at a safe measure. That is the last thing a soloist needs, to be forced by a conductor. Isn't a conductor supposed 'support' a soloist?? (in the second octave runs, repeated at 9:09, the same thing happens, only it is much more noticeable)
While all this is happening, one can sense that she doesn't like all the pushing around she is getting from Mr. Dutoit. Compared to her first recording, the whole performance takes almost 3 minutes longer than her 1967 recording. Having said all that, I hear things in the piano part I didn't hear before, enhancing one's knowledge and enjoyment of the music. She totally understands Prokofiev's harmonic structure.
The way she interplays with orchestra is very imaginative. That is a characteristic in any concerto performances by Argerich.The sound is good, but not great. The orchestra sound tends to dominate the pianist a lot of the time, and its playing is sometimes sloppy. Dutoit seems more interested in showing his orchestra off more than in supporting his soloist 100%Argerich has gained new insights in the Prokofiev concerto, and one can hear subtle changes in her performances of it. Apart from the criticism above, this is a great disc, especially the 1st Prokofiev concerto. No wonder it won a Grammy."
Stupendous
Harold J. Sauer, M.D. | East Lansing, Michigan, U.S.A. | 04/11/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Even though her Prokofiev 3rd is not as volatile as her earlier DG recording with Abbado, this one is more thoughtul and represents her mature interpretation of the concerto after more than 30 years of performing it in concert -- she is in no way technically inferior to the earlier recording. The Bartók 3rd is exemplary, and the technique in the Prokofiev 1st is astounding (although that comment regarding this pianist is superfluous)."