Martha Argerich - Martha Argerich and Friends: Live from the Lugano Festival 2005 (2006)

Martha Argerich does not give solo piano recitals anymore. She does something better: she plays duo piano and chamber music with her friends and students. She's been doing it for a couple of decades, and willful as she is, she probably won't change. Besides, when it comes to duo piano and chamber music recitals, Argerich with her friends and students can't be beat. Take, for example, this three-disc set of performances taken from the 2005 Lugano Festival. Although Argerich and her cellist friend Mischa Maisky are the only big names here, the playing is fabulous from start to finish. Does it matter that pianists Nicholas Angelich, Renaud Capuçon, and Gautier Capuçon are nearly unknown when their performance of Mendelssohn's D minor Piano Trio is so ardent? Does it matter that Lilya Zilberstein, Dora Schwarzberg, Lucy Hall, Nora Romanoff-Schwarzberg, and Marc Drobinsky are nearly as unknown – Zilberstein has recorded for DG and Decca – when their Brahms' F minor Piano Quintet is so passionate? Although it's true that the performances go from the fabulous to the transcendental when Argerich takes the stage, she couldn't do it without her partners. Her performance with Gabriela Montero of Rachmaninov's Second Suite for two pianos is incredibly sensual. Her performance with Polina Leschenko of Brahms' Variations on a Theme by Haydn is magnificently architectural. And her performance with Piotr Anderszewski of Grieg's arrangement of Mozart's C major Piano Sonata with a freely added second piano part is by far the most affectionate and persuasive reading the piece has ever received. There's more, much more, on this well-filled three-disc set and those who love great piano playing, great duo piano playing, and great chamber music playing owe it to themselves to check it out, particularly in EMI's warm and natural live digital sound.

Track List:

CD1:
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809-1847):
01. Piano Trio No. 2 in D, Op.66: I. Allegro Energico [0:11:23.05]
02. Ii. Andante Espressivo [0:07:22.07]
03. Iii. Scherzo. Molto Allegro, Quasi Presto [0:03:33.50]
04. Iv. Finale. Allegro Appassionato [0:08:51.04]
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
05. Piano Quartet in C, Wo036 No. 3: I. Allegro Vivace [0:08:16.36]
06. Ii. Adagio Con Espressione [0:06:28.33]
07. Iii. Finale. Allegro [0:03:48.09]
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
08. Piano Sonata No.16 in C, K545 (Arr. Grieg for 2 Pianos): I. Allegro [0:04:42.48]
09. Ii. Andante [0:07:15.14]
10. Iii. Rondo. Allegretto [0:02:13.28]

Martha Argerich - piano
Nicholas Angelich - piano
Piotr Anderszewski - piano
Renaud Capuçon - violin
Gautier Capuçon - cello
Lida Chen - viola

CD 2:
Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943):
01. Cello Sonata in G, Op.19: I. Lento - Allegro Moderato [0:09:59.62]
02. Cello Sonata in G, Op.19: II. Allegro scherzando [0:05:57.05]
03. Cello Sonata in G, Op.19: III. Andante [0:05:52.03]
04. Cello Sonata in G, Op.19: IV. Allegro mosso [0:09:57.37]
05. Suite No.2 for two pianos op.17 - I. Introduction [0:03:43.52]
06. Suite No.2 for two pianos op.17 - II. Valse [0:05:31.55]
07. Suite No.2 for two pianos op.17 - III. Romance [0:06:58.46]
08. Suite No.2 for two pianos op.17 - IV. Tarantella [0:06:11.13]
Manuel Infante (1883-1958)
09. Danzas andaluzas - I. Ritmo [0:04:19.10]
10. Danzas andaluzas - II. Sentimiento [0:08:07.68]
11. Danzas andaluzas - III. Gracia (El vito) [0:03:02.16]

Martha Argerich - piano
Gabriela Montero - piano
Sergio Tiempo - piano
Karin Lechner - piano
Mischa Maisky - cello

CD 3:
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897):
01. Variations on a Theme of Haydn, for 2 pianos in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56b: Chorale 'St Anthony': Andante [0:01:46.35]
02. Variations on a Theme of Haydn, for 2 pianos in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56b: Variation I. Andante con moto [0:01:02.13]
03. Variations on a Theme of Haydn, for 2 pianos in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56b: Variation II. Vivace [0:00:56.28]
04. Variations on a Theme of Haydn, for 2 pianos in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56b: Variation III. Con moto [0:01:47.17]
05. Variations on a Theme of Haydn, for 2 pianos in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56b: Variation IV. Andante [0:01:50.51]
06. Variations on a Theme of Haydn, for 2 pianos in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56b: Variation V. Poco presto [0:00:47.46]
07. Variations on a Theme of Haydn, for 2 pianos in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56b: Variation VI. Vivace [0:01:10.40]
08. Variations on a Theme of Haydn, for 2 pianos in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56b: Variation VII. Grazioso [0:02:53.31]
09. Variations on a Theme of Haydn, for 2 pianos in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56b: Variation VIII. Poco presto [0:00:47.10]
10. Variations on a Theme of Haydn, for 2 pianos in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56b: Finale: Andante [0:04:13.56]
11. Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34a: I: Allegro non troppo [0:15:02.45]
12. Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34a: II: Andante, un poco adagio [0:08:32.50]
13. Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34a: III: Scherzo: Allegro [0:07:19.74]
14. Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34a: IV: Finale: Poco sostenuto - Allegro non troppo - Presto, non troppo [0:10:46.44]
Carlos Gustavino (1912-2000):
15. Romances Argentinos (3) for 2 pianos: I: Las niñas de Santa Fe [0:05:16.12]
16. Romances Argentinos (3) for 2 pianos: II: Muchacho Jujeño [0:05:10.13]
17. Romances Argentinos (3) for 2 pianos: III: Baile en Cuyo [0:07:59.72]

Martha Argerich - piano
Polina Leschenko - piano
Lilya Zilberstein - piano
Mauricio Vanilla - piano
Dora Schwarzberg - violin
Lucy Hall - violin
Nora Romanoff-Schwarzberg - viola
Mark Dobrinsky - cello