MARTHA ARGERICH

The Collection 4

The Complete Philips Recordings

CD 1

[1]-[3] Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.3 in D minor

[4]-[6] Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No.1 in B flat minor

CD 2

[1]-[14] Saint-Saëns: Le Carrnaval des animaux

[15] Ridout: Ferdinand (for speaker and violin)

[16]-[27] Meschwitz: Tier-Gebete (for speaker and piano)

[28] Ridout: Little Sad Sound (A melodrama for speaker and double-bass)

CD 3

[1]-[3] Schubert: Sonata for Arpeggione and piano in A minor, D821

[4]-[6] Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op.73

[7]-[11] 5 Stücke in Volkston, Op.102

CD 4

[1]-[4] Rachmaninov: Suite No.2, Op.17

[5] Ravel: La Valse

[6] Lutoslawski: Variations on a Theme by Paganini

CD 5

[1]-[3] Bartók: Sonata for two pianos and percussion

[4]-[9] Mozart: Andante with five variations in G major for piano duet, K501

[10]-[12] Debussy: En blanc et noir

CD 6

[1]-[3] Bartók: Concerto for two pianos, percussion and orchestra

[4] Kodály: Dances of Galánta

Martha Argerich piano

Radio-Symphonie-Orchester , Berlin / Riccardo Chailly (CD 1[1]-[3])

Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks / Kirill Kondrashin (CD 1 [4]-[6])

Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam / David Zinman (CD 6)

Mischa Maisky cello (CD 2 [1]-[14] CD 3)

Nelson Freire piano(CD 2 [1]-[14] CD 4, CD 6 [1]-[3])

Stephen Kovacevich piano (CD 5)

Gidon Kremer violin & speaker

Isabelle van Keulen violin

Tabea Zimmermann viola

Georg Hörtnagel double bass

Irena Grafenauer flute (CD 2)

Eduard Brunner clarinet

Markus Streckeler xylophone Edith Salmen-Weber glockenspiel (CD 2)

Elena Bashkirova speaker & piano (CD 2 [15]-[27])

Alois Posch double bass (CD 2 [28])

Argerich is now approaching her 70th birthday – on the 5th of June this year. One of the releases marking this occasion is a further instalment in the very successful Martha Argerich Collection (already available: Solo Recordings, Concerto Recordings, Chamber Ensemble Recordings) with a set devoted to her complete recordings for the Philips label.

Here we find her in partnership with Stephen Kovacevich and Nelson Freire, with discs of two-piano and piano duet works. Then there are the classic live recordings of the Tchaikovsky First and, above all, the Rachmaninov Third Concertos, with the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra under Riccardo Chailly; as well as an inimitable Carnival of the Animals (with Freire, Kremer, Maisky and others).

Schubert and Schumann works for cello and piano feature Mischa Maisky.

A 32-page full colour booklet contains photographs and new liner notes by Jed Distler.

Decca Classics 6cds 4782746