MARTHA ARGERICH

The Sound of Martha Argerich

CD1

1. Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op.54 - Allegro affettuoso

2. Piano Concerto No.2 in F Minor, Op.21 - II. Larghetto

3. Piano Concerto No.1 in E Minor, Op.11 - III. Rondo (Vivace)

4. Piano Concerto No. 3, Sz.119 - I. Allegretto

5. Piano Concerto No. 3 in C, Op.26 - III. Allegro ma non troppo - meno mosso - Allegro

6. Noches en los jardines de España - En la Generalife

7. Concerto for Piano, Trumpet & Strings in C Minor, Op.35 - III. Moderato

8. Concerto for Piano, Trumpet & Strings in C Minor, Op.35 - IV. Allegro con brio

CD2

1. Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), Op.15 - 1. Von fremden Ländern und Menschen (Of Foreign Lands and People)

2. Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), Op.15 - 2. Kuriose Geschichte (Strange Story)

3. Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), Op.15 - 3. Hasche-Mann (Blindman's Buff)

4. Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), Op.15 - 4. Bittendes Kind (Entreating Child)

5. Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), Op.15 - 5. Glückes genug (Contentment)

6. Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), Op.15 - 6. Wichtige Begebenheit (Great Event)

7. Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), Op.15 - 7. Träumerei (Dreaming)

8. Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), Op.15 - 8. Am Kamin (By the Fireside)

9. Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), Op.15 - 9. Ritter vom Steckenpferd (Ride a Cock Horse)

10. Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), Op.15 - 10. Fast zu ernst (Almost Too Serious)

11. Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), Op.15 - 11. Fürchtenmachen (Frightening)

12. Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), Op.15 - 12. Kind im Einschlummern (Child Falling Asleep)

13. Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), Op.15 - 13. Der Dichter spricht (The Poet Speaks)

14. Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), Op.15 - Scherzo No. 3 in C Sharp Minor, Op.39 (1999 Digital Remaster)

15. Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), Op.15 - Polonaise No. 6 in A Flat, Op.53 'Heroic' (1999 Digital Remaster)

16. Ouverture e Scherzo da Ein Sommernachtstraum, Op.21 - Ouverture

17. Réminiscences de Don Juan per 2 pianoforti, S.656 - Grave

18. Réminiscences de Don Juan per 2 pianoforti, S.656 - Duetto (Andantino)

19. Réminiscences de Don Juan per 2 pianoforti, S.656 - Allegretto

20. Réminiscences de Don Juan per 2 pianoforti, S.656 - Presto

21. Ma Mère l'oye, cinq pièces enfantines - I. Pavane de la Belle au Bois dormant

22. Ma Mère l'oye, cinq pièces enfantines - II. Petit Poucet

23. Ma Mère l'oye, cinq pièces enfantines - III. Laideronnette, Impératrice des Pagodes

24. Ma Mère l'oye, cinq pièces enfantines - IV. Les entretiens de la Belle et de la Bête

25. Ma Mère l'oye, cinq pièces enfantines - V. Le jardin féerique

26. Ma Mère l'oye, cinq pièces enfantines - Variations on a Theme by Paganini for two pianos

CD3

1. Piano Trio in G Major, Hob.XV:25 - Andante

2. Piano Trio in G Major, Hob.XV:25 - Poco adagio, cantabile

3. Piano Trio in G Major, Hob.XV:25 - Rondo all'ongarese (presto)

4. Piano Quintet in Eb Major, Op.44 - I. Allegro brillante

5. Piano Quintet in Eb Major, Op.44 - II. In modo d'una marcia. Un poco largamente

6. Piano Quintet in Eb Major, Op.44 - III. Scherzo. Molto vivace

7. Piano Quintet in Eb Major, Op.44 - IV. Allegro ma non troppo

8. Cello Sonata - I. Prologue (Lent - Sostenuto e molto risoluto)

9. Cello Sonata - II. Sérénade et Final (Modérément animé - Animé)

10. Concertino for Piano, 2 Violins, Viola, Clarinet, Horn and Bassoon - I. Moderato

11. Concertino for Piano, 2 Violins, Viola, Clarinet, Horn and Bassoon - II. Pi¨ mosso

12. Concertino for Piano, 2 Violins, Viola, Clarinet, Horn and Bassoon - III. Con moto

13. Concertino for Piano, 2 Violins, Viola, Clarinet, Horn and Bassoon - IV. Allegro

Martha Argerich

Martha Argerich was born on 5th June 1941 in Buenos Aires. Her interest in the piano showed itself when she was three. Vincenzo Scaramuzza, her teacher, impressed on her the importance of feeling and the singing lyrical line – a facet of her playing which remains immediately recognisable. At the age of eight she made her debut concert playing Beethoven’s first concerto and the following year she gave Mozart’s Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466 and Bach’s French Suite in G, BWV 816.

In 1955 her family moved to Europe so that Martha could study with Friedrich Gulda in Austria; in this she was supported by the Argentine government who gave her parents diplomatic posts in their Embassy in Vienna. She won both the Geneva Music and Ferruccio Busoni International Competitions in 1957, but it was her winning the seventh Chopin Piano competition in Warsaw that confirmed her as a major talent at the age of 24.

Her formidable technique has often been compared to that of Horowitz. She is reputed to have learnt Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit in three days having been told it was extremely difficult. Her solo career lasted for a quarter of a century during which her talent for interpreting the romantic classics, notably Chopin and Liszt, were matched by her brilliance in the 20th century masters Ravel, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev and Messiaen. Her decision to limit her performances to chamber music and concerto was taken, as she admitted in interviews, to her feeling of loneliness on stage alone. This has been her career path for the last 30 years and she retains the aura of one of the most brilliant of all pianists of modern generations.

She has been particularly generous in supporting the next generation of artists.

She appears regularly as a jury member at important competitions and her friends and protégées captivate audiences with exquisite performances of chamber music at her festival at Lugano. Now at the age of 70 we can salute her as the phenomenon she undoubtedly is and wish her continued success in all aspects of her life

EMI Classics 3cds 0946182