Manor 1978

1. Straszny Dwór (The Haunted Manor), opera
Composed by Stanislaw Moniuszko
Performed by Cracow Polish Radio Orchestra & Chorus with Vera Baniewicz , Andrzej Hiolski , Leonard Mroz , Zdzislaw Nikodem , Wieslaw Ochman , Florian Skulski , Bozena Betley-Sieradska , Kazimierz Dluha
Conducted by Jan Krenz

Tracks:

Partita No. 2 In C Minor, BWV 826: I. Sinfonia - Grave Adagio
Partita No. 2 In C Minor, BWV 826: Andante
Partita No. 2 In C Minor, BWV 826: II. Allemande
Partita No. 2 In C Minor, BWV 826: III. Courante
Partita No. 2 In C Minor, BWV 826: IV. Sarabonde
Partita No. 2 In C Minor, BWV 826: V. Rondeau
Nocturne No. 13 In C Minor, Op. 48, No. 1
Scherzo No. 3 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 39
Sonata, Sz. 80: I. Allegro moderato
Sonata, Sz. 80: II. Sostenuto e pesante
Sonata, Sz. 80: III. Allegro molto
Danzas Argentinas, Op. 2: I. Danza del viejo boyero (Dance Of The Old Cowherd)
Danzas Argentinas, Op. 2: II. Danza de la moza donoso (Dance Of The Delightful Young Girl)
Danzas Argentinas, Op. 2: III. Danza del gaucho matrero (Dance Of The Artful Herdsman)
Piano Sonata No. 7 In B Flat, Op. 83: I. Allegro inquieto - Andantino
Piano Sonata No. 7 In B Flat, Op. 83: II. Andante caloroso
Piano Sonata No. 7 In B Flat, Op. 83: III. Precipitato
Scarlatti: Keyboard Sonata In D Minor
Bourree - English Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807

Amazon.com

Throughout her lengthy artistic career, pianist Martha Argerich has experienced many heights and depths: moments of "crisis" in which she hasn't always seemed prepared to offer the full extent of her artistic insights, but also many, many times when she has managed simultaneously to come into her own and to completely lose herself in music-making. Fortunately it's the latter snapshot of Argerich's career that this CD captures, drawing from two live recitals Argerich gave at Amsterdam's Concertgebouw in 1978 and 1979. They document the pianist's overwhelming gifts, with all the artistic characteristics that have made her so revered. The program is quite eclectic, with music from Prokofiev and Chopin--all familiar territory for Argerich, which she masters with arresting brilliance, extraordinary technical facility, and grandly sweeping gestures. A bit further afield on the program are such composers as Domenico Scarlatti and J.S. Bach. The latter might give one pause: Bach and Argerich? But in the slower movements of the C Minor Partita, it's astonishing to hear such uncommonly tender, feathery tones. In short, the music breathes. It's only too bad that in the faster movements of the Bach pieces Argerich resorts to her typically fiery, stormy attacks. --Teresa Pieschacón Raphael

Customer Reviews:

If you only get one Martha Argerich disc..........2007-04-30

If you only get one Martha Argerich disc, or if you're just begining to collect her music, this would be an excellent choice. She is in superb form here, playing to a large, very appreciative audience. Also she plays a huge variety here, ranging from Bach & Scarlatti, through Chopin, to semi-modern composers including Bartok, Prokofiev, and Ginastera.

This recording illustrates why Argerich is considered by many to be the greatest living pianist, (I also love Pollini). Her power, passion, full colored tone, and technical agility are unparalleled. While everything on this album is superb, my favorite is the Chopin Nocturne in C minor. It starts off very calm, but with just a hint of the turbulence to come. It becomes even more serine when suddenly the serenity is invaded by waves of dark turbulence. I've heard a few other versions of this work, but I've never heard the simultaneous range of emotions that Argerich achieves here, it's magical.

DON'T YOU WISH YOU'D BEEN THERE?.......2006-08-31

Thrilling, exciting, sexy, passionate, fiery, volatile, demanding, challenging, surprising, charismatic, exquisitely beautiful. Are we talking about the pianist or the playing? Well, both, of course. This recital from the Concertgebouw in the late 70's (actually put together from two recitals) amply demonstrates why Martha Argerich is one of the great pianists of our time.

For a start, there is the breathtaking range of repertoire here - from Bach to Bartok and Prokofiev and on to her fellow-countryman, Ginastera. All of them played with an innate sense of the different styles and character demanded. But all of them challenging stale preconceptions, shedding new light on the composers and their music. Even the most familiar pieces come up as fresh as though newly minted. The Chopin items are just as fresh and exciting as anything here: the C Minor Nocturne is a wonder of colour and tints, the darkness of its central section starkly contrasted with the elegance and smoothness of its outer parts. Equally the motoric rhythms of the first movement of the Bartok Sonata and the last of the Prokofiev display enormous power and energy.

With her reluctance to play/record solo recitals any more, live documents such as these Concertgebouw programmes are invaluable. If you've a taste for invigorating, refreshing piano playing of the highest standards (both of technique and interpretation), don't hesitate.

Argerich's strengths and weaknesses.......2005-11-11

This CD, with live recordings from 1978 and 1979, is a showcase of Martha Argerich's astounding gifts but also of some of her evident shortcomings. The former are a technique as brilliant as any to be found anywhere in the world today, a real interpretative temperament and a natural musical instinct which is amongst the most unique in the annals of piano playing. The latter, a tendency towards senselessly fast and forced playing which often leads to distorted renditions reminiscent of the worst moments of Simon Barere and Gyorgy Cziffra.

The Partita n. 2 is good, reasonably spacious and even luminous in places. It's non-authoritative Bach playing but all the better for it. The Bartok sonata is the highlight of the disc: its motoric drive is relentless, its percussiveness notable without being unpleasant, and the overall technical vigour quite remarkable. Prokofiev's Sonata n. 7, op. 83 - probably the most popular of the Russian master's nine - is also impressive, with some brilliant fingerwork in spite of some minor slips and exciting throughout, though the final allegro precipitato sounds hurried rather than potent. Argerich also shows the expected understanding of her compatriot Alberto Ginastera's Danzas Argentinas, which she dispatches with flair and elan.

The Chopin, however, is a totally different story, and a sad one at that. This Scherzo n. 3 is much inferior to Argerich's previous recordings of the piece - made in 1961 and 1965 - and easily her worst attempt. She entirely sacrifices the narrative aspect of the work to speed and feverishness. The result is a shapeless, amorphous performance, with many blurred and technically inaccurate moments, and a tone with is at times hard-edged and banged. I can't imagine Chopin wanting that (ironically enough, the notoriously fast-fingered Barere recorded this same scherzo in the 30's with restraint, good taste and a luminous quality of tone).

All in all, a valuable CD, not only for the instances of great piano playing but also for revealing Argerich's highs and lows as a performer.

Great Chopin Nocturne.......2005-02-03

Sometimes, listening to Argerich can give one the impression that you are hearing THE way of playing a piece.
In this case, it happened with Chopin's beautiful nocturne, which i had already heard in various performances by other pianists (Rubinstein, Barenboim, etc)

I can't believe it's the same piece. In this recording, Argerich has managed to make this one explode like an atomic bomb, and leave me trembling.... Even in the slower parts the notes seem to flow like water... Simply wonderful.

The other works recorded are good, but the partita sounds better on DG's Studio recording, the Scherzo also sounds better on DG's Debut Recital... The Prokofiev sonata is included in this disc only, so if you want it, there you go...

Anyway, good cd, gret Nocturne, very good permormances all around.

The sound is a little crappy though, so it gets 4 stars instead of five. I really don't like EMI's live sound...

Not Martha's Best.......2001-07-30

Being a Marth Argerich fan, i was disapointed with this CD. In the last movement of the Prokofiev, which is one of my favorite pieces of music, she loses control and the Great Finaly of the sonata is very sloppy. through out the CD backround noise is heard and for the encores i was amazed at how much whishpereing there was , even during her playing. i know thats something that she cannot help. overall her playing is much cleaner and neater on otherr CD's. i recommened her two Great Pianists of hte Twentieth Century CD's much more than this one. the First one has a much nicer recording of the Bach Partita.