Martha Argerich is such a gift... She touches every bit of me. She is not a young woman but,,, to me, she has come beyond herself. Hard to explain... just listen and listen again. Age has no business in her life.
nleytman excelsa. When you compare how she plays to how other fantastic pianists do you can feel the difference, no mistakes, outstanding interpretation, notes sound clear.
I only noted that she sounds clearer than other brilliant pianists, with no mistakes. Pianism is not only that, I agree, but Martha is not only a technical expert... if she were only that, she would not be one of the best ever.
+musizaful I'm going to disagree with the Glenn Gould remark, because when I hear his recordings, I struggle to hear Bach because he's projecting so much of himself. Yes, they're fantastic interpretations, but by no means are they what we pianists should strive to copy exactly. That's not to say that I don't hear Martha in her performances; of course I do, in the fire and the passion that comes through in everything she plays. And yes, sometimes that makes for a stellar performance (of particular note is her live recording of Ginastera's Danzas Argentinas Op.2, which work perfectly with her playing style), but at the same time, sometimes she has a tendency to rush things (prelude of English Suite II BWV 807, live recording of Hungarian Rhapsody VI S.244/6, etc.) which detracts from the beauty of her playing. And +Montserrat Anguita, she does make mistakes (some I can remember are in her Verbier Festival performance of Shostakovich Concerto for Trumpet and Piano, where she quite clearly plays the wrong note, and a live performance of Partita II BWV 826, where she slips a little), you just don't hear them in recordings because she'll record it again if there's a mistake.
I have been listening to Johan Sebastian Bach's music for several decades and I really see him as an honest composer. I also have some knowledge of his life and the history surrounding him and his family - and I truly believe him to be one of the fathers of modern music. It is always a pleasure to visit the city of Lubeck where he really for the first time was respected for his outstanding abilities and talent for composing music of high standards - and I will recommend any reader here to do the same. Johan Sebastian Bach was first of all a man of the Church - a disciple of Jesus Christ - and secondly a musician. I do believe - beyond the obvious talent - that Martha Agerich is one of the few remaing great Bach interpreters living right now.
I think its unfair how good Martha is. Gould always had an understanding with Bach and mostly played his works with a bit of Mozart and Beethoven thrown in but Martha plays Prokofiev, Bach, Chopin, Liszt, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff with the same understanding. Its crazy how good she is.
I agree with a comment below that great pianists like this rarely appear in the world. I would add - like great spiritual masters. We are very fortunate if we live in a time that provides this opportunity to not only know of their works but to experience them over and over (thanks to You tube and modern technology). 🌺
Thank you kiwibd for sharing your passion with us! I discovered Argerichs' Bach toccata in C minor thanks to you. She plays it with so much talent: so delicately, not mechanical and at the same time not too much romanticism.
HAHAHA!!! Her K 141 is quite possibly the best I've ever heard. She's the only pianist I've ever heard who actually has the technique to make that work move the way it should.
Meraviglia!!! Martha è sempre una meraviglia,grazie per ciò che possiamo ascoltare grazie a lei!Non sono musicista ma amante della musica,per me è impotante l'ascolto e trovo che lei sia speciale perchè lei è ogni musicista che interpteta.
Musical interpretations are as different as we human beings are different, we have to learn how to accept these wonderful differences.What it is quite difficult is to learn how to be as positive and objective as our possibilities allow.
She's just perfect, nothing more. I think Bach ges with her piano skills. Bach demands perfection and accuracy and she obviously have those skills. I'm amazed.
who cares who plays it better? better is opinion. i think we can all agree that the FACT is both Argerich and Gould play this piece very well. and i for one am glad that different masters produce different interpretations of it.
what year is this recording? it is so perfect it boggles the mind. I must come back to it every few weeks. There is something about Bach that makes the spirit feel more pure....And Argerich infuses this with a healthy sense of romanticism/emotion
Magistrale utilisation des capacités sonores du piano pour une oeuvre écrite à l'origine pour le clavecin, sans tomber dans la tentation d'y mettre des nuances superfétatoires que le jeu même du clavecin exclue.
From "Deutsche Grammophon" Bach: Toccata BWV 911; Partita BWV 826; English Suite No.2 BWV 807 Wonderful recording done in 1980. A legendary performance. Surely a source of delight.
Yes, I agree with what you're saying, Lov3s. I think it's just that I think Bach's the greatest composer of them all. Argerich is a magnificent pianist but it's essentially about the Bach for me. That Argerich plays it so well is an added bonus for me.
You are so right!!! One of the best opinions I've ever read. At the same time I would say that there is a limit to your opinion but overall, I agree with you.
Humm...I can't say I'm an Argerich fan,but I'm a Bach fan and I do fully appreciate this rendition - I wish i could listen to more Bach by Argerich and I'm going to take a look for a CD - any suggestion ? thx.a lot for sharing=
@beakt I couldn't agree more, and in fact would insist, categorically, that Argerich is the only pianist -without anyone else even resembling what might momentarily be mistaken as an exception- who plays Bach on the piano anywhere near as well as Gould. When it comes to Bach, Gould and Argerich divide the world between them; there is no third.
@ToulBoi That was part of what I was saying, thank you. ^-^ Just the universe itself, depending how you view it, is not predictable, we make it so by our patterns, and hope we follow the rules the best in what it is we care about, whether it be in a game, in musisc,etc. People are afraid of being different at times, thus being fond of consistency. Perhaps we'd be more creative if not for that. Thank you for your kindness in thinking I needed enlightenment. ^-^ And nice metaphor!
Pues bien, hablas castellano! Genial. Nunca tuve la suerte escucharla en vivo. Ya, no, es mentira. Tuve dos oportunidades que no aproveché. Descansé en la parte temprano del día cuando tocó Argerich para tener fuerza suficiente para escuchar a Olgar Kern por la tarde del mismo día. La otra vez fui a Madrid con amigos en vez de su concierto.
i fell in love with argerich for her powerful dynamism and her incomparable expression, and i am continually amazed by her -- this bach is not a style of music i would think she'd be particularly great at, and maybe gould is better, but there is something special about the clarity and the precision here. is there anything she can't play? love her.
Gould was indeed a genius, but each of them should be playing on the harpsichord. Bach had a chance to play the new Silberman pianos owned by fredrick the great (?) and detested them. I love Argerich. there's something amazing about how she hits the keys. each note is astonishingly clear....I'm glad we have each of them...
Agreed. In this life we all seem to strive to be the same from the fear it represents being different... being isolated... being unloved that we try to confine things in rules so that we have a standard to follow in this life. Yet, truly there is no structure in life: It is an illusion we create for ourselves so that we may "warp" the reality we so believe we live in. Funny how it works, neh? We humans like variation if we are open to it, although we are too fond of consistency, unfortunately.
She has a distinct nuance and approach to this piece in contrast to Goulds more imposing rendition. Flawless, but more imposing. Both excellent in their own right. Just a nuance, makes this rendition different and equally excellent. Any berating is inflated ego...
People can argue about about proper interpretation of the piece until the cows come home. Only J.S. Bach could settle it for sure. Whomever you prefer, give props to the musicians who tackle this work. It ain't easy.
@Musicsson Really?? Have you been in touch with Herr Bach lately?? How is he, and is he happy that his music has held up over these years? Oh, and please pass on my regards.
@YinziTra While different from Goulds its also very similar in when playing Bach her fingers are doing that bouncy sort of fast release after she strikes the key as Glenn Gould also has the style. It gives the performance a sort of "harpsicord" flavour. To me it sounds like similar technique but Goulds is more dead on in its accuracty and hers has a little more romance to it.
I didn't say everything lay in technique. Someone made a comment about her Scarlatti 141 and I simply said that she's the only pianist I've heard that has the technique needed to drive that work...simple as that.
Martha Argerich is such a gift... She touches every bit of me. She is not a young woman but,,, to me, she has come beyond herself. Hard to explain... just listen and listen again. Age has no business in her life.
Thank you for posting this. It's really a pleasure to listen this wonderful piece played by Martha Argerich.
There is good, there is great, and there is Martha.
nleytman excelsa. When you compare how she plays to how other fantastic pianists do you can feel the difference, no mistakes, outstanding interpretation, notes sound clear.
I only noted that she sounds clearer than other brilliant pianists, with no mistakes. Pianism is not only that, I agree, but Martha is not only a technical expert... if she were only that, she would not be one of the best ever.
+musizaful I'm going to disagree with the Glenn Gould remark, because when I hear his recordings, I struggle to hear Bach because he's projecting so much of himself. Yes, they're fantastic interpretations, but by no means are they what we pianists should strive to copy exactly. That's not to say that I don't hear Martha in her performances; of course I do, in the fire and the passion that comes through in everything she plays. And yes, sometimes that makes for a stellar performance (of particular note is her live recording of Ginastera's Danzas Argentinas Op.2, which work perfectly with her playing style), but at the same time, sometimes she has a tendency to rush things (prelude of English Suite II BWV 807, live recording of Hungarian Rhapsody VI S.244/6, etc.) which detracts from the beauty of her playing. And +Montserrat Anguita, she does make mistakes (some I can remember are in her Verbier Festival performance of Shostakovich Concerto for Trumpet and Piano, where she quite clearly plays the wrong note, and a live performance of Partita II BWV 826, where she slips a little), you just don't hear them in recordings because she'll record it again if there's a mistake.
In her own comments, she wonders why pianists do technical studies. She never does. She just plays.
the difference is gould only really mastered bach, was barely above average on other composers
I have been listening to Johan Sebastian Bach's music for several decades and I really see him as an honest composer.
I also have some knowledge of his life and the history surrounding him and his family - and I truly believe him to be one of the fathers of modern music.
It is always a pleasure to visit the city of Lubeck where he really for the first time was respected for his outstanding abilities and talent for composing music of high standards - and I will recommend any reader here to do the same.
Johan Sebastian Bach was first of all a man of the Church - a disciple of Jesus Christ - and secondly a musician.
I do believe - beyond the obvious talent - that Martha Agerich is one of the few remaing great Bach interpreters living right now.
I can't believe that a woman in her 70's can still have such a beautiful face! She plays Bach like shoe was born to it like Glenn Gloud!
I think its unfair how good Martha is. Gould always had an understanding with Bach and mostly played his works with a bit of Mozart and Beethoven thrown in but Martha plays Prokofiev, Bach, Chopin, Liszt, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff with the same understanding. Its crazy how good she is.
She earned that beautiful face!
I agree with a comment below that great pianists like this rarely appear in the world. I would add - like great spiritual masters. We are very fortunate if we live in a time that provides this opportunity to not only know of their works but to experience them over and over (thanks to You tube and modern technology). 🌺
Martha's Bach is spectacular.
Genius player such as her
rarely appear in the world .
How will this affect your mind ？
My heart wavered with emotion .
I love her interpretation. It's a wonderfully playful piece for her.
listening to this recording a while back is the reason why I chose this piece! she plays it fantastically!
i can not believe that 36 persons do not like THIS performance........
Martha wakes fanatiscm in lots of us, it's a passion u woudn't understand...
Thank you kiwibd for sharing your passion with us! I discovered Argerichs' Bach toccata in C minor thanks to you. She plays it with so much talent: so delicately, not mechanical and at the same time not too much romanticism.
This is song is soooo good! I can't get enough of it! Incredible composition, magnificent pianist.
Ugh, favorite Bach piece of all time. Being a music major was hell, but at least I found this through that struggle. ♥
What a beautiful performance. Martha Argerich is so very inspirational that I am considering taking up this beautiful Bach piece myself. :-)
She is great.
her bach is really fabulous. I wish she recorded more.
HAHAHA!!! Her K 141 is quite possibly the best I've ever heard. She's the only pianist I've ever heard who actually has the technique to make that work move the way it should.
amazing. Bach is just amazing. every line is clear, and he weaves like Arachnae.
Meraviglia!!! Martha è sempre una meraviglia,grazie per ciò che possiamo ascoltare grazie a lei!Non sono musicista ma amante della musica,per me è impotante l'ascolto e trovo che lei sia speciale perchè lei è ogni musicista che interpteta.
Musical interpretations are as different as we human beings are different, we have to learn how to accept these wonderful differences.What it is quite difficult is to learn how to be as positive and objective as our possibilities allow.
I love especially 3:20 when she wounderfully plays the main theme on the bass. It resounds clear and precise and yet full of passion
She's just perfect, nothing more. I think Bach ges with her piano skills. Bach demands perfection and accuracy and she obviously have those skills. I'm amazed.
FABULOUS! ( and humbling.)
who cares who plays it better? better is opinion. i think we can all agree that the FACT is both Argerich and Gould play this piece very well. and i for one am glad that different masters produce different interpretations of it.
She is a marvelous pianist...has been for years!
c est evident ,que du grand art ,un honneur pour bach et pour ces oeuvres d avoir la chance d avoir une interprette inegalable ,merci merci merci.
Magnificient! Great heart, rhythmic pulse, and lyricism!!
what year is this recording? it is so perfect it boggles the mind. I must come back to it every few weeks. There is something about Bach that makes the spirit feel more pure....And Argerich infuses this with a healthy sense of romanticism/emotion
goulda played this fugue
gould played this fugue
martha rules this fugue
Martha es muy buena pianista....pero quien compuso esta musica es EXTRAORDINARIO!!!
One of the little pianists who can play bach, except gould of course...
Martha Algerich is so amazing!
Magistrale utilisation des capacités sonores du piano pour une oeuvre écrite à l'origine pour le clavecin, sans tomber dans la tentation d'y mettre des nuances superfétatoires que le jeu même du clavecin exclue.
oh I can´t get enough of this composition. when I heard this I started to like and finaly play Bach.
I can tell it is marvelously played.
I must say, I am very impressed with this reading. Very musical, and full of passion.
From "Deutsche Grammophon" Bach: Toccata BWV 911; Partita BWV 826; English Suite No.2 BWV 807
Wonderful recording done in 1980. A legendary performance. Surely a source of delight.
Awesome! I love this piece; I first heard it played by Rubinstein. Martha A does a fabulous job.
The queen of piano!!
Martha, ce que tu es et nous donne nous aide au jour le jour.
Catherine, France, Paris
amazing clarity! Martha manages to have the piano sound like a harpshichord at times, when she interprets Bach.
Yes, I agree with what you're saying, Lov3s. I think it's just that I think Bach's the greatest composer of them all. Argerich is a magnificent pianist but it's essentially about the Bach for me. That Argerich plays it so well is an added bonus for me.
it's nice and straight forward but not too agressive like her intrepretations of other works. I love it!
the music comes to life under her hands!
An unusually measured performance from Martha
You are so right!!! One of the best opinions I've ever read. At the same time I would say that there is a limit to your opinion but overall, I agree with you.
Wonderful. What a pity she didn't play more Bach solo works.
Humm...I can't say I'm an Argerich fan,but I'm a Bach fan and I do fully appreciate this rendition - I wish i could listen to more Bach by Argerich and I'm going to take a look for a CD - any suggestion ?
thx.a lot for sharing=
@beakt I couldn't agree more, and in fact would insist, categorically, that Argerich is the only pianist -without anyone else even resembling what might momentarily be mistaken as an exception- who plays Bach on the piano anywhere near as well as Gould.
When it comes to Bach, Gould and Argerich divide the world between them; there is no third.
Just saying I agree. She communicates the music so very well!
Yes precious, the beautiful Martha Argerich
What a beautiful recording.
Martha and Glenn Gould are the 2 best Bach pianists in my opinion.
incroyable d'intelligence et de sensibilité...Martha, est géniale!
Wooow Martha , Keep going
thank you for posting this video Fantastic performance!!!!
agree! I love her Bach so much!! By the way...Her english suite no. 2 is awesome too!!
@ToulBoi That was part of what I was saying, thank you. ^-^ Just the universe itself, depending how you view it, is not predictable, we make it so by our patterns, and hope we follow the rules the best in what it is we care about, whether it be in a game, in musisc,etc. People are afraid of being different at times, thus being fond of consistency. Perhaps we'd be more creative if not for that. Thank you for your kindness in thinking I needed enlightenment. ^-^ And nice metaphor!
As always, JUST BRILLIANT. No wonder: her teachers were Michelangeli and Gulda, for crying out loud!
Beautiful. Argerich and Bach: what better combination?
I love Glenn Gould, and this is the one of the few non-Gould Bach recordings that I truly adore.
Bach is simply the greatest ever.
Pues bien, hablas castellano! Genial.
Nunca tuve la suerte escucharla en vivo. Ya, no, es mentira. Tuve dos oportunidades que no aproveché. Descansé en la parte temprano del día cuando tocó Argerich para tener fuerza suficiente para escuchar a Olgar Kern por la tarde del mismo día. La otra vez fui a Madrid con amigos en vez de su concierto.
wow . . . she's AMAZING
i fell in love with argerich for her powerful dynamism and her incomparable expression, and i am continually amazed by her -- this bach is not a style of music i would think she'd be particularly great at, and maybe gould is better, but there is something special about the clarity and the precision here. is there anything she can't play? love her.
some 40-55 years ago she was the most absolutely stunning lady you would've seen.
Great! She really channels Bach.
to aldebussy- thx.for your back up in suggesting that recording.I'm going to get it.
Cheers.
i like to hear her play. it's a nice voice
Gould was indeed a genius, but each of them should be playing on the harpsichord. Bach had a chance to play the new Silberman pianos owned by fredrick the great (?) and detested them. I love Argerich. there's something amazing about how she hits the keys. each note is astonishingly clear....I'm glad we have each of them...
Superb.TY canadapisces for sharing and kiwibd for posting
This is infinitely more enjoyable to listen to than Glen Gould because you don't have to hear his infernal humming over it.
Agreed. In this life we all seem to strive to be the same from the fear it represents being different... being isolated... being unloved that we try to confine things in rules so that we have a standard to follow in this life. Yet, truly there is no structure in life: It is an illusion we create for ourselves so that we may "warp" the reality we so believe we live in. Funny how it works, neh? We humans like variation if we are open to it, although we are too fond of consistency, unfortunately.
Beau et cristallin, merci ♥
Spell-binding. Bravo.
It's very beautiful...
Tiếng đàn martha Argentina thật là phóng khoáng, mạnh mẽ như con người của bà.
bello bellissimo bella musica
wonderfull
Great Martha !!!
Hall - marked performance ！
Breath -taking performance ！
She has a distinct nuance and approach to this piece in contrast to Goulds more imposing rendition. Flawless, but more imposing. Both excellent in their own right. Just a nuance, makes this rendition different and equally excellent. Any berating is inflated ego...
People can argue about about proper interpretation of the piece until the cows come home. Only J.S. Bach could settle it for sure. Whomever you prefer, give props to the musicians who tackle this work. It ain't easy.
Great art always provides for ambiguity
yes i do think so...but youtube does not allow anyone to upload videos longer than 10 mins. That's why i have to divid it into 2 like this. sorry :(
@Musicsson Really?? Have you been in touch with Herr Bach lately??
How is he, and is he happy that his music has held up over these years?
Oh, and please pass on my regards.
@beakt yes i agree two different styles and who's to say ones better than the other but both good it dosn't always have to be a contest
We're in agreement! Estamos totalmente de acuerdo.
Que todo te vaya bien.
Saludos cordiales.
muy buena marta como siempre vibrante y extraordinaria, gracias a DIOS
@YinziTra While different from Goulds its also very similar in when playing Bach her fingers are doing that bouncy sort of fast release after she strikes the key as Glenn Gould also has the style. It gives the performance a sort of "harpsicord" flavour. To me it sounds like similar technique but Goulds is more dead on in its accuracty and hers has a little more romance to it.
Anlaşılır, üzülmeyin!
It's a treat to see some Turkish here; and you're right about Gould, of course.
Genial genial genial!!!!
Más allá de espectacular!!!!!
Did you get it!?!?!?!?!?! WOOOW
On l'attendais dans CHOPIN, mais non elle excelle aussi dans BACH, attention à l'addiction, être marié avec Martha ARGERICH le rêve.
Magnifico indeed.
@AnaMTrenchiBottazzi
yes, bach has room for gould AND argerich for example.
I didn't say everything lay in technique. Someone made a comment about her Scarlatti 141 and I simply said that she's the only pianist I've heard that has the technique needed to drive that work...simple as that.
Beautiful sound is one of the main characteristics of Argerich's playing. But maybe you are not sufficiently a connoisseur to appreciate !
@AnaMTrenchiBottazzi If the call someone the best, they don't claim to jugde objectively. They just are overwhelmed, their hearts are brimming over.