Poster Martha Argerich
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Performance Today®

The superlative Martha Argerich

When music critic Alex Ross once tried to describe pianist Martha Argerich's playing, he bemoaned that his "well of superlatives had run dry." Argerich has been getting rave reviews, and exhausting everyone's supply of musical superlatives, since 1965. That was the year she took the world by storm, winning the Chopin Competition. We'll spend the bulk of hour one as Argerich devotees, focusing on her spectacular solo performances and collaborations with other artists. Plus, Rolf Lislevand on improvisation, and listener calls and emails.

Episode Playlist

Hour 1

Frederic Chopin: Prelude in F-sharp, Op. 28, No. 13, and Prelude in B, Op. 28, No. 21
Martha Argerich, piano

Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto for Strings and Continuo in G Minor
The Academy for Ancient Music, Berlin
Notre-Dame Basilica, Montreal, Quebec

Johann Sebastian Bach: Capriccio from Partita No. 2 in G, BWV 829
Martha Argerich, piano
Semperoper, Dresden, Germany

Robert Schumann: Andante and Variations in B-flat for two pianos, Op. 46
Martha Argerich and Lilya Zilberstein, pianos
Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, Flensburg, Germany

Maurice Ravel: Piano Concerto in G
Martha Argerich, piano, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Yannick Nezet-Seguin, conductor
Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles

Fritz Kreisler: Schon Rosmarin
Martha Argerich, piano, Gidon Kremer, violin
Philharmonie, Berlin, Germany

Hour 2

Georg Philipp Telemann: Allegro from Concerto in E-flat
Philharmonia Virtuosi, Richard Kapp, conductor

Geronimo Gimenez: Intermezzo from the Wedding of Luis Alonso
The Bremen Philharmonic Orchestra, Enrique Ugarte, conductor
Die Glocke, Bremen, Germany

Robert Schumann: Widmung No. 1, Op. 25
Natalia Ehwald, piano
Witold Lutoslawski Concert Hall, Warsaw, Poland

Fazil Say: Two Ballades
Fazil Say, piano
Mozartsaal, Schwetzingen, Germany

Perfchat with Rolf Lislevand: Perfchat

Rolf Lislevand and Giovanni Kapsberger: Improvisations on Hakaras and Passacaglia Andaluz
Rolf Lislevand, baroque guitar
Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio, St. Paul

Georg Philipp Telemann: Concerto in D for Flute, Strings, and Continuo
Christoph Huntgeburth, flute, Academy for Ancient Music, Berlin
Notre-Dame Basilica, Montreal, Quebec

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