Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Thursday I have a date with Martha Argerich

Kenny I'm looking forward to Friday 11/16 - Avery Fisher Hall same program.

Couldn't believe that this concert came up on TDF and I jumped at the opportunity to buy a ticket - don't know where my seat is, just happy to be able to hear her play - and I hope the orchestra doesn't overpower her playing and that she does actually show up. Can't wait till Friday 11/16.

I'm seeing her Sunday night!

(crossing fingers that she doesn't cancel)

Check out TDF website - they were still listed when I last checked and that's where I ordered mine www.tdf.org the are listed under Concets & Events bottom of the list. Are you a TDF member?

Theater Development Fund. Its listed as the UBS Verbier Festival Orchestra and I clicked it on and Martha Argerich - surprise, surprise.

Turns out I was lucky to get a ticket.

Apparently it has been sold out for a while and just happened to buy my ticket online after someone cancelled.

Later they were all gone but there are much worse seats (like behind the stage).

A good friend of mine in Minneapolis -lucky him- will be going to Chicago for Argerich's Prokofiev 3.

Horowitz lived on E. 94 street for the majority of his life. (don't remember what cross street it was near, but by the park)

If he lived near the park it probably was between Fifth & Madison. Explains why my wife would meet him at the bank at 92nd & Madison. (94th btw. Mad & Park is Hunter College HS & their playground.)
As said before, she had no idea who he was at the time. I think that he may have taken a pleasure of "normalcy" with her.
Nevertheless, still think that Palindrome should have treated him to a smoothie.

I was relieved when Argerich walked out on stage because of her reputation for canceling.
I feel very lucky to have seen this great artist.

The Prokofiev didn't do much for me though the actual sound of the hall and the orchestra was impressive.
Maybe in 10 years my ears will be ready for that kind of music.

The applause was long and deafening.
We brought her out for two solo encores, a movement from a Scarlatti sonata that had me in tears (literally) from her first phrase, and the first piece of Schumann's Scenes from Childhood.

The orchestra did drown out the piano through much of Prokofiev’s third, but maybe that's how it is supposed to be, or it was the cheapo seat.
My seat was in the very back row of the highest balcony, dead center, and I only got that because someone cancelled.
My seat was so high that the piano’s open lid was pointing right at me; I could not see the top or bottom of it.

During her two solo encores the piano, a Hamburg D, sounded full, lush and gorgeous, even at my seat up in the sky.

Her Scarlatti was astonishing, that’s all I can say.
When hearing such an artist live it is almost like you are experiencing more than music.
Sensory overload
Circuits breaking
Orgasm

I think it is important to get off your butt and see artists like this from time to time.
It is so enriching for the soul.
It goes someplace inside you, like education; It is something you can call on.
It teaches a student how much is possible from those 88 keys.

If any of you are going to attend one of the 9 remaining concerts on this tour you can buy a CD of her playing Prok's 3rd with Charles Dutoit conducting if you want to get prepared.
I should have.
I would have appreciated the Prokofiev more.

Kenny - after reading your review, I can't wait till next Friday.

My pet peeve with any concert with a soloist backed by the orchestra, is that the soloist is almost always overpowered by the orchestra and I feel that the conductor has the ability have them play softer. Afterall, they are acting as the accompianist to the pianist, violinist etc. and the solo artist should be able to be heard throughout the concert not just when they stop playing for a minute.

I'm not sure it has to do with the location of your seat. The first time I heard Argerich play was at Carnegie Hall and I was so high up that I called it the ski slope section. Carnegie is famous for it's accoustics and the orchestra was conducted by Dutoit, guess he didn't want her to be heard, execpt for few places in the music and for the Ravel piece she played. I've never forgotten her playing Ravel - when she finished playing there was dead silence in the hall and then this wild burst of applause and a standing ovation. What a thrill and there's not much more I add to what has be said about Argerich.

I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that she shows up - one never knows.

Thanks for the update Kenny. Wish I could've been there. I hereby vow that I'm going to see her somewhere in the world before I die and/or she stops performing!

She will be in Houston, Texas the day after tomorrow, Nov 11 at Jones Hall.

She's 67 years old, and is a cancer survior.
This may be it.

I'd go to Houston and see her this weekend, if there are tickets.

Kenny: many, many thanks for your review!

Whilst reading I managed to transgress both the 3rd and 10th Commandments. And someone restrain me before I have a go at the 6th.
Amen to that, Greg.

As I said earlier in this thread, I'm unfortunately unable to attend in Houston (Doctor's orders not to travel) and as I lamented earlier this may be my last chance to see her. Hopefully not. When I recover I may be able to travel to attend one of the other U.S dates on this current tour.

Sorry Greg.

Be well.

That's rarely been my experience with orchestras and soloists, either of high caliber or of lesser status.

Regards,

The exact address was 14 East 94th Street, very close to Central Park.

Was the Scarlatti the famous one in D minor with all the repeated notes? ie the one on this link?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=PcsRl_LIJHA

I'm glad she didn't cancel LA. That means decreased chance of her cancelling Houston.

I don't think so (sorry, pathetic memory).
I'm looking for a review that may tell us.

THAT WAS A SUPERB PERFORMANCE BY BOTH ARGERICH AND DUTOIT.

I was REALLY impressed with the youth symphony...

Did ya'll hear my chant from East Terrace? My friends and I started a "MARTHA! MARTHA!" chant... I got the ENTIRE section to chant with me... it was AMAZING. A lot like a crazy rock concert! The orchestra and Martha looked up smiling. It was great! She sat back down and played us TWO encores!

The two encore pieces were:

Scarlatti's Sonata in d minor, K141
Schumann's Kinderszenen - Hasche-Mann & Bittendes Kind

The piano sounded perfectly fine to me... the orchestra didn't drown her sound out, but I did have pretty good seats. I purposely got seats near the piano with the lid facing my way (sorta). I bought 10 tickets and we got em for 20 bucks each.

But I did move up to fifth row after intermission... gad this hall is AMAZING...

oh yea, I ended up sitting very close to the red haired girl from Desperate Housewives when I moved up--no joke.

Photos from my seats:



Martha after ripping through Prokofiev 3...




Maestro Dutoit kissing the goddess' hand...



walking off stage holding hands...




The UBS Verbier Festival Orchestra and Charles Dutoit