Martha Argerich

Martha Argerich (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmaɾta aɾxeˈɾitʃ]; Eastern Catalan: [əɾʒəˈɾik]; born 5 June 1941) is an Argentine classical concert pianist. Born and raised in Buenos Aires to Jewish-Spanish parents, Argerich gave her debut concert at eight before receiving further piano training in Europe. At an early age, she won several competitions, including the VII International Chopin Piano Competition, and has since recorded numerous albums and performed with leading orchestras worldwide. The recipient of several awards, including three Grammy Awards, Argerich is widely considered one of the greatest pianists of all time.^[1][2]

Martha Argerich
Argerich in 2015
Background information
Born	(1941-06-05) 5 June 1941 (age 81) Buenos Aires, Argentina
Genres	Classical
Occupation(s)	Pianist
Spouse(s)	Robert Chen ​ ​ (m. 1964; div. 1964)​ Charles Dutoit ​ ​ (m. 1969; div. 1973)​

Early life and education

 

Argerich in 1962

Argerich was born in Buenos Aires.^[3] Her paternal ancestors were Spaniards from Catalonia who had been based in Buenos Aires since the 18th century. Her maternal grandparents were Jewish immigrants from the Russian Empire, who settled in Colonia Villa Clara in Argentina's Entre Ríos Province, one of the colonies established by Baron de Hirsch and the Jewish Colonization Association.^[4][5] The provenance of the name Argerich is Catalonia.

A precocious child, Argerich began kindergarten at the age of two years and eight months, where she was the youngest child. A five-year-old boy, who was a friend, teased her that she would not be able to play the piano, and Argerich responded by playing perfectly, by ear, a piece their teacher played them. The teacher immediately called the mother and they "started making a fuss." Argerich started learning the piano at the age of three.^[6] At the age of five, she moved to teacher Vincenzo Scaramuzza, who stressed to her the importance of lyricism and feeling. Argerich gave her debut concert in 1949 at the age of eight. The family moved to Europe in 1955, where Argerich studied with Friedrich Gulda in Austria, whom Argerich describes as one of her major influences. She later studied with Stefan Askenase and Maria Curcio.^[7] Argerich also seized opportunities for brief periods of coaching with Madeleine Lipatti (widow of Dinu Lipatti), Abbey Simon, and Nikita Magaloff.^[8] In 1957, at sixteen, she won both the Geneva International Music Competition and the Ferruccio Busoni International Competition within three weeks of each other.^{[n 1]}

Following this success, Argerich had a personal and artistic crisis. After an abortive attempt to study with the Italian pianist Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, who gave her only four lessons in the space of 18 months, she went to New York City, hoping but failing to meet and study with her idol, Vladimir Horowitz.^[10] She did not play the piano for three years and considered giving it up to train as a secretary or doctor.^[11] She credited Anny Askenase, the wife of Stefan Askenase, with encouraging her to return to the piano.^[6] Following her return, Argerich won the prestigious VII International Chopin Piano Competition in 1965.

Professional career

 

Argerich during a rehearsal with the orchestra for the final of the VII International Chopin Piano Competition, 1965

Argerich performed her debut concert at the age of eight, playing Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor and Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major.^[12] Argerich gained international prominence when she won the VII International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 1965, at age 24. In that same year, she debuted in the United States in Lincoln Center's Great Performers Series. In 1960, she had made her first commercial recording, which included works by Chopin, Brahms, Ravel, Prokofiev, and Liszt; it received critical acclaim upon its release in 1961. She has since recorded works by composers including Ginastera, Rachmaninoff and Schumann, to whom she describes feeling a particular connection.^[13]

Argerich has often remarked in interviews of feeling "lonely" on stage during solo performances.^[14] Since the 1980s, she has staged few solo performances, concentrating instead on concertos and, in particular, chamber music, and collaborating with instrumentalists in sonatas.

 

Argerich performing at the later Kirchner Cultural Centre, 2008

Argerich has also promoted younger pianists, both through her annual festival and through her appearances as a member of the jury at international competitions.^[15][16][17] The pianist Ivo Pogorelić was thrust into the musical spotlight partly as a result of Argerich's actions: after he was eliminated in the third round of the 1980 International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, Argerich proclaimed him a genius and left the jury in protest.^[18] According to Đặng Thái Sơn, the eventual winner, Argerich made the "beautiful gesture" of sending a public telegram to the judging committee to congratulate him, after learning the final results.^[19] She has supported several artists, including Gabriela Montero, Mauricio Vallina, Sergio Tiempo, Roberto Carnevale, Gabriele Baldocci, and Christopher Falzone.^[20][21][22]

Argerich is the president of the International Piano Academy Lake Como and performs annually at the Lugano Festival.^[23] She has also created and been a General Director of the Argerich Music Festival and Encounter in Beppu, Japan, since 1996.

 

Argerich performing at the Kirchner Cultural Centre, July 2015

Her aversion to the press and publicity has resulted in her remaining out of the limelight for most of her career. Nevertheless, she is widely recognized as one of the greatest pianists in history.^{[24][25][26][27]} Her performance of Liszt's First Piano Concerto conducted by Daniel Barenboim at The Proms 2016 prompted this review in The Guardian: "It was an unforgettable performance. Argerich celebrated her 75th birthday in June this year, but that news doesn't seem to have reached her fingers. Her playing is still as dazzling, as frighteningly precise, as it has always been; her ability to spin gossamer threads of melody as matchless as ever. This was unmistakably and unashamedly Liszt in the grand manner, a bit old-fashioned and sometimes even a bit vulgar at times, but in this of all concertos, with Barenboim and the orchestra following each twist and turn, every little quickening and moment of expressive reflection, it seemed entirely appropriate".^[28] Argerich returned to the Proms at the age of 78 in 2019 to perform Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto under the baton of Barenboim, a performance described as "mesmerizing".^[29]

Personal life

Argerich introduces herself, 2018

External audio
You may hear Martha Argerich performing Johann Sebastian Bach's Partita No. 2 in C minor, BWV 826 Here on archive.org

Argerich has been married twice. Her first marriage was to the composer-conductor Robert Chen, (Chinese: 陈亮声; pinyin: Chén Liàngshēng)^[30] whom she married after she became pregnant by him with her first daughter, violinist Lyda Chen-Argerich.^[31] Their marriage ended after several months, in 1964.^[32] From 1969 to 1973, Argerich was married to Swiss conductor Charles Dutoit, with whom she had a daughter, Annie Dutoit. Although they separated in 1973, Argerich continues to record and perform with Dutoit. In the 1970s, she had a relationship with the American pianist Stephen Kovacevich,^[33] with whom she had her third daughter, Stéphanie.^[32] Although they made few recordings together during their relationship, Argerich and Kovacevich still frequently perform together.^[34] Stéphanie Argerich explains in her film Bloody Daughter that as her parents were not married, they tossed a coin to name their daughter, for which Argerich won the toss. Argerich brought her children up in a manner described by Annie Dutoit as "bohemian";^[35] Argerich preferred her children to stay at home rather than go to school, and would regularly host young musicians in her home and practice through the night.^[13]

Argerich is a polyglot and can speak Spanish, French, Italian, German, English, and Portuguese.^{[36][37][38][39]} Although her mother tongue is Spanish, she brought her children up speaking French.^[13] She has lived in Argentina, Belgium, Switzerland, and France, and holds citizenship in Switzerland and Argentina.^[40]

Argerich has never been connected to any political party.^[41] However, she stated in a 2019 interview that she is strongly against capital punishment, and admires the French politician Robert Badinter, who enacted the abolition of the death penalty in France.^[42] Her friend pianist Daniel Barenboim stated that when he contacted the Argentinian president Mauricio Macri in 2016, asking him to accept Syrian refugees into the country, it was also on behalf of Argerich.^[43]

In 1990, Argerich was diagnosed with malignant melanoma. After treatment, the cancer went into remission, but it recurred in 1995 and eventually metastasized to her lungs, pancreas, liver, brain, and lymph nodes. Following an experimental treatment at the John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica pioneered by oncologist Donald Morton, Argerich's cancer went into remission again. In gratitude, Argerich performed a recital at Carnegie Hall benefiting the institute.^[44] As of 2021^[update], Argerich remains cancer-free.^[10]

Media

In 2002, director Georges Gachot [de] released Martha Argerich: Conversation nocturne (Martha Argerich: Evening Talks), a documentary film about Argerich.^[45] Stéphanie Argerich Blagojevic, using film she had shot since childhood, directed a 2012 documentary film about her mother, titled Bloody Daughter.^[46]

Awards

• Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition: 1st prize (1957)^[47]
• Geneva International Music Competition: 1st prize (1957)
• VII International Chopin Piano Competition: 1st prize (1965)
• Claudio Arrau Memorial Medal (1997)
• Diamond Konex Award (1999) as the most important classical musician of the decade in Argentina
• Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with orchestra):
  • Charles Dutoit (conductor), Martha Argerich, and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra for Prokofiev: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 3 / Bartók: Piano Concerto No. 3 (2000)
• Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance:
  • Martha Argerich and Mikhail Pletnev for Prokofiev (Arr. Pletnev): Cinderella Suite for Two Pianos / Ravel: Ma mere l'Oye (2005)
• The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette (2005) Japan
• Praemium Imperiale (2005) Japan
• Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with orchestra):
  • Claudio Abbado (conductor), Martha Argerich, and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra for Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 and 3 (2006)
• Voted into Gramophone's Hall of Fame (2012)^[48]
• Recipient of The Kennedy Center Honors (2016)^[49]
• Recipient of Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (2018)^[50]

See also

•  Music portal

• Great Pianists of the 20th Century – Martha Argerich
• Great Pianists of the 20th Century – Martha Argerich II
• List of Argentines

Notes

1. At the latter she met Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, whom she would later seek out for lessons – although she studied with him for over a year, she only had four lessons with him. Michelangeli, when asked what he had done for Argerich, replied: "I taught her the gift of silence".^[9]

References

1. "The 20 Greatest Pianists of all time | Classical-Music.com". www.classical-music.com.
2. "The 25 best piano players of all time". Classic FM. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
3. Tommasini, Anthony (25 March 2000). "An Enigmatic Pianist Reclaims Her Stardom". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
4. "La vida de una pianista única: "Martha Argerich" por Moshé Korin". Lavozylaopinion.com.ar. Archived from the original on 1 August 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
5. . Owl-ge.ch. Archived from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
6. Elder, Dean (5 February 1978). . Archived from the original on 7 June 2000. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
7. Niel Immelman (14 April 2009). "The Guardian, 14 April 2009". Guardian. London. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
8. Manildi, Donald Musician of the Year 2001 Martha Argerich, "Musical America", 2001
9. Andrew Clark (8 July 2011). "Strains of mood music". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
10. Midgette, Anne (1 December 2016). "Martha Argerich is a legend of the classical music world. But she doesn't act like one". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
11. Doherty, Kevin. "Artist Of The Week: Martha Argerich". www.capradio.org.
12. "Martha Argerich (Piano) – Short Biography". Bach-cantatas.com. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
13. "Bloody Daughter"
14. . YouTube. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
15. . Chopin International Competition. Archived from the original on 7 July 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
16. . ASU Competition. Archived from the original on 21 May 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
17. . Arthur Rubinstein Competition. Archived from the original on 30 September 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
18. McCormick, Lisa (2018). "Pogorelich at the Chopin: Towards a sociology of competition scandals". The Chopin Review. Fryderyk Chopin Institute (1). ISSN 2544-9249.
19. Ho, Elijah (22 September 2011). "Interview with Dang Thai Son". The Counterpoints.
20. "Classicalrecitals". YouTube. 3 November 2009. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
21. (in Italian). Rsi.ch. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
22. (in Italian). Rsi.ch. Archived from the original on 30 December 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
23. (in Italian). .rsi.ch. Archived from the original on 4 November 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
24. Ross, Alex (12 November 2001). "Madame X". The New Yorker. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
25. Tommasini, Anthony (20 March 2005). "Classical Music: Recordings; Boisterous Beethoven, Brooding Brahms". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
26. Carrizo, Rodrigo (24 January 2013). . Swissinfo.ch. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
27. In a 2001 article about Martha Argerich for The New Yorker, critic Alex Ross wrote: "Argerich brings to bear qualities that are seldom contained in one person: she is a pianist of brain-teasing technical agility; she is a charismatic woman with an enigmatic reputation; she is an unaffected interpreter whose native language is music. This last may be the quality that sets her apart. A lot of pianists play huge double octaves; a lot of pianists photograph well. But few have the unerring naturalness of phrasing that allows them to embody the music rather than interpret it."
28. "West-Eastern Divan Orchestra/Barenboim/Argerich review – extraordinary in every respect". The Guardian. 18 August 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
29. Clements, Andrew (13 August 2019). "Prom 34: West-Eastern Divan Orch/Barenboim/Argerich review – immaculate and mesmerising". The Guardian – via www.theguardian.com.
30. . News.163.com. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
31. . Sens Management. Archived from the original on 3 October 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
32. Hauptfuhrer, Fred; Vespa, Mary (7 April 1980). "A Top Woman Pianist, Martha Argerich, Nearly Gave Up Her Steinway for Steno". people.com. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
33. "Martha Argerich Speaks to Stephen Kovacevich". Gramophone.co.uk. November 2008. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
34. Martha Argerich e Stephen Kovacevich – Leffest 2018. Lisbon & Sintra Film Festival. 7 October 2019. from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2021 – via YouTube.
35. Martha Argerich en concert privé – private concert [SSTEN, SSTFR, SSTDE] – ARTE Concert. ARTE Concert. 27 June 2021. from the original on 7 September 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021 – via YouTube.
36. 2012 Verbier Festival – interview#16 – Martha Argerich. medici.tv. 14 August 2012. from the original on 7 September 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021 – via YouTube.
37. Martha Argerich – RARE – Interview & rehearsal – Hamburg Laeiszhalle. musicbox78nrw. 11 April 2021. from the original on 7 September 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021 – via YouTube.
38. RSI – INTERVISTA A MARTHA ARGERICH. Gerardo Nardelli. 24 November 2012. from the original on 7 September 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021 – via YouTube.
39. . Daniel De Nardi. 31 January 2019. Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2021 – via YouTube.
40. Argerich (Bloody Daughter)
41. "No, no es real este video de Martha Argerich tocando la marcha peronista". 7 September 2019.
42. Martha Argerich, in her own words (with English Subtitles). Argerich Vault. 4 June 2021. from the original on 7 September 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021 – via YouTube.
43. "Daniel Barenboim on ageing, mistakes and why Israel and Iran are twin brothers". TheGuardian.com. 16 August 2016.
44. Toronto Globe and Mail, concert review, 28 March 2000
45. "Martha Argerich, conversation nocturne" – via www.imdb.com.
46. Leslie Felperin (30 April 2015). "Argerich review – a daughter's honest portrait of her classical-pianist mother". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
47. . Concorsobusoni.it. Archived from the original on 14 November 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
48. "Gramophone Hall of Fame : Artists Page". Gramophone.co.uk. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
49. "The Kennedy Center Honors". Kennedy-center.org. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
50. "Concerto in onore di Zubin Mehta". Presidenza della Repubblica (Italy). 24 October 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2018.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Martha Argerich.

 

Wikiquote has quotations related to Martha Argerich.

• Ross, Alex; 'Madame X', November 12, 2001, a profile of Argerich in The New Yorker
• Martha Argerich, evening talks, the award-winning documentary film about Argerich by Georges Gachot^{[permanent dead link]} – (imdb link)
• , an interview with Argerich first published in the 1979 International Music Guide
• , a music festival sponsored by the Argerich Arts Foundation of Beppu, Japan
• Martha Argerich biography, CD and concert review by cosmopolis.ch
• Martha Argerich Project Brings Talent to Lugano 17 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine by Euro News, 15 June 2009