Customer Reviews

Duo Piano Extravaganza

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am a 20-year-old piano major who was told to listen to this CD by one of my professors when I was trying to decide what to study as a major four-hands work. Since I am on a "student budget," I decided to listen to the college library's copy of this CD before buying, but immediately after I had listened to the Bartók, I knew that I had to have this CD.

Argerich belongs to a very elite group of pianists--Gieseking, Arrau, Serkin, and Backhaus are honoured to have her as their peer. Despite the daunting scale of the task, Freire and Kovacevich prove that they are worthy of sharing the stage on this CD, and the chemistry between them and Argerich (which several other reviewers have mentioned as well) is truly amazing. The Mozart is presented with clarity, beauty, emotion, and the irresistable charm that Argerich brings to so many of her Classical Period interpretations. The Rachmaninoff is a powerful, thrilling performance, and the Bartók is dark, deep, and carefully crafted without losing the sense of spontaneity.

But while the other reviewers have already focused on these points, I am truly baffled that few have mentioned Argerich and Freire's electrifying performance of Lutoslawski's Paganini Variations. The piece is based on the same Paganini capriccio (Op 1, No 24 in a minor) that Rachmaninoff and Brahms have used, but unlike with Rachmaninoff or Brahms, Lutoslawski follows the same overall structure as the original Paganini capriccio, to great effect. Lutoslawski shows great understanding of the piano and the use of off-beat sforzandi, doubled octaves, and glissandi at the climax create an amazing effect which Argerich and Freire fully capture here. The balance is impeccable, even during the near impossible middle section where Argerich plays a rumbling succession of fifths and fourths in rapid sixteenth-notes. The tempo choices, use of dynamics, and changes in colour and texture are right-on. After hearing two other recordings of this piece (by Nosowska and Halska), I can say with confidence that this recording blows the others out of the water. It is the definitive recording of this modern masterpiece.

I can't afford to buy many CDs, but this is one CD that I would pay twice the price for. I only wish that, a few months from now, my duet partner and I are able to play that piece half as well as Argerich and Freire do here.

This is a double CD of SUPERVIRTUOSO duo piano playing featuring a lot of music you will not easily find at a bargain price. Argerich is one of the legends of the classical piano world and her collaborators (Kovacevich and Freire)are amazing pianists in their own right, more than up to the formidable challenge of playing alongside her.

My particular favorites include the savagely intense Bartok with percussion, the fantastically subtle and atmospheric Debussy piece "En Blanc et Noir," and the famously melodic "Carnival of Animals" by Saint Saens." The TOP HONORS, however are reserved for the INCREDIBLE version of Ravel's "La Valse," easily the best ever. Argerich and Kovacevich just soar into the stratosphere on this one, electrifying the air molecules into magical disentropy.

This is a legendary CD. You won't hear better performances of the Rachmaninov Suite N.2 or the 2-pianos arrangement of Ravel's La Valse by the composer. But let us not forget that Martha Argerich is not the only one who plays on this CD. Her partners (most notably pianist Nelson Freire) are equally important in creating the magic of this CD. A MUST!

This Cd not only has a great selection, but it also contains BOTH versions of Bartok's works for two pianos and percussion.

The performanceof the Concerto for two pianos, percussion and orchestra is by far the best I've ever heard. Included is an excellent performance of its Sonata earlier version. Also is the best performance of Ravel's La Valse on CD in its original duo piano format. This is an extremely great buy !

While I agree with the enthusiastic reviews on this page, I take issue with the title `Duo Piano Extravaganza', since the reviewed album features not the bizarre periphery, but the core of the modern concert repertoire for the two pianos. Of course, Bartók's Sonata Sz.110 requires two percussionists and Saint-Saëns's `Carnaval of Animals' requires a chamber orchestra in addition to the duo-pianists, so these works are better-suited for the concert hall than for home music-making.

The main attractor for the public is Martha Argerich's name but her company is equally distinguished. In the most part of the program Argerich is joined by the great Romantic virtuoso Nelson Freire. His crystalline clear sound is a welcome addition to Argerich's fervor and music concepts. In Rachmaninov Op.17, Debussy's `En blanc et noir' and Bartók's Sonata for Sz.110 Argerich's partner is Stephen Kovacevich, an accomplished master on his own account. The Argerich-Kovacevich items come from 5/1977, while the Argerich-Freire items were recorded 1982 and 1985.

The best single track: Lutos'awski's `Variations on a Theme by Paganini' (CD 2, track 1). It is an early (1941) and unequivocally tonal piece - definitely more in the vein of the Liszt's version than in the vein of the Brahms's Paganini-variations.

The greatest work: Bartók's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, Sz.110 (CD 2, tracks 2-4). Contrary to some fellow reviewers, I have nothing against including into this compilation Bartók's own arrangement of the sonata as a Concerto for Two Pianos, Percussion and Orchestra, Sz.115 (CD 1, tracks 11-13). For the first, Bartók's music is so great that if you loved it as chamber work, you will enjoy it in shape of a concerto too and will follow the changed timbres. For the second, the 1985 remake is in much better sound than the 1977 Argerich-Kovacevich version. For the third, it gives a chance to hear the magnificent playing of Freire and the timbres of the great Concertgebouw orchestra. As for the interpretation, the first movement of the Sonata/Concerto is more aggressive in the Argerich-Freire variant. For the second and third movement I would go to Argerich and Freire.

I rate both Argerich-Kovacevich Bartók's Sonata Sz.110 and the Argerich-Freire Bartók's concerto Sz.115 above the Labeque sisters recording which has the same coupling Bartók: Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion / Concerto for Two Pianos, Percussion and Orchestra - Katia & Marielle Labèque. As for other versions of the sonata Sz.110, the large-scale approach of with Maria Yudina and Victor Derevianko (Melodiya) in many respects (alas, except the sound) remains unsurpassed: unfortunately it is not available on CD.

I won't argue against Mr.Morrison's point that no recorded version of Saint-Saëns's `Carnaval of Animals' surpasses this performance of Argerich & Freire (CD 2, tracks 5-18). For a comparison one can take a very elegant and stylish recording with Géza Anda and Bela Siki Piano Concerto 1: the same Testament CD also offers Liszt's First Piano Concerto and the Hungarian Fantasy with Anda - performances not to be missed. I do not want to be deprived of any recording of the Argerich-Freire duo, but if you want to hear a more idiomatic performance of Rachmaninov's Second Suite, Op. 17 (CD I, tracks 7-10), you can try the recent CD with Lugansky and Rudenko, which also includes Rachmaninov's Op. 5 (KTL o4-947).

This bargain 2-CD compilation from recordings of 1977, 1983, 1986, and 1988 presents a sweep of music, from the classical Mozart to contemporary Lutoslawski, from the impressionistic Debussy and Ravel to modernism's Bartok, from the whimsy of Saint-Saens to the romance of Rachminoff. Throughout, the perfomances of Marth Argerich with fellow pianists, Stephen Kovacevich and Nelson Freire, with other notable other musicians, including Gidon Kremer and Mischa Maisky, are first rate. Most worthy listening are renditions of Bartok's Sonata for 2 pianos and Percussion and the later transcription and expansion to a Concerto with Orchestra. Ravel's La valse for two pianos is a powerful transciption. At the end of the 19th century and early 20th century, parlors would host the playing of duo piano transcriptions; these recordings remind us of the richness and strenth of sound two combined pianos can produce. Thus, this brilliant album is special and an excellent choice to add to one's collection or present as a gift.

This is the very first Marta Argerich CD I've bought and frankly I'm very impressed. The Rachmaninov Suite is simply mind boggling - I'm sure its the sort of performance Rachmaninov only dreamed of w/o ever expecting it to become a reality!! Of course the real chemistry here is Argerich & Freire together - who can possibly beat that! Another 'revealing' piece is the Lutoslawski -short but very exciting (also curiously similar to Rachmaninov's version of the same period). Everything else -though not quite so amazing - was wonderfull too. I STRONGLY recommend this one!

Martha Argerich is one of the great ones playing today. She could never be confused with any other contemporary player, for sure. Lately she has been mostly playing in public in chamber music; "I get lonely on a stage all by myself." These collaborations prove what a wonderful musical colleague she is. Like the previous reviewer, I'm bowled over by the Rachmaninoff. The Bartoks are striking, too. And this is the best "Carnival of the Animals" I know. Great price.

This is a stunning album of duo piano favorites. Marta Argerich is one of the finest pianists currently on the concert circuit. On this complilation CD she teams with two other pianists to perform exciting renditions of some of the classic pieces in the duo piano genre. Standouts include the amazing performance of the Bartok Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion. This may be my favorite performance of this piece. It is savage and violent in the first movement, deeply mysterious in the second and playful and life-affirming in the final movement. The performance of the Lutoslawski Variations makes a good case for this work as a worthy successor to other variation sets on this marvelous Paganini Capriccio. The performance of La Valse is the first one that I've heard that doesn't make me yearn for the orchestra. And the Rachmaninov is spectacular.

Why only four stars then? Well, given the wealth of material for duo pianists, I find the inclusion of the Bartok Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra to be mistaken at best. This work is a recasting of the Sonata heard on the second disc, and it's a poor recasting at that. The propulsive power of the Sonata is smoothed out by the orchestra, and the added string lines don't really do anything for the piece at all. Better selections might have been the Mozaqrt Sonata for Two Pianos or the Stravinsky Two Piano music. I know that Argerich has recorded the Mozart for Phillips, so I am baffled by this programming choice.

All in all though, you can't go wrong. And at a Phillips Twofer price, this disc is a pleasant addition to your collection indeed!

Esta grabación tiene aciertos y desaciertos; Dentro de los aciertos laas variaciones sobre el capricho N° 24 de Paganini por W. Lwtoslavski pagan por el disco, La sonata de Bartok para dos pianos es de lo mejor que he oído igual puedo decir del Concierto para dos pianos y percusión. En los desaciertos debo comenzar por el mayor de todos, Mozart definitivamente no es para Aguerich. Para interpretar a Mozart se requiere más que precisión y temperamento, se requiere sensibilidad y no es que Arguerich carezca de ella como se puede apreciar en su interpretación de Chopin (en otras grabaciones); lo mismo puede decirse de su interpretación de Debussy. La Suite para dos pianos de Rachmaninoff no es su mejor interpretación, ya lo había hecho antes con mejor fortuna.