Prokofiev: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 3 / Bartok: Piano Concerto No. 3 [Original recording reissued]

Sergey Prokofiev (Composer), Bela Bartok (Composer), Charles Dutoit (Conductor), Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (Orchestra), Martha Argerich (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Martha Argerich
• Orchestra: Orchestre symphonique de Montréal
• Conductor: Charles Dutoit
• Composer: Sergey Prokofiev, Bela Bartok
• Audio CD (October 6, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B00000C2J8
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #27,720 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Martha Argerich first recorded the Prokofiev Third Concerto in the late '60s. Her fiery, hair-trigger playing, abetted by Claudio Abbado's incisive support with the Berlin Philharmonic in top form, set new standards for this warhorse. No one's come close to topping her extraordinary achievement, not even Argerich herself in this remake with Charles Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. The recording quality, for one, is less well defined. Dutoit imparts less character to the orchestral tuttis than Abbado, and Argerich's fingerwork, remarkable by anyone else's standard, is a shade more casual (compare the extensive unison octave runs: stupefyingly perfect in the early version, brilliantly competent here.). By contrast, the pianist's scintillating, witty traversal of Prokofiev's brash First Concerto shines with youthful ardor. While one can easily admire the lyric fire she brings to Bartók's third Concerto, some of her agogic fussings pull focus from, rather than strengthen, the music's inherent classicism. Zoltán Koscis, András Schiff, and Annie Fischer (all Hungarian pianists, not uncoincidentally) imbue their phrasings with a more internalized, speech-like expression. --Jed Distler

Product Description

ARGERICH / DUTOIT / MONTREAL S. O. PROKOFIEV: CTOS. 1 & 3 / BARTOK: PIANO C

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars stupendous, April 10, 1999

By 

Harold J. Sauer, M.D. (East Lansing, Michigan, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Prokofiev: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 3 / Bartok: Piano Concerto No. 3 (Audio CD)

Even though her Prokofiev 3rd is not as volatile as her earlier DG recording with Abbado, this one is more thoughtul and represents her mature interpretation of the concerto after more than 30 years of performing it in concert -- she is in no way technically inferior to the earlier recording. The Bartók 3rd is exemplary, and the technique in the Prokofiev 1st is astounding (although that comment regarding this pianist is superfluous).

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Zestful & Refined, February 25, 2000

By 

M. Seeley (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Prokofiev: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 3 / Bartok: Piano Concerto No. 3 (Audio CD)

Martha Argerich's gives the listener an invigorating view of Prokofiev's youthful iconoclasm. Her entire reading is less hard-driven than Richter, but arguably more zestful and animated, less fierce.

Her performance of the Third Concerto is perhaps more languid than in her early legendary performance with Abbado. Nevertheless, it is still quite nimble and definitely more open to passing caprice and fancy.

It is in the Bartok concerto where she really shines. Some like Bartok a little rougher, but Argerich brings more refinement, giving the composer his own voice rather than imposing her own. This piano concerto has a Mozartean grace to it. She achieves a remarkable, delicate chamber-like balance that has sometimes eluded her in the past.

Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony achieve fine support and unity. The recording is clear and naturally balanced. While lacking her trademark spark, all three performances are full of integrity.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars New gains, new losses, August 31, 2001

By 

P. Rah "prahcello" (Sion, Switzerland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Prokofiev: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 3 / Bartok: Piano Concerto No. 3 (Audio CD)

Two of the three concertos represented here are first recordings for Argerich. The first piano concerto of Prokofiev is real fun to listen to. As Argerich herself admits, she understands the composer's sense of humour, and 'his sensitivity'. Her performances reveal the subtleties of the score as well as the seemingly banal sense of humour Prokofiev injects into his music. And, as always, her technique is faultless.

Her Bartok is again technically brilliant. Her intuitive musicality is put into wonderful use, as it sounds well-thought-out, but it also sounds naturally spontaneous.

I am afraid to say the Prokofiev 3rd concerto fares less well. And for this, I put the blame on Dutoit, not Argerich.
After the lyrical slow introduction, the piano introduces the main theme. All is fine at the start. But less than one minute after the pianist has entered, one hears strange tempi fluctuations from Argerich. They not only sound forced, but they don't make musical sense. For example, where the piano has repeated runs in octaves, here at 6:21, Argerich starts very quickly, but slows down (a very subtle change, but noticeable). To me, it sounds as if Dutoit is forcing her to keep her speed at a safe measure. That is the last thing a soloist needs, to be forced by a conductor. Isn't a conductor supposed 'support' a soloist?? (in the second octave runs, repeated at 9:09, the same thing happens, only it is much more noticeable)
While all this is happening, one can sense that she doesn't like all the pushing around she is getting from Mr. Dutoit. Compared to her first recording, the whole performance takes almost 3 minutes longer than her 1967 recording.

Having said all that, I hear things in the piano part I didn't hear before, enhancing one's knowledge and enjoyment of the music. She totally understands Prokofiev's harmonic structure.
The way she interplays with orchestra is very imaginative. That is a characteristic in any concerto performances by Argerich.

The sound is good, but not great. The orchestra sound tends to dominate the pianist a lot of the time, and its playing is sometimes sloppy. Dutoit seems more interested in showing his orchestra off more than in supporting his soloist 100%

Argerich has gained new insights in the Prokofiev concerto, and one can hear subtle changes in her performances of it. Apart from the criticism above, this is a great disc, especially the 1st Prokofiev concerto. No wonder it won a Grammy.