Martha Argerich UBS Verbier Festival

[suzyq]

I'm looking forward to hearing Martha Argerich play on November 16.  Hopefully she will show up and that the orchestra will not overpower her.

The program is Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, op. 26
                     Berlioz Symponie Fantatique, op. 14
                     
Avery Fischer Hall.  If you are a TDF member check the website www.TDF.org  - this concert is still posted at the time of this writing.

Will you be going?        

[Norbeone]

Hopefully she will show up...

Sounds like a great concert, hope you enjoy it!

[bhodges]

Wish I could go, but I'll be at Carnegie Hall, hearing Rattle and Berlin play one of my favorite pieces, Kurtág's Stele.

But if Argerich shows, you will be in for a treat.  Have you heard her play this Prokofiev?  Don't know if you saw the UBS Verbier video (on their website, and it's now gone) of Argerich playing the piece back in August, but it was pretty thrilling.  She must know that piece in her sleep at this point.

--Bruce

[Brian]

That's what I'm seeing Sunday here in Houston!    Should be incredible.

[bhodges]

That's what I'm seeing Sunday here in Houston!    Should be incredible.

They should have a camera over the keyboard while she's playing, with a giant video projection on the back wall so everyone can have a close-up view of her hands.   

--Bruce

[suzyq]

They should have a camera over the keyboard while she's playing, with a giant video projection on the back wall so everyone can have a close-up view of her hands.   

--Bruce

Terrific idea -  it would be great if they would do what you suggest - maybe we could call and hint - oh well one can dream.

[Greta]

Yep, me too, in Houston! Can't wait.

The videos of the orchestra I saw on the Medici Arts website were pretty fantastic. They play very, very well.

[Brian]

Yep, me too, in Houston! Can't wait.

The videos of the orchestra I saw on the Medici Arts website were pretty fantastic. They play very, very well.

Oooh, I'm going to not watch it so I'll be surprised on Sunday.   

[MishaK]

I'll be hearing the same combo with the same program in Chicago at the Harris Theater on Nov.13 (tix still available, for those of you that are in the area and are interested). I'm as excited about hearing Argerich in one of her signature works (though I've heard her do Prok 3 before) as I am about hearing Dutoit's take on Symphonie fantastique. Let's compare notes afterwards.

Oooh, I'm going to not watch it so I'll be surprised on Sunday.   

They are gone now anyway.

Hopefully she will show up and that the orchestra will not overpower her.

Of all the times I have heard her live, she was never overpowered by the orchestra, and Dutoit is among her most reliable accompanists (she is extremely seclective about who she performs with).

[suzyq]

Of all the times I have heard her live, she was never overpowered by the orchestra, and Dutoit is among her most reliable accompanists (she is extremely seclective about who she performs with).

I heard her play a few years ago at Carnegie Hall - Dutoit was conducting and the only time those of us near me in the balcony could really hear her play was when the Orchestra stopped - and it would make me happy if Dutoit would hold the orchestra down or have them play softly when she is playing.  Sorry I don't know what the correct terms are, but guess everyone knows what I'm trying to say.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to Friday November 16.  Maybe I'll have a good location, one never knows with TDF.

[MishaK]

I heard her play a few years ago at Carnegie Hall - Dutoit was conducting and the only time those of us near me in the balcony could really hear her play was when the Orchestra stopped - and it would make me happy if Dutoit would hold the orchestra down or have them play softly when she is playing.  Sorry I don't know what the correct terms are, but guess everyone knows what I'm trying to say.

When/what piece was this. Which orchestra was this? It's likely I was there. I don't recall such an experience, which of course doesn't mean it's not possible.

[suzyq]

The concert took place at Carnegie hall - it was some time ago, so I really don't remember what she played.  Come to think of it, I think the last piece was by Ravel and if memory serves me, the orchestra was "quiet" for most of it.

I've been to other concerts since than and the orchestra always seems to overpower the soloist.

The conductor has a lot of control, I've seen them hold the orchestra for soloist in ballet and "keep it down" for singers so it's not impossible.   We'll see, maybe it has something to do with where your seat is located.  But Carnegie Hall it shouldn't matter, Avery Fisher Hall it might matter, who knows.  I'm just happy that I'll be able to see and hear her perform in a live performance, especially playing Prokofiev's Concerto.

[orbital]

The concert took place at Carnegie hall - it was some time ago, so I really don't remember what she played.  Come to think of it, I think the last piece was by Ravel and if memory serves me, the orchestra was "quiet" for most of it.

Wasn't there Beethoven PC #1 in the program  Is it the same performance where she played some mysterious Bach piece as an encore?

[suzyq]

Wasn't there Beethoven PC #1 in the program  Is it the same performance where she played some mysterious Bach piece as an encore?

Sorry Orbital, I really don't remember except for the Ravel piece.  I don't think she played an encore, but it's possible.  Wish I could be more helpful.

[Brian]

Greta and I will both have much, much more to say about this tomorrow, but for now I will limit myself to this:

If you are going to be anywhere near Chicago or New York this week and have a chance to see the Verbier Festival Orchestra, GO.

Spoiler alert, if you read the end of Greta's post below you'll find out what the encore is.

[Greta]

As brian_rein hinted at, this was beyond great - it was amazing.

I don't want to get too long-winded here or lapse into hyperbole - but it was probably the best orchestral concert I've ever been to in my life thus far. Jones Hall was packed to see this international youth orchestra, and to my happy surprise, the majority of the audience was under 30-40. The concert had been pushed in schools here, low prices, free tickets and such, and it was really a special vibe to see these young people there in awe of their peers in age. The ages of the orchestra ranged from 17-29, and they hailed from 29 countries, which were all recognized after intermission, and those players from each country were asked to stand.

Argerich was brilliant in Prokofiev 3rd, and the balance was really nice with the orchestra. Dynamic and graceful, she made it look easy! The chemistry between her and Dutoit is evident, I loved watching their communication and anticipation, it was like they knew what each would do before it happened. The orchestral accompaniment was lively and full of detail.

Argerich got many, many curtain calls, some with Dutoit and also alone...they were very affectionate, like an old married couple (even though they are divorced!), quite cute. Though they put on a show of being coy, she finally did an encore, it was Chopin (for what, I'll refer to Brian) and another fast arpeggiated piece that we couldn't place. (At intermission everyone was asking around, but no one knew!)

After the break, the Symphonie Fantastique. Wow. I'm still floored at how incredibly great it was. Although they don't number beyond 100 musicians, the body of sound they produce was amazing, they were able to project beyond the hazy distance of Jones Hall and packed a real wallop. Dutoit was very exuberant and totally in his element conducting these young musicians, he really drove them, asking for more and more, and they gave and gave. At some hair-raising tempi too!

I honestly hadn't seen before the kind of passion, drive and freedom they exhibited, it was beautiful to watch. There was a certain full-blooded rawness to the sound that came from that too, as well as the fact that so many different backgrounds and styles of playing came together in this international group. The connection they have with Dutoit is very special, everything he showed they did to the letter, together they looked as one living, breathing organism on the stage.

Mvmts 1-3 were really fine, one of my favorite parts was the English horn solo with the timpani (end of 3rd mvmt), done outstandingly by a young Frenchman. These mvmts constituted one arc, to me, and here Dutoit took a minute or two for pause (also to mop the sweat!), before lighting into the last two mvmts, which were played almost attaca. And it's a good thing too, because it was all I could do to not jump up and cheer after March to the Scaffold, my breath was caught in my throat by the time they dashed to the end. Incredible.

The Witches' Sabbath was manic, supercharged, and stunningly played, with many highlights...like...the clear, bright tone of the young Englishwoman on Eb clarinet, with a brilliant and wild solo...the laserlike trombones. The rock solid percussion. How the impressive Chinese concertmaster led his section with his expressive movements. The way Dutoit crouched down and shook his hand at the celli and basses near the end to work them into a frenzy.

Curtain calls, it went on and on, turning into unified rhythmic clapping as at a rock concert, to signify we weren't leaving without an encore...and finally Dutoit did step back onto the podium and fired up Chabrier's España, in a near-perfect, vivacious rendition, it could have gone on all night as far as we were concerned. The audience cheered for so long, Dutoit had to finally wave his hands like, bye, that's all and motion the group to exit, clearly tickled by the reception.

If you want to hear a raise-the-roof Symphonie Fantastique, if you love the dynamic of so many dedicated young players together, go, go, by all means, it is not one to miss. This is an incredible week for youth orchestras, with Dudamel's group and these kids in town, they certainly made history here last night.

There are three more chances to see them here in the US:

Tuesday, Nov. 13 - Chicago, Harris Theater
Thursday, Nov. 15 - New York, Avery Fisher Hall
Friday, Nov. 16 - New York, Lincoln Center

Ticket Link Page

And 5 chances next week in Europe, at Genoa, Stockholm, Zurich, Lyon, and Dusseldorf.

You are in for a treat.

[MishaK]

OK, just heard yesterday's performance in Chicago. Can you believe an Argerich concert that is barely over half capacity? Thanks to Harris Theatre's ridiculous pricing policies (tickets starting at $60!) and the generally atrocious acoustics of the place... no idea why this wasn't performed at Orchestra Hall... anyway, the concert was outstanding. I will furnish a full review in due course. I wouldn't say it was the best concert I've ever heard, nor even the best youth orchestra concert I've ever heard (that would have been Brahms 1 with West-Eastern Divan/Barenboim), but they have some terrific talent and were giving 150% percent. Dutoit started the fantastique with some slight mannerisms that made me queasy, but the rest went of organically and with great drama. The third movement was just outstanding. Absolutely marvellous. The timpanists deserve medals.

[bhodges]

Can you believe an Argerich concert that is barely over half capacity? Thanks to Harris Theatre's ridiculous pricing policies (tickets starting at $60!) and the generally atrocious acoustics of the place...

   

That is positively weird pricing.  This week, tickets for Rattle and Berlin here at Carnegie start at $62!  (If available of course.)

Sounds like a great evening...look forward to further comments. 

--Bruce

[MishaK]

That is positively weird pricing.  This week, tickets for Rattle and Berlin here at Carnegie start at $62!  (If available of course.)

But at Carnegie, at least you get outstanding acoustics for the price.

[bhodges]

But at Carnegie, at least you get outstanding acoustics for the price.

That's what's so bizarre.  I haven't been to the Harris, but if its acoustics aren't so good, I don't see how they could justify such high prices, even with Argerich.  I mean, I love her, and the orchestra sounds wonderful (just based on those videos from the festival last August), but $60?  Yikes.

--Bruce