Liszt. Totentanz - Martha Argerich (Live Paris 1986)

Originally uploaded by Kimolerik.
Franz Liszt (1811-1886).
Totentanz: Paraphrase über Dies Irae S.126
Orchestre de Paris. Daniel Barenboim, conductor.
Martha Argerich, piano.
Live February 7, 1986. Salle Pleyel, Paris.

[@solonka123]

I was at the concert. Argerich is unique!

[@karinevahofbauer5960]

So ein Glück ! Fantastico!

[@connie_4154]

It's not about the speed... she gives each note such distinct character while pulling such a long extended mood through out, which is absolutely mind blowing. Argerich never fails me, she is a genius!!

[@francescoelia.marino]

In fact, when people think that Argerich is speed only, they are totally wrong. Argerich is not only speed but also precision; she is the mastery and ability to play each piece in a totally unique way!!! She is the best, and the piano world will not be the same when we lose here. Some pianists practice 23 hours per day, and yet they can't reach her level.......

[@remsan03]

All those years of playing Scarlatti K141 d minor has lend itself well for the 08:04 part. The clarity like a machine gun

[@sheytanovamalena]

[@thibomeurkens2296]

Exactly my thoughts, thank you for providing the time mark :)!

[@ricardodick3203]

This version, played by Martha, is one of the most beutiful musics that I heard in my life. Liszt was a genius. Arnaldo Cohen and Lisitsa plays as like Martha. God blessed all with an incredible capability to traduce all the emotions. Liszt would be proud.

[@pianotreasures]

I was there too. I remember she also played Falla's Nights in the gardens of Spain at the same concert.

[@Hussain_Eidani]

Wow, great work, amazing performance ❤

[@k4ir0s]

Possibly the most impressive performance by Argerich that I heard so far

[@789armstrong]

the definitive version.

[@Pogouldangeliwitz]

Definitely not

[@larinha1207]

its so great to have the opportunity to hear it 😭 martha is such a great pianist, a really big inspiration, i love her ❤️

[@Sathrandur]

13:47 - I have never heard anyone play that bit so fast - but it's perfectly brilliant at that moment.

[@tannerjordan2010]

You should check out Cziffra's recording. He plays it faster, and inhumanly clean. It's really hard to believe what you're hearing.

[@hayoung_kim01]

T. Jordan I think Argerich could make speed as fast as Cziffra's. But she wanted to emphasize that passage so took time like that.

[@punchaloo]

Enrico Pace plays it uniform and faster

[@stephenwagner3717]

What a terrific audience. They participated wonderfully in this delicate, live, performance.

[@chp763]

My beloved Martha

[@zebeauv]

Les glissandi à la fin sont incroyables… Comme tout le reste, certes… Quel dommage que Martha n’ait plus joué cette œuvre…

[@Pamela-dv7gb]

D’ailleurs malheureusement je crois qu’elle be joue plus en concert à cause de sa santé alors même pour tout simplement l’écoute en personne c’est désormais impossible

[@Pogouldangeliwitz]

​Vous parlez d'Yvonne Lefébure, sans doute, Pamela chérie ? En effet du jour où elle a trépassé on ne l'a plus entendu jouer. Comme Marguerite Long, maintenant que j'y pense !

[@123must]

Grandissimi, Argerichc and Barenboim ! Thanks

[@solonka123]

@Facconti She did play it a few times in the late 80s. I also heard her performing it in Germany.

[@JanBrianeAstom]

Liszt: "Martha, I am your father." Martha: "Mmkay."

[@AtomizedSound]

More like “no sh*t?”

[@sirshitsalot007]

wow truly masterful triangle playing!

[@annah.1927]

💐💐💐 Merci beaucoup.

[@annah.1927]

Beautiful ! 💐💐💐 Thank you.

[@123must]

What a rendition ! A lot of thanks

[@shantihealer]

This work - both awesome and seldom played - has the unique quality of making ANY pianist who plays it sound like a legend.

[@spark_6710]

Wow !!! Pretty awesome ! Fantastic !!!👍

[@123must]

Wonderful rendition by Argerich ! Thanks

[@val255]

there is no female pianist that can compare to her. She is one of a kind and the best female pianist of the century. simple as that...it is a joy just to listen and watch her. She is performing in USA for only 1 show in LA....have to go see her once live in my lifetime, and only hope she stays healthy.

[@savonliquide7677]

why this female distinction??? it has no sens at all

[@savonliquide7677]

certain poeple cannot breath without classify (rudely) and comparing (where there is simply no comparason to make!) it s not sport, it is music!

[@tommarvoloriddle2965]

val255 You're not doing her a favor by saying she's the best ever. Quite the opposite. You're making fans of other pianists dislike her for absolutely no reason. These "best something" comments need to stop. Music should never be a competition

[@karinevahofbauer5960]

Ich hatte einen Podiumsplatz 1984 Mozarteum Salzburg Grosser Saal Martha Argerich & Nelson Freire...fenomenal. Naturgewaltig auf 2 Klavieren...leider weiß ich nicht mehr was das Program war.

[@Pogouldangeliwitz]

​@@karinevahofbauer5960Immerhin wissen Sie ja noch, dass Sie auf dem Podium sassen. So ist das Wichtigste hängengeblieben. Töne verhallen, aber Podien bleiben für immer.

[@MrInterestingthings]

As frightening as Michelangeli ! This needs to get more attention .Zimerman really gets Liszt qualities . Argerich is a force of nature what she does comes after the technique it is her personality !

[@Pogouldangeliwitz]

I love her, but she's not even close to ABM

[@Jasoconth]

ive always wished she played this piece...turns out she did !!!

[@hectorguilermowierna7705]

Wikipedia dice de Martha Argerich lo siguiente: " Martha Argerich (Buenos Aires, 5 de junio de 1941) es una pianista argentina de música académica , considerada una de las mayores exponentes de su generación y la posguerra. Especialmente célebre por sus interpretaciones de F. Chopin, Franz Liszt, Johann Sebastian Bach, Robert Schumann, Maurice Ravel, Serguéi Prokófiev, y Serguéi Rajmáninov.

[@CalamityInAction]

hector guilermo Wierna Tiene sentido

[@pianista-mediocre]

(she literally only played Rach 3)

[@thomasmartin4091]

shantihealer I'm not sure I agree with you but, nevertheless Argerich IS a legend in her own time and there is a reason for that - she's fantastic!

[@irenenaselli2429]

GENIAL !!

[@user-lf8lf3ft3x]

Bravissimo.¨!!!!!!!!!!!

[@lanonyme]

La Totentanz est connu comme l'une des partitions les plus difficiles de tout le répertoire pianistique. Martha est ici encore plus fulgurante que jamais. Dommage qu'à l'instar de France Clidat, elle n'est pas enregistré l'intégrale pianistique de Franz Liszt.

[@lampadairevisqueux5247]

elle n'ait*

[@Pogouldangeliwitz]

​@@ldece627Commence déjà par régler ton problème d'agressivité.

[@giorgosmalefas170]

12:07 Thank you Ferenc!

[@annakavan1869]

Wow.

[@hayoung_kim01]

She is genius

[@nicolasgut6534]

woww

[@cbostrom6140]

Danny Elfman took alot of "inspiration" from this piece for the making of the music to The nightmare before christmas

[@hb712]

Old comment I know, sorry. This piece is actually based on a thematic motif “Dies Irae” based on a longer Gregorian chant. It’s one of the most quotes pieces of musical literature, from Berlioz to Liszt to Williams, Elfman, etc. The motif is essentially synonymous with death.

[@libelle176]

Martha,the greatest ever,and ever!!!!!!!!!

[@mattmidi5843]

Volodos, Cziffra and Hamelin???

[@nolitetebastardescarborund9761]

@@mattmidi5843 Horowitz?

[@hectorguilermowierna7705]

Dice Wikipedia de ésta obra lo siguiente: "Totentanz (Liszt) (inglés: Dance of the Dead): paráfrasis en Dies Irae, S 126, es el nombre de una sinfónica pieza para solista de piano y orquesta de F. Liszt, que se caracteriza por estar basado en el canto gregoriano llano melodía Dies Irae, así como para las innovaciones estilísticas atrevidas. La pieza fue planteada originalmente en 1838 y terminada en 1849; se revisó dos veces, sin embargo, en 1853 y 1859. Innovaciones estilísticas. La apertura se acerca sorprendentemente a la introducción en la Sonata para dos pianos y percusión de Bartók, obra compuesta casi 100 años después. Esto no puede ser coincidencia ya que Bartók frecuentemente interpretó el Totentanz de Liszt. Otras características modernistas son las secciones de toccata, donde las repetidas notas del pianista golpean con intensidad diabólica y efectos sonoros especiales en la Orquesta".

[@cosmosescath621]

En 1986, Martha était une splendeur à la chevelure noire ébène ! Mais sûr que pour la mettre en regard du Liszt aux cheveux blancs, cette personne qu'elle aime tant, le plus parmi les compositeurs, une image plus tardive est plus parlante. Interprétation fulgurante...

[@vladibaby79]

Man kann vielleicht über diese Interpretation streiten, da einiges nicht so ist, wie man das gewohnt ist. Aber ich finde, man kann sicher nicht darüber streiten, da hier Argerich mit einer unfassbaren Ur-Energie am Werk ist. Diese Energie validiert alles was sie macht und es klingt sowieso richtig.

[@nuitNo.6]

13:54 I don't think I ever noticed it played like that before now.

[@averoc]

Dies iræ, dies illa...

[@DaleksInc]

Solvet sæclum in favílla...

[@solonka123]

@solonka123 Martha is my friend.

[@timward4227]

I love Martha and have been enjoying her work, career for many years, also with Daniel Barenboim and the West Eastern Divan Orchestra, but I have to say think it was 86' with Krystian Zimmerman was the absolute best I have heard..

[@lyghdha]

@solonka123 Please provide us with dates and location.

[@annakavan1869]

How insane one could be?

[@ruthsalgado6775]

13:43 best part!!

[@babygirl4169]

2:51

[@misspeckpeck]

the one on the right.

[@classicalmusic4027]

Shining intro??

[@KC-wn4hi]

7:49

[@geuros]

:D :D :D

[@hectorguilermowierna7705]

Son dos pianistas con estilos distintos. Ni Cziffra es mejor que Argerich, ni Argerich es mejor que Cziffra.

[@remsan03]

Martha is a bad ass

[@hectorguilermowierna7705]

Moron

[@remsan03]

Imbecile. Pathetic excuse of a man who watches too much Barbie videos.

[@Fritz_Maisenbacher]

Argerich is left , but something elder than Liszt .

[@anangryjuicebox2799]

1:23 1:53

[@kevfr50]

When you want to play like Cziffra, but you realize in the middle that you'"re NOT Cziffra ! That's an OK version, not even close to be the best one.

[@archy9752]

Reminds me of Lord of the Rings, very nice.

[@arnolphhipler9886]

no.

[@xoppa09]

odd photo juxtaposition

[@guillermocorvalan3725]

scary!!!!

[@MrStrav81]

RichB - you need to listen to Krystian Zimerman's. Another surprising good one is Arnaldo Cohen's. Also critically acclaimed is the Andre Watts recording, although I don't have it. Not sure which ones are on KZbin. Zimerman's is for sure.

[@Tenormind]

MrStrav81 I’m a Zimerman fan but I couldn’t find any recording of Totentanz by him. Can you paste a link here please? I’m so curious about his rendition!

[@tadeuandrade9134]

Listen Lisitsa solo performance of this composition...!!!

[@Pogouldangeliwitz]

To me this sounds like Martha with a piece she hasn't played much, isn't comfortable with and hence (even) more nervous than usually. It's both stunning and perfectible, technically. And explosive, exciting, but also more often than not a tad sketchy, musically. Not her greatest achievement. But what a fun ride, what a thrill!

[@poechopin]

Where did she get those opening chords? NOT the way Liszt wrote it!

[@connie_4154]

+Francis Cummings ?? the real opening was cut off it seems. was the orchestra part written by Liszt too?

[@taputapuu9487]

+connie _ yes, this is original. Later he transcribed it himself for solo piano.

[@Feniso]

What are you talking about? It sounds normal to me. What chords? What score are you working with?

[@connie_4154]

@papageno, -- sorry -- I wasn't looking at the piano score, :eek: messed up :shy:

[@erykszadkowski1687]

Considering that Liszt used to add whole improvised parts and cadenzas to pieces he played, he certainly wouldn't mind these few chords being changed.

[@richdisilvio4591]

Decent performance but No comparison to Valentina Lisitsa & John Axelrod - the ultimate performance.

[@rigel48]

Decent performance? joker! And ultimate performance doesn't mean much. Instead say that it is your favorite interpretation.

[@richdisilvio4591]

@@rigel48 No, it’s jokers who tell others how they should access music and speak. I said what I said and meant it. End of story.

[@rigel48]

@@richdisilvio4591 Don't worry. It doesn't matter what you say or think.

[@danieledirubbo3813]

Perchè non lo andate ad ascoltare da Michelangeli? Non mi piace che dite che l'allievo è meglio del maestro. È come dire che un neonato pesa di più di un mammut

[@francescoelia.marino]

Martha non è mai stata allieva di Michelangeli - ha fatto solo due o tre lezioni con lui e da qui a dire che sia una sua allieva c’è ne vuole. Gulda è stato il suo maestro ma non Michelangeli

[@drrabner47]

⁠​⁠@@francescoelia.marinoYou are right. And Martha has repeatedly said this. He only gave her several lessons. Gulda was her inspiration.

[@geuros]

no man! Cziffra was reincarnated Liszt. I am sorry to say that, but whatever Argerich plays, it is great, but when Cziffra played Liszt, it was awesome, or directly the very best. Furthermore people really believed that Cziffra was reincarnated Liszt.

[@bloodgrss]

Now we're getting again that confused musical typing that you were famous for before termination frederic/dumKid/Stan/et.al.! And the true level of your 'critical' insights-and an 'ass at the piano'...;-)

[@joperez9892]

This doesn't really sound like Martha. Those rubato's in thge first 5 minutes and every where are not typical of her...

[@hailzgeoff]

I rather agree with you. I'm not convinced that this really is Martha. As you say, the rubatos are unusually extreme for her, and i found the pianism is rather splashy by her normal high standards ( eg 11.18, and other places). She never recorded it officially, so maybe we will never know. I'm a huge fan, but if it is real, this recording does not do her justice.

[@JoseAPerez-nq9vu]

This definitely is not Martha: she doesn't play like that !

[@bw2082]

The repeated notes at 8:03 confirm it is Argerich.

[@SELMER1947]

Great performance but Cziffra's version is by far above...

[@rigel48]

I think they are both great.

[@josephlaredo5272]

I'm an Argerich fan but this is not one of her best performances. The slow variation in the middle is delicious, but otherwise she just plays fast and loose, to little musical purpose. Listen to Janis and Ginzburg for two very different but equally valid (and musical) takes on this odd piece.