The craft of piano playing

[seanpm1]

I was reading of some old posts when I came across something Alan mentioned about Horowitz. In the post Alan mentioned how audiences will sometimes react more favorably to a mediocre performance when it is obvious that the pianist is giving it their all than to a superior performance when the pianist obviously is not having great difficulty in bringing about the music. I could not get that out of my head when I came across this video, Martha Argerich performing the finale of the Prokofiev's 3rd piano concerto. I think Marth is a superb performer who can bring a lot of energy and personality to the piano, but her virtuosity usually seems completely under control (even in the most difficult pieces where she might play faster and with more power than other pianists). The fact that she is in such control can take away from what is really an exciting performance. That is why I had such a big grin on my face after seeing this clip. Pletnev seems to choose a tempo quicker than the one she might have expected. She really seems to be pushing her capabilities. On top of that, while she is giving it her all the piano starts shaking and moving around. I was literally holding my breath for 1) the interpretive skills and 2) the fact that you don't know what is going to happen next, is it going to work or possibly fall apart at the last second. I was hyper involved because she was. This type of excitement is piano performance at its best for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R68SySQnKX8

[alan fraser]

Indeed amazing speed. And her hands are in great shape, you see her using that arch structure to create an incredibly powerful and capable relationship to the board.

However, believe it or not, her sound could be better! Martha has amazing musicianship and facility and what's most endearing, amazing fire and heart. But although it looks like she is using her hands ideally, if she really were, her sound would be chunkier and have even more colours. She tends to sacrifice some of the deeper colours of her orchestral palette for speed. I'm thinking for instance of her blistering rendition of the Rachmaninoff 3rd concerto. We cannot fault her for this, it is simply her nature.

The walls of my teaching studio at the Academy are graced with portraits and photos of the greatest composers and pianists, donated by Dragolyub Katunats, our history of pianism professor. Interestingly enough, all the composers represented are long dead and most of the pianists too. But there is one still alive - Martha Argerich.

Dragolyub was at the 1960 Warsaw Competition and the night before the finals was out on the town somewhere. There was a wild young girl in the bar with her friends, carousing, drinking up a storm, dancing on the tables. The next morning to his surprise she appears on stage, one of the finalists. It was Martha who went on to win first prize. Oh, and by the way, that morning she decided to play the other concerto from the one she had listed in her program, and sent all the orchestra members scurrying for their parts...

AFF
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Craft of Piano technique - the synthesis of mind, body and spirit in sound...
www.alanfraser.net
www.craftofpiano.com
www.pianotechnique.net

[seanpm1]

I agree completely. I would like to hear more colors but what struck me with the performance is that she has this positive forward tension. I felt that something was off at the end (with the piano or with Pletniv) and she was trying to hold it together. I think that adds to the excitement of a live performance. As for her Rach 3 I am afraid I am not the biggest fan, it moves to quick and does not highlight it's almost fairy tale like structure of colors/naunces. That story of Martha sure is funny though. I sure wish I could go out drinking and partying and then sit down and whip out some virtuoso concertos. Ha!!! I guess you have to have some seriously above average brain power to pull that off.

On another note... I can't believe what happened to Canada yesterday in the olympics! I was not expecting US hockey to out gun the Canadians. Could make for an exciting final though. If Canada can turn it around and re-face the US for gold that will make for one exciting game.

[alan fraser]

I agree with you about Martha's Rachmaninoff 3rd. But I hate to criticize her when she plays so great!

As for that hockey game, if you are American, thanks very much for rubbing it in, if you are Canadian, thanks for the commiseration in our shared misery!

AFF
_________________
Craft of Piano technique - the synthesis of mind, body and spirit in sound...
www.alanfraser.net
www.craftofpiano.com
www.pianotechnique.net