- “Carte blanche”
Something special was bound to take place when pianist Martha Argerich was given Carte Blanche to basically program whatever she wanted on this recording.
We get to listen to the following:
Improvisations on ‘Happy Birthday to You’ for Lily Maisky, performed by Gabriela Montero (piano).
Bartók: Violin Sonata No. 1, BB 84, Sz. 75 performed by Renaud Capuçon (violin) & Martha Argerich (piano).
Beethoven: Piano Trio No. 5 in D major, Op. 70 No. 1 ‘The Ghost’ performed by Julian Rachlin (violin), Mischa Maisky (violoncello) & Martha Argerich (piano).
Lutosławski: Variations on a Theme by Paganini, for two pianos performed by Gabriela Montero & Martha Argerich (pianos).
Ravel: Ma Mère L’oye: Cinq Pièces Enfantines, performed by Lang Lang & Martha Argerich (piano)
Schubert: Rondo for piano duet in A major, D951, performed by Lang Lang & Martha Argerich (piano).
Sonata in A minor ‘Arpeggione’, D821, performed by Yuri Bashmet (viola) & Martha Argerich (piano)
Schumann: Kinderszenen, Op. 15, performed by Martha Argerich (piano).
An uproarious encore was given by Gabriela Montero improvising a tango version of “Happy Birthday” (for Mischa Maisky’s daughter Lily Maisky).
This release offers over two hours of exceptional music-making with an enviable line-up of colleagues is now re-created on these two CD’s.