Martha Argerich and friends play Johann Sebastian Bach’s Concerto for 4 Pianos, BWV 1065

On Monday 12th March 2012 I was lucky to attend a concert given by Martha Argerich and a group of young pianists in the Athens Concert Hall “Megaron”.

The program comprised Igor Stravisknky’s Rite of Spring arranged for four pianos and percussion, and Johann Sebastian Bach’s three concerti for pianos and orchestra, BWV 1060, 1064 and 1065.

The friends are young pianists who have already performed in Martha Argerich’s project, an annual event taking place in Switzerland.

Argerich played in the last concert  for four pianos and orchestra, JS Bach’s BWV1065. This is a transcription of Vivaldi’s concerto for 4 violins in B minor, op.3 no.10, RV 580.

In addition to Martha Argerich, the other thee piansits who performed in the concluding concerto were:

Lily Maisky

Lily Maisky was born in Paris in 1987, moving to Brussels soon after. She performed with such artists as Mischa Maisky, Julian Rachlin, Janine Jansen, Renaud Capuçon, Sergey Krylov, Nicholas Angelich, Frank Braley, Gérard Caussé, Chantal Juillet, Dora Schwarzberg. She is the daughter of the cellist Mischa Maisky.

Alexander Mogilevsky

Pianist Alexander Mogilevsky was born in 1977 in Odessa, Russia, and regularly appears at music festivals such as Martha Argerich’s project in Lugano, Switzerland; Rotterdam Philharmonic Gergiev Festival; Verbier in Switzerland; and the Roque d’Antheron Piano Festival in Mikkeli, Finland.

Alexandros Kapelis

Born of a Greek father and Peruvian mother, Mr. Kapelis grew up in both countries during his formative years. Mr. Kapelis has appeared with the Prague Symphony Orchestra, the Camerata Italica, the Monterrey Symphony (Mexico), the Filarmónica de Lima (Peru), and the Orchestra ton Chromaton (Greece).

Martha Argerich

There is no point to say anything about Martha Argerich. She just comes from another universe.

The Orchestra

The in house orchestra of Megaron of Athens, the Kamerata Orchestra, was conducted by Gerard Korsten.

I found concerto 1065 exceptionally youthful and playful, totally out of line with the rather somber tone of JS Bach’s work. It could be the Italian influence. After all, this is a transcription of Vivaldi’s concert for four violins, as I mentioned earlier.

My strongest impression though, was that this was more of a game played between the pianists. All four of them were having great fun. I do not recall another performance of classical music where the musicians were having so much fun. Argerich has managed to create an atmosphere of musical creativity that is combined with sheer joy. And it shows.

I found in youtube a performance of concert 1065 from Verbier  on 22 July 2002, with Martha Argerich playing one of the four pianos. The other three pianos were played by: Evgeni Kissin, James LEvine, and Mikhail Pletnev.

In the orchestra you will enjoy the presence of Sarah Chang, Gidon Kremer, and Mischa Maisky.

Enjoy it.