Martha Argerich Interview DVD

[general disarray]

I've seen it and it's almost totally devoid of content.  She talks in many languages in vague terms about superficial stuff.  You learn NOTHING of her childhood history, people close to her currently, her children.  Doesn't mention anything about a life at all.  Just weird musings on Badura (somewhat interesting, but nothing new there), a sentence about Michelangeli (no news there), but little else that everyone doesn't already know. No mention about her lung cancer let alone how that battle may have changed her as a person and a musician.  (Of course, these interviews could pre-date her illness, but in none of the interviews was she smoking -- and that girl could smoke!)

One semi-interesting mini-discussion of "humor" in music:  Beethoven, Haydn had it, she says.  Few others did.  Interviewer asked her if she thought Ravel had it.  She was surprised and then said, yes.  Odd.

Strangely private in an almost inhuman way.  We all know she's terrified of solo recitals, but, pianists who know her, say she's even resistant to practice in a room ALONE.  She's been that way for years.  No real discussion about any of this stuff.  Lots of pretty young men in the background shots during the interviews, too! 

What she doesn't say about her life says more about her than what she does.

Don't buy it.  Rent it.

[pianistimo]

awww.  a lot of famous pianists are reclusive.  nothing new there.  and, for the humor factor - i agree that beethoven and haydn had an 'in' on the humor of the time and even makes people today laugh.  especially if you understand some of the stuff in their time s- it's even funnier. 

ravel was funny in that he wasn't trying to be funny.  at least that's my perspective.  he's funny because he makes the real world look like it is psychadelic.  as if everything is viewed from a blurry stained glass or something.  i don't actually know much about ravel's life - but it seems that sometimes musician who try to be serious are actually funny because their mad and they don't know it (or represent things in the world that everyone else takes very seriously - and they try to capture it in photography or music - but it is a condensed version or elongated version).

i think ms. argerich - from what i've heard and read - is a very extremely sensitive and provacative in thought - person.  she isn't just 'playing the piano.'  she's telling you about herself as she plays.  she could be strident one moment and possibly very tender another.  i don't see her as someone who suddenly falls apart at having cancer.  i think she's just private because she has that personality and she's probably very strong for having had cancer.

i'm looking forward to hearing her at the kimmel center.  btw, i don't mean strident in a bad way - i mean bold.  for a woman.  not that many women have her type of strength.  it takes A LOT of inner strength to be a concert pianist (not to mention a good memory).
her october 3,4 recital program:
ravel - valses nobles et sentimentales
prokofiev - piano concerto #1
shostakovich - piano concerto #1
mussorgsky's - pictures at an exhibition

i think she is not performing the shostakovich the second night.  unfortunately, that is the night i plan to go (sat. night) - but maybe someone can fill us in on the friday night concert?

i'm anxious to hear her and look forward to the good conducting of charles dutoit.

[rc]

Thanks for the review, when I saw the thread title I was already halfway to amazon.com to order it!  Close call...

Now, I wonder where I could rent it?  Something tells me I won't find it on the new releases shelf at blockbuster

[cmg]

awww.  a lot of famous pianists are reclusive.  nothing new there.  and, for the humor factor - i agree that beethoven and haydn had an 'in' on the humor of the time and even makes people today laugh.  especially if you understand some of the stuff in their time s- it's even funnier. 

ravel was funny in that he wasn't trying to be funny.  at least that's my perspective.  he's funny because he makes the real world look like it is psychadelic.  as if everything is viewed from a blurry stained glass or something.  i don't actually know much about ravel's life - but it seems that sometimes musician who try to be serious are actually funny because their mad and they don't know it (or represent things in the world that everyone else takes very seriously - and they try to capture it in photography or music - but it is a condensed version or elongated version).

i think ms. argerich - from what i've heard and read - is a very extremely sensitive and provacative in thought - person.  she isn't just 'playing the piano.'  she's telling you about herself as she plays.  she could be strident one moment and possibly very tender another.  i don't see her as someone who suddenly falls apart at having cancer.  i think she's just private because she has that personality and she's probably very strong for having had cancer.

i'm looking forward to hearing her at the kimmel center.  btw, i don't mean strident in a bad way - i mean bold.  for a woman.  not that many women have her type of strength.  it takes A LOT of inner strength to be a concert pianist (not to mention a good memory).
her october 3,4 recital program:
ravel - valses nobles et sentimentales
prokofiev - piano concerto #1
shostakovich - piano concerto #1
mussorgsky's - pictures at an exhibition

i think she is not performing the shostakovich the second night.  unfortunately, that is the night i plan to go (sat. night) - but maybe someone can fill us in on the friday night concert?

i'm anxious to hear her and look forward to the good conducting of charles dutoit.

She's a great pianist, a great musician.  That's for sure, pianistimo.  But she's crazy.  Really crazy.  Well, she's probably borderline personality disordered.  Which means she's totally self-centered, which she is.  Terrified of being alone.  Which she is.  Impulsive and erratic.  And, ultimately, not someone who has the gift of empathy.  It's all about Martha, you know?

I've been in her company twice in NYC.  Both times she behaved like a pampered, entitled diva.  She exhibited absolutely no social graces.  It was as if you were in the presence of a totally rude Queen.  And Queens, I'm told, aren't rude by nature.  But she is.

Still and all -- she's a very, very great pianist.

[pianistimo]

seems that many pianists have many different personalities.  but, who is to say that she would be accepted should she attempt to be like andre watts or something.  he, of all the pianists i've heard about and seen in concert - seems to be the 'humble guy' and can joke about himself, the concert, what the music is about .  he's not afraid to talk and share.

now, if martha came out and started joking and acting this way - people would probably say the opposite things about her - like 'she's too open - she talks too much....'

i think we should just accept pianists the way they are.  and, if she is a rude queen - just celebrate her rudeness (in a good way).  i mean, who's to say that she might not just laugh if someone called her 'your royal rudeness.' 

sometimes, what appears to be rudeness can also be concentration.  they probably get into a meditative mode for three months straight - and to break out of it after a concert is probably a huge stress relief.  imagine that just getting home is probably good.

helene grimaud has wolves at home.  they keep visitors at bay.  guess she likes to be alone, too.  by choice.  - i have no idea if martha argerich is alone by choice.  you say she is paranoid of being alone - but what if it is the only way she can lessen extraneous noises to practice.  maybe she does one thing at a time -and each thing she does very well.

just trying to give her the benefit of the doubt.  however, cmg - i trust that you are more knowledgeable on this because i've never seen her in concert, nor met her.  just seen pictures posted different places and adoring fans - wishing they could hear her bach.  i don't want to hear her bach in a million years. i want to hear the prokofiev and the pictures (if it is the piano version with orchestra?)  maybe it's just orchestra at the end.  ihave no idea.

[pianistimo]

cmg,

thinking upon this further -there is dillemma for all pianists about 'love' itself.  do they love the piano alone - or share themselves (dividing up time) with family/friends.  it's probably not a choice that the lesser among us have to make - but to be a concert artist must require some sacrifices.  maybe this does make for slight personality disorders.  i mean - if you are constantly practicing - you don't exactly have time for small talk.  i remember when i was practicing a lot (years ago) and used to hang up the phone pretty easily.  'hello?  oh.  goodbye.'  nobody seemed to care that i wasn't interested.  in fact, i pretty much told people to call in the afternoon because i might not even pick up the phone in the morning.  i'm not even a concert pianist (yet) - but i think i know how you're supposed to operate.  you pick your hours.  stick to them. and get a concert ready.  somehow, i now get distracted by many things. 

[general disarray]

cmg,

thinking upon this further -there is dillemma for all pianists about 'love' itself.  do they love the piano alone - or share themselves (dividing up time) with family/friends.  it's probably not a choice that the lesser among us have to make - but to be a concert artist must require some sacrifices.  maybe this does make for slight personality disorders.  i mean - if you are constantly practicing - you don't exactly have time for small talk.  i remember when i was practicing a lot (years ago) and used to hang up the phone pretty easily.  'hello?  oh.  goodbye.'  nobody seemed to care that i wasn't interested.  in fact, i pretty much told people to call in the afternoon because i might not even pick up the phone in the morning.  i'm not even a concert pianist (yet) - but i think i know how you're supposed to operate.  you pick your hours.  stick to them. and get a concert ready.  somehow, i now get distracted by many things. 

It's a matter of empathy.  That ability to literally feel what others feel.  People like Argerich don't have empathy.  Maybe sympathy -- an ability to IMAGINE what others feel -- but not empathy, the actual feeling of feeling what others feel.  She's narcissistic.  Period.

[rc]

It's a good arguement for narcissim, that often these sorts of people can achieve great things, in a sort of perverse way...  But who can stand being around such people?  I know some people who could be called narcissists, and they don't have friends, but 'followers'.

I know one girl who's like the 'rude princess', but without any talent   Then I wonder, maybe one day she will develop something worthwhile, if only to back up her gigantic self image.

...Then the more I think about it, the more I realize it's somewhat useless to pigeonhole a person into some sort of label - I too have a certain selfish aspect to a lot of the things I do, it's just not a dominant characteristic.

Victor Hugo:  "There is a prospect greater than the sea, and it is the sky; there is a prospect greater than the sky, and it is the human soul"

Well, it is what it is.

[Petter]

Judging by these comments I can see why she wants to be left alone. 
 Because she´s a woman you expect her to be empathic so when she´s a looney everyone goes bazooka and judge her harder then her male peers.

[rc]

I speak for myself, but I find the whole 'lack of social graces' just as intolerable from a man as a woman.

I once visited a forum where there were a lot of people who talked as if there was some sort of war between the sexes.  They actually had a term called "The Lace Curtain", the idea was that there was some sort of systemized emasculation of men in the culture, which came about as feminism went a bit beyond the mark.  TV sitcoms were a common example, where it's common that the male characters are goofy morons kept in line by the sensible women, I think 'King of Queens' might have been the best example (I don't watch much TV really).  Also a lot of articles about men getting screwed over in divorce courts, crazy things that extremist feminists have said, and things like that.

This mentality is dangerous, if someone wants to find a war, they will.  A lot of these guys became miserable self-righteous misogynists, for no reason at all.  Nothing was actually happening to any of them, they were just getting themselves riled up.

I'm not pointing the finger at you Petter!  Just tangenting, and after seeing that mentality at work, I'm always noticing when things turn to 'man vs woman'...

Reminds me of the Leonard Cohen song, 'There Is A War':

There is a war between the rich and poor,
a war between the man and the woman.
There is a war between the left and right,
a war between the black and white,
a war between the odd and the even.

Why don't you come on back to the war, pick up your tiny burden,
why don't you come on back to the war, let's all get even,
why don't you come on back to the war, can't you hear me speaking?