With silver hair and black clothes, Argerich suddenly appeared on the stage. The audience burst into applause and rushed to the stage. From November 4th to 5th at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center, "Piano Priestess" Marta Argerich and violinist Gil Shaham took the lead and joined

With silver hair and black clothes, Argerich suddenly appeared on the stage. The audience burst into applause and rushed to the stage.

From November 4th to 5th at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center, "Piano Priestess" Marta Argerich and violinist Gil Shaham took the lead and joined hands with many musicians to continuously bring a feast of chamber music and concertos. .

Argerich was like a reassurance and was undoubtedly the focus of the stage. From duets, trios, and quintets to double pianos, four-hand playing, and concert playing with an orchestra, she performs in a variety of ways on the stage, in full swing, and full of energy. Her hands seem to have endless magic power, and she has superb skills and finger functions that are beyond ordinary people. Even at the age of 83, she is still full of firepower.

Argerich and his friends holding hands, photo of this article: Mao Xinlin

Argerich's performance is in good condition

A gathering of the god-level circle of friends

Conductor Abbado, pianist Fu Cong, pianist Freire, Pianist Barenboim, pianist Pletnev, cellist Maisky... Argerich's circle of friends can connect almost all famous contemporary musicians. Today, her "god-level" circle of friends is still expanding.

's two concerts in Shanghai were a star-studded gathering. Violinist Gil Shaham, violist Lida Chen-Argerich, pianist Theodosia Ntoku, cellist Edgar Moreau, violinist Mary Parrott, piano Li Jian, a family member, went into battle one after another. Argerich was intimate with every friend, holding hands on stage and off stage.

Shaham has established his reputation as an American music master with his perfect technique, delicate style and sweet tone. Shaham has long been known as a soloist. A few years ago, at a music festival in Switzerland, he collaborated with Argerich in Mendelssohn's Trio for the first time. They met at a late date and have since become a close partner on the stage.

"She is not only a legendary musician, but also an amazing person. I love playing music with her. I am very encouraged and inspired. I have grown a lot and gained a lot." Shaham described Agha Ricci is full of energy and always has a lot of improvisational ideas. "She is so flexible and spontaneous on stage. This is part of her 'musical magic'. I also hope to be a musician like her."

In the chamber music performance on the first night, Lida took the stage as a violist, and in the concerto performance on the second night, she transformed into a conductor. Like her mother, she also has long silver hair.

Lida’s father, Chen Liangsheng, is also a conductor. "Dad's assistant suggested to me, why not try conducting and also commanding my mother? I was moved and wanted to give it a try." This is the second time she has stood on the podium. Will mother listen to her daughter's command? "She has performed these works many times, and she knows very well where to listen to the conductor, where to play freely, and when to interact with the violin and cello. Music is always flowing and changing, and we need to listen to each other."

"The conductor is very familiar with the situation. For me, it’s not a trivial matter, it’s not just something to do casually, I’m under pressure.” Lida has never studied conducting systematically. She lamented that many young conductors nowadays are geniuses, such as Israel’s Rahav Shani, who can do it in two days. After learning Brahms' symphonies, I can memorize the music and go on stage. "I don't think it's possible. My brain can't help it. I have to take my time."

Is it stressful to share the stage with your mother? "The pressure is not because your mother is famous, but because you have to have a sense of responsibility. She is very strict with herself, but very tolerant and friendly to others."

"She is very childish, like a little girl." Before the performance on the second night, During the process of adjusting two pianos for Saint-Saëns' "Carnival of the Animals", Argerich had a little emotion. Lida did not step forward to persuade her, but let her digest it on her own. "If she is nervous, she will talk to me, lose her temper and let her vent it out."

"Maisky once said, She tried her best to interrupt and destroy her music career, but it didn't work."Leda still remembers the cellist's words to describe her mother, "She is very sincere, doesn't like to show off, is loyal to herself, kind and generous. She is a good person and a great artist. "

" Many people think that playing the piano is easy for her, but this is not the case. She would give her all to every concert, whether it was a concert at Carnegie Hall or a small church. I think this is why she still stands today. "Leda said.

Playing with four hands

Two pianos

A genius girl with a golden key

Argerich has shown great musical talent since he was a child and has the golden key to open the door to music.

Two years and eight months old , she was sent to kindergarten and was the youngest among all the children. The children laughed at her because she didn’t know anything and couldn’t play the piano. “I decided to do it the other way around. "Argerich played a piece that the teacher had been playing on the piano all day, improvising by ear, and it was perfect.

As a child, she didn't like practicing piano. Instead, she wanted to be a doctor. 6 years old When she heard Chilean pianist Arau playing Beethoven's "Piano Concerto No. 4", she had the first "electric shock" feeling. In Buenos Aires, Argentina, her mother often took her to listen to it. Concerts started very late, and she always felt sleepy. “I was dozing off, and when I heard the vibrato in the second chapter, I suddenly shivered. It was like an electric shock. "

Argerich moved to Vienna to follow the Austrian pianist Gulda. She was 13 years old and he was only 24. She was his only student. "He is the most talented person I have ever met. I was completely smitten with him. "Gulda's playing had a unique wit that fascinated her. He taught her to listen, always recording her and then letting her comment on it herself, allowing her to quickly improve. Argerich only followed He studied for a year and a half, but it had a huge impact on his life.

Even in his sleep, Argerich could learn piano. When he was sixteen or seventeen years old, his roommate would always practice Prokofiev's "Third Piano" in his room. "Concerto", Argerich was a night owl and slept during the day. In a daze, she actually memorized the music. Later, when she played it by herself, she even made the same mistakes as that girl.

"Some people are like this. If you are learning a language, put a tape under your pillow. Unexpectedly, this happened to me too. "Prokofiev's difficult virtuosic work later became one of Argerich's "signature dishes", reaching the pinnacle and attracting countless fans. However, she said that this piece of music is very simple, "he (composer) (home) likes me very much and has never played any tricks on me. "

In 1957, the 16-year-old Argerich won the first prize in the Busoni International Piano Competition and the Geneva International Piano Competition, only three weeks apart.

Argerich became a "flying man" and kept going from strength to strength. Flying from one city to another to perform, “I started to isolate myself from the world and live like I was 40 years old. "The people around her were older than her, and she didn't recognize any of them. "I'm so shy, so miserable! "Argerich also suffered from severe myopia, and she didn't want to wear glasses when she was in the Mood for Love. After taking the stage, she felt that the keys of the piano were shining like crocodile teeth, and the bright lights on the stage were shining on her, "I felt like I Like a bug. "

" You are like a beautiful oil painting without a frame. "Friend Barenboim described her. Argerich was born free and loved freedom. The unfree life made her miserable.

The 19-year-old Argerich experienced a crisis. She went to meet the Italian pianist Michelan Jerry, but only took 4 classes in a year and a half. After that, she moved to New York and had nothing to do, sitting in her apartment watching "The Late Show" every day. It was also during her stay in New York that Argerich met the Chinese conductor. In 1965, the 24-year-old Argerich won the first prize at the Chopin International Piano Competition, as well as the Best Mazurka Performance Award and the Audience Award, and returned to China. Into the spotlight. This is where a generation of piano superstars started, and since then, they have been the "top performers" in the industry.

Quintet

Orchestra concerto

Be 150% prepared for 60%

The temporary cancellation of performances seems to have become a label for Argerich. Music fans even laughed and said that it was a lot of luck to hear Ajie live. The moment she entered the concert hall, she felt at ease.

Argerich's first "Pigeon" concert was at the age of 17. Lying in a cheap hotel in Florence, it occurred to her that she did not want to perform in Empoli. At that time, she was reading Gide's "The Illegal", and a concert was the most transgressive thing that she could think of in line with crime and punishment. She telegraphed to the organizer that her finger was injured, and to be sure, she actually cut herself with a razor blade. As a result, the telegram was sent to the wrong address, but the organizer came to pick her up anyway. After an own mistake, the show was cancelled.

Argerich's reasons for canceling the show were elusive, one of which was uneasiness and nervousness. "Sometimes, I get into severe panic attacks. It's not that I don't want to act on purpose. I feel like I can't act and I'm not ready." She will think about the worst things that could happen, and she doesn't like to be prepared for everything. If you are directly told that you have to perform, you will be happier, and it will be much easier when you actually go on stage.

Cellist Wang Jian witnessed Argerich's tense moments. One year in Japan, 20-year-old Wang Jian played a trio with a Japanese violinist and Argerich.

Moment before the performance, Argerich refused to go on stage. Everyone was frantic, but no one dared to talk to her. "She said that my condition was too bad and I was not ready." Wang Jian came up with the idea to appease her. They performed a quintet in the first half and then a trio in the second half. Her eyes lit up. An hour later, he found that she was chatting happily with her daughter, and finally went on stage happily. "It's enough for her to get over her nervousness. Once she gets nervous, she won't even go on stage."

In the 1980s, Agri Qi announced to the public that he would no longer hold solo concerts, and his career focus would begin to shift toward chamber music. "When I'm alone, I can't look around and swing freely." Facing the audience alone, she is more likely to be nervous. Having a good friend by her side can dilute her fear. Sometimes the audience is very close to the stage and even surrounds it. She didn't like to be exposed to the audience without blind spots, so she even grew her hair long, hoping that there would be at least one place where she could look out without any burden, where no one could see her.

"From the beginning, she was not a virtuoso player who only focused on skills and speed. She knew all of them. Her imagination allowed her to create unique sound quality and volume on the piano." Barenboim commented Grich. Part of Argerich's reputation comes from her unique interpretation and expression of her works. "Everyone will have a different interpretation, just like everyone's handwriting. As for the sound and the color of the music, they are all related to the performer's imagination." Argerich believes that the performer has the responsibility to give life to the music, not Above the music, but beneath it, be humble.

Every time she plays, she will have new explorations and discoveries. Even if she performs the same piece of music, she tries not to imitate herself. "If you are too satisfied with your past performances, or fall into a cliche, it's because you start to imitate yourself. That's the worst. This kind of thing will not happen to me." And every time she learns a new piece, she They all feel that they know nothing and that their past experience is useless. "I have to throw myself into a swimming pool."

"In order to be able to play about 60% of the level, you have to be 150% prepared. You also have to be 150% prepared." Always have the ability to learn new things, learn from any sudden thoughts, feelings, emotions. "You also have to be able to learn from your weaknesses." In her opinion, vulnerability is also very important in other people's playing. She loved that too because it was exciting. The vulnerable places are the places that can be touched.