Martha

[Colonel Danby]

I only saw Martha Argerich once with her ex husband Charles "I want you in my hotel room naked" Dutoit, I think in Prokofiev 3 at the Proms, but she is a notorious no shower. However good she is, people who just buy tickets to see her rather than to hear the music itself are really missing the point. I'm sure that Frank Braley will be an excellent replacement.

That said, I did have five tickets to hear Klaus Tennstedt in Mahler and other works, and he was indisposed for all them (not surprising, as he smoked 70 cigarettes a day). And to make things worse, the replacement was (shock horror) Lorin Maazel...

[Pianorak]

. . . what are the odds that Maria Joao Pires will cancel too?

Excellent odds - go for it!

Over the years I booked three times for her and all I got was three cancellations. Never again!

[Alf-Prufrock]

Thanks for the news that Frank Braley is replacing Martha. I have heard him in the Ravel Trio with the Capuçon brothers. Quite wonderful. I would take him any time over Martha, to be frank.

[Barbirollians]

What a load of sour nonsense . OK she cancels from time to time - she is 70 years old and has recovered from cancer . Quite clearly despite her supreme talent she seems to have quite severe self-confidence issues judging by all the profiles I have read .

Anyone , who thinks she is in decline should go and listen to the Lugano Festival recordings of the past few years . The Chopin Concerto No 1 from 2010 is better than both her studio recordings to my ears and was raved about by AMcG this morning too .

I was lucky enough to see her at the 2009 Prom , unlike an earlier poster but like the audience that night I thought it was quite brilliant and I shall always remember it together with the Scarlatti encore.

[Black Swan]

What a load of sour nonsense . OK she cancels from time to time - she is 70 years old and has recovered from cancer . Quite clearly despite her supreme talent she seems to have quite severe self-confidence issues judging by all the profiles I have read .

Anyone , who thinks she is in decline should go and listen to the Lugano Festival recordings of the past few years . The Chopin Concerto No 1 from 2010 is better than both her studio recordings to my ears and was raved about by AMcG this morning too .

I was lucky enough to see her at the 2009 Prom , unlike an earlier poster but like the audience that night I thought it was quite brilliant and I shall always remember it together with the Scarlatti encore.

I agree with you, I unlike most of the postings on this topic am a big fan of Martha. I've been lucky enough to see her 2 times live in concert. I think that we always have to be fair in criticism. I have been lucky enough to see some great pianists live, Perahia, Schiff, Uchida and Argerich. All great in my book.

John

[Rosie55]

Argerich is simply superb. Her playing is immediate and she throws caution to the wind which, with a technique like hers, she can do, and then perform!
I find many other pianists bland in comparison to her and I feel for her as in many recent interviews she talks of the trauma and stress she encounters before concerts.
A great artist!

What a load of sour nonsense . OK she cancels from time to time - she is 70 years old and has recovered from cancer . Quite clearly despite her supreme talent she seems to have quite severe self-confidence issues judging by all the profiles I have read .

Anyone , who thinks she is in decline should go and listen to the Lugano Festival recordings of the past few years . The Chopin Concerto No 1 from 2010 is better than both her studio recordings to my ears and was raved about by AMcG this morning too .

I was lucky enough to see her at the 2009 Prom , unlike an earlier poster but like the audience that night I thought it was quite brilliant and I shall always remember it together with the Scarlatti encore.

[amateur51]

Argerich is simply superb. Her playing is immediate and she throws caution to the wind which, with a technique like hers, she can do, and then perform!
I find many other pianists bland in comparison to her and I feel for her as in many recent interviews she talks of the trauma and stress she encounters before concerts.
A great artist!

You tell 'em, Rosie

[Op. XXXIX]

You tell 'em, Rosie

No disagreements with Rosie!