Martha Argerich Carte Blanche - Verbier Festival 2007

The first release in Deutsche Grammophon’s new partnership with the Verbier Festival that will see the release of exceptional concerts with great artists (2 sets per year from 2016) recorded by Verbier over the years.

Something special was bound to happen when Martha Argerich was given carte blanche to invite whoever she wanted, to play whatever she and they chose at her Verbier Festival concert on 27 July 2007. She was the life and soul of the party, playing in seven works and making a rare solo appearance in Schumann’s Kinderszenen. Argerich’s artistic partners are Yuri Bashmet, Renaud Capuçon, Lang Lang, Mischa Maisky, Gabriela Montero, Julian Rachlin in a killer programme.

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 CDs.

CD 1: Carte Blanche
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
Piano Trio No.5 In D, Op.70 No.1 – "Geistertrio"
1. 1. Allegro vivace e con brio 6:44
2. 2. Largo assai ed espressivo 11:19
3. 3. Presto 8:20
Martha Argerich, Julian Rachlin, Mischa Maisky
Robert Schumann (1810 – 1856)
Kinderszenen, Op.15
4. 1. Von fremden Ländern und Menschen 1:41
5. 2. Kuriose Geschichte 1:08
6. 3. Hasche-Mann 0:26
7. 4. Bittendes Kind 0:58
8. 5. Glückes genug 0:58
9. 6. Wichtige Begebenheit 0:49
10. 7. Träumerei 2:33
11. 8. Am Kamin 0:47
12. 9. Ritter vom Steckenpferd 0:37
13. 10. Fast zu ernst 1:51
14. 11. Fürchtenmachen 1:34
15. 12. Kind im Einschlummern 2:05
16. 13. Der Dichter spricht 2:18
Martha Argerich
Franz Schubert (1797 – 1828)
17. Grand Rondeau In A Major, D. 951 13:45
Maurice Ravel (1875 – 1937)
Ma mère l'oye
For Piano Duet, M.60
18. 1. Pavane de la Belle au bois dormant 1:32
19. 2. Petit Poucet 2:44
20. 3. Laideronnette, Impératrice des Pagodes 2:48
21. 4. Les entretiens de la Belle et de la Bête 4:22
22. 5. Le jardin féerique 3:24
Martha Argerich, Lang Lang
Total Playing Time 1:12:43
CD 2: Carte Blanche
Franz Schubert (1797 – 1828)
Sonata For Arpeggione And Piano In A Minor, D. 821
1. 1. Allegro moderato 11:24
2. 2. Adagio 3:48
3. 3. Allegretto 8:30
Martha Argerich, Yuri Bashmet
Béla Bartók (1881 – 1945)
Sonata For Violin And Piano No.1, Sz. 75
4. Allegro appassionato 12:07
5. Adagio 9:25
6. Allegro 9:45
Martha Argerich, Renaud Capuçon
Witold Lutoslawski (1913 – 1994)
7. Variations on a theme by Paganini for 2 pianos 5:40
Martha Argerich, Gabriela Montero
Mildred J. Hill (1859 – 1916), Patty S. Hill (1868 – 1946)
8. Happy Birthday 4:04