Yesterday afternoon, we were able see photos from the sound check at Palacio Carlos V. The first thing that we noticed was the respect and affection shown last night by the great protagonists. That disposition alone had already established the music lover in a position where the Tuesday evening of this Tuesday would be remembered. The prophecy of Charles Dutoit, Lusanne 1936, and Martha Argerich, Buenos Aires 1941 was more than fulfilled. Imagine the combined experience of these two musicians, who have been playing together for 168 years. They performed in the Palace of Carlos V’s courtyard. It was an event that was supposed to be the most hot of Festival nights. But the breeze made it bearable. A concert that touched the hearts of all those who saw it. There is no limit to emotion.
Antonio Moral, director for the Granada cycle has had a special relationship with the Swiss-born pianist for many years. This is why we’ve been able to see her over the years. The public became lazy and ran out of paper, even though the tickets were some of the most expensive in this cycle. The evening started with a performance by ‘Le tombeau de Couperin’. This was a tribute to one of the most important French Baroque musicians.
Dutoit’s style of directing is elegant and not overly gimmicky. Dutoit is a master of her baton and makes her his accomplice. We were able to confirm this in his reading of Ravel’s first work, the ‘Prelude. Vif, which sounded very energetic, was to continue with “Forlane.” Allegretto, the French Menuet. Allegro moderato’, and finally, the very inspiring ‘Rigaudon. Assez vif’. This is a perfect example of retrospectivism. The great Gallic composers fled to their past as the winds of war from Central Europe acted as a catalyst for nostalgia.
After the technical “intermezzo”, the Palacio de Carlos V presented Marttha Argerich a standing ovation unlike any other. The legend is a hefty one. After arranging her hair, she fixed her eyes on the keys and everything became Argerich. She was always at the service and at the service to music by the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic. She watched the evolutions of Dutoit’s string and drank each note like a glass of wine, complicitly. The response came from the agile string fingers in the form delicate “pizzicatos” to the longest passages on the piano. Marta’s rhythm was underlined by the metals. It was a concert in every sense.
The audience was excited by Martha Argerich. / Alfredo Aguilar
What about the solo at the start of the Adagio assai? The transverse flutes will ‘wake-up’ the rest. On Tuesday night, the pianist redefined the notion of delicacy. The music was heard, seen, and imagined. There are not many Impressionist works that have the same melodic balance as this one. Vertiginous scales and intimate passages are used to enhance the artist’s brilliance, and bring out the deepest satisfaction of the public. The beautiful notes of the second movement were suspended in the air almost without any break in continuity. Finally, the devilish Presto, with its very special percussive effects that thrilled the audience as much the pa, was unleashed and received one of the highest applauses of this cycle. The teacher left a Granada music lesson once again. Before the break, the ‘Bravos” lit up the patio. The pianist responded to the enthusiastic audience and admired the whistles that are so unusual in classical concerts, and sat down to play Bach again.
After the break, it was possible to still listen to and enjoy Tchaikovsky’s ‘Cuarta,’ which completed a memorable night of music.
