An Unstoppable Force: the Legend of Martha Argerich with the Oxford Philharmonic

Friday 31st March 2023

Felix Mendelssohn: The Hebrides
Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.1

Johann Sebastian Bach: Gavottes from English Suite No.3 (Encore)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony No.41 'Jupiter'

Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra

Piano: Martha Argerich

Conductor: Marios Papadopoulos

Smiles all round.
Photo credit: Ollie Firrell

How many of our legends through the ages have walked the streets of Oxford? In and out of the city's historic colleges, down its lanes and passages, and, this time, in its concert venues. This time, the scholars and students, academics and intellectuals, all gave way for a legend of our times: Martha Argerich. Having recently cancelled a string of concerts with health issues, the audience cheered the great pianist onto the floor of the Oxford Town Hall with relief, expectation, and excitement, all of which were returned by a simple smile by Argerich. 

It is often said that there are two types of great pianists: those that can make you question how playing like that is even possible, and those that make it look so natural that you feel that you can surely do that yourself. Argerich manages both. Simultaneously. Although she has restricted her concerto repertoire in recent years, with the Beethoven being among the handful that she performs regularly, there was never a sense of routine to Argerich's performance. Every phrase was played as if discovered afresh, as if the music was being composed spontaneously.

The orchestra, under the baton of Music Director Marios Papadopoulos, were eloquent and sensitive accompanists throughout, opening the first Allegro con brio with an broad, yet tantalising brio rather than a pressing one. The piano entry felt so natural that some in the audience, so restless for Argerich's entry, only looked up bars later, seeming to realise that the full and embracing tone was hers. Her interaction with the orchestra showed how the performance became a fine example of cooperation. Papadopoulos often looked over at Argerich, and she looked back. Nods of heads, and small signals ensured that phrases were played in step with each other. 

But there is no holding back Martha Argerich. Her moments of showing off the muscular aspects of the concerto, playfully matching Papadopoulos' bass-heavy orchestral tone with her own virtuousic runs in the bass register, showed her fearsome technical ability as a pianist. This was no less the case in the work's most intimate moments either; in the Largo, we held on to every note with bated breath as Argerich led us into emotional depths, and pianistic highs; this was her night.

We were even treated to a Martha Argerich encore, showing again her mastery of this duality of the powerful and the sensitive, Argerich gave us her idiomatic Bach Gavottes. She had to lead the concertmaster off herself to quieten the Oxford audience's cheers.

Hand in hand, an instant standing ovation.
Photo credit: Ollie Firrell

Perhaps nothing could have lived up to that performance. After such a musical experience, it may have felt difficult to know where to go, but it was nonetheless disappointing that little of the excitement of Argerich seemed to rub off on the post-interval Oxford Philharmonic. Papadopoulos' unapologetically big-boned approach had served him well in the concert's first half, including a dramatic, purposeful reading of Mendelssohn's 'Hebrides' that had been a suitable concert-opener.

Yet this almost-Brucknerian vision was clearly unsuited to Mozart, and didn't seem to change when it came to the 'Jupiter' symphony. For three movements, Mozart at his most lithe and inspired sounded pedestrian instead, grandeur feeling artificially imposed rather than shining through naturally via the genius of Mozart's score. Finally, however, in the last movement, the performance picked up. Indeed, Mozart's inventive beauty cannot ever fail to shine here; it was a delight to hear veteran timpanist Tristan Fry deliver bursts and cracks that energised both orchestra and audience. 

Leaving the Oxford Town Hall, only one name was on everyone's lips. A name that had drawn this audience here, a name that for generations has excited and captivated, and tonight, left us spellbound. A name of a true legend of the piano: Martha Argerich.