有人形容,李斯特是一位「要求讓情感說話、流淚、歌唱與嘆息,以自己的感覺帶給音樂生命;他的音樂熱情洋溢,表現出音樂最光輝燦爛的一面;他在毫無生氣的音樂中注入活力,注入靈感與想像力,讓音樂重獲朝氣與優美迷人的律動。他的音樂結構猶如在萬里穹蒼展翅飛翔;他的身上一定有上千把精良的武器可供使用;他讓人憶起芬芳的氣息,並把這氣息帶入生命」的鋼琴大師,而這一段話,也是形容阿格麗希風格的最佳註腳。阿格麗希的音樂如水銀般流動靈巧又難以捉摸,好不容易捉住又會立刻溜走;音樂如同刀劍般的銳利,八度音如同火焰般閃耀,就是這種能緊緊抓住人心的快速多變風格,讓她屹立在音樂會舞台與唱片市場長達五十年而不動搖。
這套專輯收錄許多阿格麗希最受樂迷鍾愛的曲子,例如:蕭邦《詼諧曲》與《前奏曲》、普羅高菲夫《觸技曲》、拉威爾與普羅高菲夫的鋼琴協奏曲選、拉威爾《加斯巴之夜》裡的〈水妖〉等作品。最後則是讓人驚喜兩軌珍貴錄音:1960年一月與九月,不滿二十歲的阿格麗希在德國科隆彈奏莫札特第十七號鋼琴奏鳴曲第二樂章,以及貝多芬第七號鋼琴奏鳴曲第四樂章實況錄音。這兩軌錄音的母帶收藏於西德廣播電台,品質相當好,過去從未發行。
曲目:
CD 1
Frédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849)
[1] Scherzo No.3 in C sharp minor, Op.39 [6:30]
Sergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953)
[2] Toccata, Op.11 [4:06]
[3] Mazurka No.36 in A minor Op.59 No.1 [3:19] Martha Argerich
Piano Concerto No.3 in C, Op.26 [4] 1. Andante - Allegro [8:57]
Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
Piano Concerto in G [5] 2. Adagio assai [9:02] Martha Argerich, Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado
Franz Liszt (1811 - 1886)
Piano Concerto No.1 in E flat, S.124 [6] 3. Allegro marziale animato [4:00] Martha Argerich, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893)
Piano Concerto No.1 in B flat minor, Op.23 [7] 2. Andantino semplice - Prestissimo - Tempo I [7:28] Martha Argerich, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Charles Dutoit
Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856)
Piano Sonata No.2 in G minor, Op.22 [8] 2. Andantino [4:56]
Scherzo No.2 in B flat minor, Op.31 [9] Presto [8:53]
Gaspard de la nuit [10] Ondine [6:15]
24 Préludes, Op.28 [11] 3. in G major [0:52] [12] 4. in E minor [1:52] [13] 12. in G sharp minor [0:59] [14] 15. in D flat major ("Raindrop") [4:52] [15] 16. in B flat minor [0:58] [16] 17. in A flat major [2:50] [17] 23. in F major [0:43] [18] 24. in D minor [2:15] Martha Argerich
Total Playing Time [1:18:47]
CD 2
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791)
[1] Andante and Five Variations for Piano duet in G, K.501 [7:27] Martha Argerich, Stephen Kovacevich
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op.54 [2] 3. Allegro vivace [10:13] Martha Argerich, National Symphony Orchestra Washington, Mstislav Rostropovich
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750)
English Suite No.2 in A minor, BWV 807 [3] 5. Bourrée I & II [3:56] Martha Argerich
Cello Sonata in G minor, Op.65 [4] 3. Largo [3:42] Mstislav Rostropovich, Martha Argerich
Witold Lutoslawski (1913 - 1994)
[5] Variations on a theme by Paganini for 2 pianos [5:10] Martha Argerich, Nelson Freire
Sergey Vasil'yevich Rachmaninov (1873 - 1943)
Piano Concerto No.3 in D minor, Op.30 [6] 3. Finale (Alla breve) [13:36] Martha Argerich, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Riccardo Chailly
Nutcracker Suite, Op.71a (Arr. Nicolas Economou for 2 pianos) [7] 2. Danses caractéristiques: [11:28] a. Marche, b. Danse de la fée dragée, c. Danse russe: Trepak, d. Danse arabe, e. Danse chinoise, f. Danse des mirlitons Martha Argerich, Nicolas Economou
Kinderszenen, Op.15 [8] 7. Träumerei [3:00] Martha Argerich
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827)
Sonata for Violin and Piano No.2 in A, Op.12 No.2 [9] 1. Allegro vivace [5:44] Gidon Kremer, Martha Argerich
Sonata for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord No.1 in G, BWV 1027: 1.Adagio [10] 3. Andante [3:19] [11] 4. Allegro moderato [2:55] Mischa Maisky, Martha Argerich
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 - 1921)
Le Carnaval des Animaux [12] Pianistes [1:27] [13] Fossiles [1:16] Martha Argerich, Georg Maximilian Hörtnagel, Nelson Freire, Gidon Kremer, Isabelle van Keulen, Tabea Zimmerman, Mischa Maisky, Irena Grafenauer, Eduard Brunner, Markus Steckeler, Edith Salmen-Weber
Piano Concerto No.2 in B flat major, Op.19 Cadenza: Ludwig van Beethoven (mvt.1) [14] 3. Rondo (Molto allegro) [6:04] Martha Argerich, Philharmonia Orchestra, Giuseppe Sinopoli
Total Playing Time [1:19:17]
CD 3
Béla Bartók (1881 - 1945)
Sonata for Violin and Piano No.1, Sz. 75 [1] Allegro appassionato [12:47] Gidon Kremer, Martha Argerich
[2] 12 Variations on "Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen" for Cello and Piano, Op. 66 [9:17] Martha Argerich, Mischa Maisky
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809)
Concerto for Harpsichord and Orchestra in D major, Hob.XVIII:11 (Concerto for Piano) [3] 3. Rondo all'Ungarese: Allegro assai [3:59] Martha Argerich, Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn, Jörg Faerber
Sonata for 2 Pianos and Percussion, Sz. 110 [4] 3. Allegro non troppo [6:15] Martha Argerich, Nelson Freire, Peter Sadlo, Edgar Guggeis
Peter Kiesewetter (1945 - )
[5] Tango pathétique [2:19] Martha Argerich, Gidon Kremer, Mischa Maisky
Piano Concerto No.3 in C minor, Op.37 Kadenz: Ludwig van Beethoven [6] 3. Rondo (Allegro) [8:55] Martha Argerich, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
The Tale of the Stone Flower, Ballet in 4 Acts, Op.118 [7] Waltz (Arranged for Cello and Piano by G.Piatigorsky and S. Knushevitsky) [2:29] Martha Argerich, Mischa Maisky
Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897)
Piano Quartet No.1 in G minor, Op.25 [8] 4. Rondo alla Zingarese [8:12] Martha Argerich, Gidon Kremer, Yuri Bashmet, Mischa Maisky
Cinderella, Op.87 Suite from the Ballet: Transcribed for 2 Pianos by Mikhail Pletnev [9] Gallop. Presto [4:15] Martha Argerich, Mikhail Pletnev
Franz Schubert (1797 - 1828)
Grand Rondeau in A major, D 951 [10] Allegretto quasi Andantino [10:57] Nelson Freire, Martha Argerich
Piano Sonata No.17 in D, K.576 [11] 2. Adagio [4:48]
Piano Sonata No.7 in D, Op.10 No.3 [12] 4. Rondo (Allegro) [3:30] Martha Argerich
Total Playing Time [1:17:43]