Martha Argerich

Born: 5 June, 1941 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Pianist

Recognized as one of the greatest pianists of our time, Martha Argerich has had a colourful career pursued with a singular vision. Though dogged by recurrent ill health in recent years Argerich is playing with a passion and insight accorded few artists in any field.

She has always been a maverick and her discography reflects her wide-ranging interests. She was a child prodigy, playing in public from the age of five. However, after her initial international successes in the late 1950s she retired from concert giving in 1960 for four years for further study. When she returned to the platform it was with a blazing energy that has rarely faltered since.

Argerich is known as a virtuoso with a penetrating musical intellect. She has recorded not nearly as often as her fans would prefer, but most of her discs have achieved legendary status. Of particular note is her debut DG recording which has never left the catalogue in thirty-five years and her more recent recording of the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No 3 with Riccardo Chailly on Philips which has been a worldwide best seller. Argereich is also a committed chamber music maker and she has collaborated with nearly all the important instrumentalists of her generation including Mstislav Rostropovich and Gidon Kremer, well documented on disc.