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Martha Argerich | |
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.jpg) Argerich in 2015 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1941-06-05)5 June 1941 (age 84) Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Genres | Classical |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Piano |
| Labels | |
Spouses | |
| Citizenship | Argentina Switzerland |
Martha Argerich (ArgentinianSpanish pronunciation:[ˈmaɾtaaɾxeˈɾitʃ];Eastern Catalan:[əɾʒəˈɾik]; born 5 June 1941) is an Argentine classical concertpianist. Argerich is noted especially for her interpretations of the works by composers such asChopin,Ravel,Liszt,Prokofiev, andSchumann,[1] and is generally regarded as one of the greatest living pianists.[2]
Born and raised inBuenos Aires, Argerich gave her debut concert at the age of eight before receiving further piano training in Europe. At sixteen, she won both theGeneva International Music Competition and the Ferruccio Busoni International Competition, and her international career was launched after winning theInternational Chopin Piano Competition in 1965. Since the 1980s, she has prioritized collaborative performance, appearing frequently with artists includingNelson Freire,Mischa Maisky, andGidon Kremer.
Argerich was born in Buenos Aires.[3] Her paternal ancestors were fromCatalonia, based in Buenos Aires since the 18th century. Her maternal grandparents were Jewish immigrants from theRussian Empire, who settled in Colonia Villa Clara in Argentina'sEntre Ríos Province, one of the colonies established byBaron de Hirsch and theJewish Colonization Association.[4][5] The provenance of the nameArgerich is Catalonia.[6]
A precocious child, Argerich began kindergarten at the age of two years and eight months, where she was the youngest child. A five-year-old boy, who was a friend, teased her that she would not be able to play the piano, and Argerich responded by playing perfectly, by ear, a piece their teacher played them. The teacher immediately called the mother and they "started making a fuss." Argerich started learning the piano at the age of three.[7] At the age of five, she moved to teacherVincenzo Scaramuzza, who stressed to her the importance of lyricism and feeling. Argerich gave her debut concert in 1949 at the age of eight. The family moved to Europe in 1955, where Argerich studied withFriedrich Gulda in Austria, whom Argerich describes as one of her major influences. She later studied withStefan Askenase andMaria Curcio.[8] Argerich also seized opportunities for brief periods of coaching with Madeleine Lipatti (widow ofDinu Lipatti),Abbey Simon, andNikita Magaloff.[9] In 1957, at sixteen, she won both theFerruccio Busoni International Competition and theGeneva International Music Competition in the same year.[10][n 1]
Following this success, Argerich had a personal and artistic crisis. After an abortive attempt to study with the Italian pianistArturo Benedetti Michelangeli, who gave her only four lessons in the space of 18 months, she went toNew York City, hoping but failing to meet and study with her idol,Vladimir Horowitz.[12] She did not play the piano for three years and considered giving it up to train as a secretary ordoctor.[13] She credited Anny Askenase, the wife ofStefan Askenase, with encouraging her to return to the piano.[7]
| External audio | |
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 Martha Argerich performingJohann Sebastian Bach'sPartita No. 2 in C minor, BWV 826Here on archive.org |
Argerich’s performing career began with several concerts in Argentina. In 1949, Argerich gave her first concerto performance at the age of eight at the Auditorio Radio El Mundo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, playingBeethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Mozart’sPiano Concerto No. 20 the following year, under the direction of Scaramuzza; both concerts were broadcast on the National Radio of Argentina. Argerich gave additional concerts as part of a radio concert series for soloists and appeared in a series, featuring Beethoven’s piano sonatas. In 1952, at the age of 11, she made her debut at theTeatro Colón in Buenos Aires, performingSchumann’s Piano Concerto in A Minor with theBuenos Aires Philharmonic under the direction of Washington Castro. During this time, Argerich also undertook two tours within the country, giving recitals.[14][15]
She gained international prominence when she won theVII International Chopin Piano Competition inWarsaw in 1965, at age 24.[16] On January 16, 1966, she made her American debut at theLincoln Center's Philharmonic Hall with Schuman's Op. 17, Prokofiev's Sonata No. 7 and various works by Chopin.[17] In 1960, she had made her first commercial recording, which included works byChopin,Brahms,Ravel,Prokofiev, andLiszt; it received critical acclaim upon its release in 1961. She has since recorded works by composers includingGinastera,Rachmaninoff andSchumann, to whom she describes feeling a particular connection.[18]
Argerich has often remarked in interviews of feeling "lonely" on stage during solo performances.[19] Since the 1980s, she has staged few solo performances, concentrating instead onconcertos and, in particular,chamber music, and collaborating with instrumentalists insonatas.
Argerich has also promoted younger pianists, both through her annual festival and through her appearances as a member of the jury at international competitions.[20][21][22] The pianistIvo Pogorelić was thrust into the musical spotlight partly as a result of Argerich's actions: after he was eliminated in the third round of the1980 International Chopin Piano Competition inWarsaw, Argerich proclaimed him a genius and left the jury in protest.[23] According toĐặng Thái Sơn, the eventual winner, Argerich made the "beautiful gesture" of sending a public telegram to the judging committee to congratulate him, after learning the final results.[24] She has supported several artists, includingGabriela Montero,Mauricio Vallina,Sergio Tiempo,Roberto Carnevale,Gabriele Baldocci, and Christopher Falzone.[25][26][27]
Argerich is the president of theInternational Piano Academy Lake Como and performs annually at theLugano Festival.[28] She has also created and been a General Director of the Argerich Music Festival and Encounter inBeppu, Japan, since 1996.
Her aversion to the press and publicity has resulted in her remaining out of the limelight for most of her career. Nevertheless, she has been described as one of the greatest contemporary pianists.[29][30][31][32] Many classical musicians have expressed amazement at her technique and musicality, includingVíkingur Ólafsson,Stephen Hough andKrystian Zimerman, who told Argerich that her performance of Chopin's Piano Sonata No.3 in 2020 was the best performance he had ever heard.[33] The pianist and conductorDaniel Barenboim has said that "Argerich has an imagination in interpretation that few virtuosi possess... I am the first to say that she plays better than I do."[34]
Argerich's first marriage was to composer-conductor Robert Chen (Chinese:陈亮声;pinyin:Chén Liàngshēng),[35] with whom she had her first child (violinist Lyda Chen-Argerich).[36] The marriage was dissolved after several months, in 1964.[37] From 1969 to 1973, Argerich was married to Swiss conductorCharles Dutoit, with whom she had her second daughter, Annie Dutoit. Although they separated in 1973, Argerich and Dutoit continued to collaborate. In the 1970s, Argerich had a relationship with the American pianistStephen Kovacevich,[38] with whom she had her third daughter, Stéphanie.[37] Although they made few recordings together during their relationship, Argerich and Kovacevich continued to perform together well into the 21st century.[39] Stéphanie Argerich explains in her film "Argerich – Bloody Daughter" that as her parents were not married, they tossed a coin to name their daughter, for which Argerich won the toss. Argerich brought her children up in a manner described by Annie Dutoit as "bohemian";[40] Argerich preferred her children to stay at home rather than go to school and regularly hosted young musicians in her home and practiced through the night. During the 1980s, Argerich was in a relationship with the French pianistMichel Béroff.[41]
Argerich is apolyglot and can speakSpanish,French,Italian,German,English, andPortuguese.[42][43][44][45] Although hermother tongue is Spanish, she brought her children up speaking French.[46] She has lived in Argentina, Belgium, Switzerland, and France, and holdscitizenship for Switzerland and Argentina.[47]
Argerich has never been connected to any political party.[48] However, she stated in a 2019 interview that she is strongly againstcapital punishment and admires the French politicianRobert Badinter, who enacted the abolition of the death penalty in France.[49] Her friend, the pianistDaniel Barenboim, stated that when he contacted the Argentine presidentMauricio Macri in 2016, asking him to acceptSyrian refugees into the country, it was also on behalf of Argerich.[50]
In 1990, Argerich was diagnosed withmelanoma. After treatment, the cancer went intoremission, but it recurred in 1995 andmetastasized to her lungs, pancreas, liver, brain, and lymph nodes. Following an experimental treatment at the John Wayne Cancer Institute inSanta Monica pioneered by oncologistDonald Morton, Argerich's cancer went into remission again. In gratitude, Argerich performed a recital atCarnegie Hall benefiting the institute.[51] As of 2023[update], Argerich remains cancer-free.[12] In August 2023 she was forced to cancel several concerts in Germany and Switzerland due to an undisclosed illness.[52]
In 2002, directorGeorges Gachot [de] releasedMartha Argerich: Conversation nocturne(Martha Argerich: Evening Talks), a documentary film about Argerich.[53] Stéphanie Argerich Blagojevic, using film she had shot since childhood, directed a 2012 documentary film about her mother, titledBloody Daughter.[54]
In September 2025, an interview with Argerich appeared on the YouTube podcastfortissimo,[55] hosted by young Swiss pianists Lucas Chiche and David Chen Argerich - the latter being Argerich's grandson.
one of the greatest pianists in the world
generally regarded as the greatest pianist alive today
the greatest pianist in the world, the artist whom other pianists almost universally venerate for her formidable technique and her instinctive musicianship
Martha Argerich (b. 1941) is a world-renowned Argentine pianist celebrated for her virtuosity and passionate performances. She began playing the piano at an early age and trained both in her home country and in Europe. Her unique style and energetic stage presence have made her an iconic figure in contemporary classical music.
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