In the second half, the magnificent Martha Argerich—whose solo performances have been rarer than blue moons since the 1980s—plays Bach’s Partita No. 2 in C Minor, beginning with a Sinfonia in the style of a French overture and concluding with a striking and unconventional Capriccio. The prodigious Akane Sakai then joins the “Pianiste Associée” in a rendition of Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 1, titled the “Classical Symphony” for its modern adaptation of Haydn and Mozart’s classical style. To finish off this sublime concert, virtuoso Sergio Tiempo joins Martha Argerich in a stunning interpretation of Ravel’s La Valse, described by the composer as “a grand waltz, a sort of tribute to the memory of the great Strauss [Johann]” – the perfect way to end a magical evening of music! As a very special encore, the legendary Martha is joined by her grandchildren David Chen and Roman Blagojevic  in a sublime Rachmaninov gem for piano six hands.

Photo: Martha Argerich © Daniel Dittus
Yoav Levanon appears courtesy of Warner Classics.