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Burleske!

Posted: Thursday | 04.01.10

Strauss by Argerich!!!

Old CD’s are frequently unbelievable, when it comes to the quality of the music. Here we have several master performers, doing the following music by Richard Strauss, performed with the Berlin Philharmonic:

1. Don Juan, Tone Poem for orchestra, Op. 20

2. Burleske for piano & orchestra (or 2 pianos) in D minor, Op. 85 Martha Argerich, piano soloist, with Berlin Philharmonic

3. Till Eulenspiegel’s Lustige Streiche (Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks), tone poem for orchestra, Op. 28

4. Der Rosenkavalier, opera, Op. 59 excerpt:

with Renee Fleming, Frederica Von State, and Kathleen Battle.

My interest in this CD was generated by the recording of the Burleske, as performed by Martha Argerich. This is amazing pianistic virtuoso playing! There are the perfect, thundering octaves and the screaming runs. And of course, we all love to hear a pianist stretch the physical limits of piano playing. But listen to the video below, and you will hear an interpretation which has given Argerich the respect, love, and admiration that she has earned.

View the 19-minute video, below, and you’ll marvel at points in the performance where she cracks a smile, knowing that a certain delicious spot is about to emerge. This is an absolute treasure! A CD that should be in every collection.

Click below to hear 19+ minutes of the Burleske, or whatever part of it you wish to hear. She plays with the Berlin Philharmonic, under Abbado!