At her Singapore debut in June 2018, the incomparable Martha Argerich surprised the audience with two encores, the second of which was Debussy’s mesmerising “La soirée dans Grenade” from Estampes.
This is a unique video document as there is no known film/video of Martha Argerich playing any of the Estampes, published anywhere. Only videos made with still photos, using bootlegged concert recordings from the 1960s are known to exist. There is also no official recording of her playing the suite, other than similarly bootlegged material.
Martha Argerich is known to play “La soirée dans Grenade” as an encore on exceedingly rare occasions when she feels a particular affinity for the concert, the venue, or the occasion. Prior to this 2018 performance in Singapore, her last performance of the work is believed to be in Budapest in autumn 2017. But no known audio recording or video exists of such a live performance in at least the last 30 years, until now. This is believed to be the first on the internet, and most certainly on YouTube. This is made even more special given Martha Argerich’s self-imposed exile from solo playing since the mid-1980s.
Recorded live at the Esplanade Concert Hall, Singapore on 13 June, 2018 at the 25th Singapore International Piano Festival.
(c) Singapore Symphony Group