Martha Argerich is one of the greatest pianists of all time, period. Her career has spanned over seven decades and multiple continents. We listeners are lucky to enjoy many incredible performances on disc and on film.

Martha Argerich with The Philadelphia Orchestra, 2008 © carnegiehall.org

To get a sense of her most popular performances, we’re turning to Youtube, checking out the five most popular Martha Argerich videos, and looking at what makes them—and her pianism—so mesmerising.

In reverse order of popularity, here’s our countdown:

5. Mozart, Sonata for Two Pianos, K448

Berlin, 2014
3.1 million views

We don’t often hear performances of two-piano repertoire, so this performance featuring two masters is a real treat! Mozart wrote this bright and charming sonata in 1781 to play with his student Josepha Auernhammer.

Argerich’s partner here is Daniel Barenboim. They share strikingly similar backgrounds: she was born in Buenos Aires in 1941, and he was born in Buenos Aires in 1942.

They met for the first time as children at a friend’s house in 1949. It’s an incredible experience getting to hear two of the greatest pianists of their generation perform together after having known each other for sixty-five years!

They don’t often exchange glances, but you can easily see (and hear!) how intensely they’re listening to each other.

4. Liszt, Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6

Munich, 1966
3.6 million views

When this performance was filmed for German television, Argerich was just 25 years old.

She was fresh off winning the 1965 Chopin Competition and taking a three-year break from the piano, during which she considered leaving music permanently and training as a secretary or doctor instead.

This performance proves that beyond a shadow of a doubt, she made the right decision.

The black-and-white footage gives the performance an air of sophistication and enhances the image of the glamorous young pianist playing her heart out.

3. Chopin, Polonaise No. 6

Munich, 1966
3.9 million views

Argerich’s third most popular performance on Youtube is the Chopin Polonaise No. 6, subtitled the “Héroïque.”

(A bit of trivia… You may have noticed that most solo performances of Argerich seem to date from her youth. She has frequently spoken of feeling lonely when she’s the only person onstage, and nowadays prefers to perform with other musicians in concertos and chamber music.)

This is not a note-perfect performance, but it absolutely does not matter. Argerich’s youthful energy and the enjoyment she is getting out of the music are so much more important.

At 5:30, when the main theme re-emerges, Argerich gives the most mischievous smile, and that moment of sheer joy and awe typifies the entire performance.

2. Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto No. 3

Berlin, 1982
5.2 million views

Rachmaninoff’s third concerto is one of the most difficult in the repertoire, and its massive technical demands can make lesser pianists sound as if they’re hammering away for dear life.

However, Martha Argerich meets all demands with ease, creating a performance full of subtlety, working hand-in-hand with technical firepower.

Starting around 27:00, the transition into the finale, and the finale itself, are especially jaw-dropping. Her speed! A listener feels a thrilling sense of artistic risk, even danger, as Argerich’s hands blur up and down the keyboard.

1.Tchaikovsky, Piano Concerto No. 1

Geneva, 1975
10 million views

Here it is: the most popular Martha Argerich video on Youtube!

She is performing Tchaikovsky with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and conductor Charles Dutoit, to whom she was married for several years. (They had separated by the time of this performance.)

The entire performance is a highlight, but if I had to choose one segment to recommend, it would be the finale. It sparkles, and there’s something about the energy and verve of Argerich’s attacks that is so incredibly exciting. During the famous octaves passage at 32:16, the camera operator can’t keep up with her hands.

There’s also one tiny moment at 28:10 that says so much – a trademark Argerich smile that radiates joy, satisfaction, and a true communion with the music. It’s an unforgettable moment in a performance full of them.

We hope you enjoyed this tour through some of Martha Argerich’s most famous performances. Which video would you recommend?

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