They could be mother and granddaughter: Martha Argerich and Sophie Pacini. In the first movement of Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D major K. 448, however, it seems in the Hercules Hall that the relationship is a bit chilly. No smiles, no inner agreement, but at least sober professional composure. Making music sounds different. But with the Andante and especially in the finale, one thinks one can hear greater harmony and also more subtleties in the interplay. But maybe it’s also because of the critic’s seat far in front in the middle of the third row, where the two grand pianos together don’t produce a round sound and you can watch the musicians at work too closely.
Heard from the gallery after the break, Franz Liszt’s sprawling, highly virtuosic, crazy, almost hypertrophic “Réminiscences de ‘Don Juan’ de Mozart” become a spectacular event. But that’s also a different caliber, which doesn’t require fine detail, but rather a wide range of colors. For Liszt begins his fantasy with the sombre end of Don Giovanni, continues with extended variations on “Là ci darem la mano”, the insidiously tender duet with Zerlina, and ends on exuberant brilliance in the face of the Don’s “Fin ch’han del vino”. , so the champagne aria. All of this sometimes makes the listener smile.
In contrast, Richard Wagner’s “Tannhäuser” overture in the piano version by Liszt, which Pacini previously served brilliantly, looks almost harmless and quite true to the work. Of course, the evening is crowned by the encore: Now the two women move closer together physically and play Mozart again on a grand piano for four hands. Now the two throw the balls to each other, audibly and visibly with charm. Argerich, who operates the lower half of the grand piano, keeps looking at her colleague from the side, and both are obviously having fun – and of course their listeners are too.