Welcoming Ms. Martha Argerich and Ms. Kyoko Ito

2023/06/05

On May 10, we were able to welcome the two of them to Mita and hold a small concert. The following is a report on that event.

I don't remember exactly when it was that Juro Iwatani, a Vice-President I work with, asked me, "Ms. Argerich might be coming; could you help us out?" Of course, I accepted immediately, but frankly, my first feeling was, "Ms. Argerich? She is a tremendous superstar, but is such a thing even possible? And if it is, in what form?" From there, Project Argerich was launched. Within Keio, the Office of Communications and Public Relations, as well as the Keio University Art Center (KUAC) as a related department, provided full support, leading to the recent event.

We discussed the content of the concert many times. With the cooperation of Ms. Kyoko Ito, the de facto head of the Argerich Arts Foundation (where Ms. Argerich serves as President), various possibilities such as solos, duos, and chamber music emerged and were considered. Ms. Ito actually tested the pianos at the Mita Campus during this period, and it was finally decided to hold the event at the West School Building Hall. A Shigeru Kawai piano was brought in and used. This venue has previously hosted pianists such as the late Hiroko Nakamura and Izumi Tateno. Since it is not a dedicated music hall, it is a difficult location from the perspective of stage management, but thanks to the efforts of those involved, problems were resolved on a practical level at the site, including on the day of the event.

The event was closed to the public, intended for Keio students, faculty, staff, Trustees, and Councilors. As we had anticipated from the start, as soon as online registration opened, it was filled in an instant, and the designated number of seats reached full capacity.

I am not sure if it is meaningful to spend more words on Ms. Argerich at this point, but here is a brief introduction.

Born in Buenos Aires, her contemporaries include pianists such as Gerber and Barenboim. Since these individuals come from places geographically distant from Europe, it is often a topic of discussion whether there is some systematic reason why these talents appeared in a group. Ms. Argerich studied in Vienna and won first prize at the International Chopin Piano Competition in 1965. Her subsequent success goes without saying. In recent years, she is also well known for her involvement in chamber music.

What should I say about her piano playing? What is often pointed out is her unique pianism, embodied by her powerful technique and wide range of dynamics. That is, of course, correct. Before her, it feels as if technical difficulties vanish into thin air. One perceives the difficulties as if they never existed in the first place.

Personally, I feel that Ms. Argerich, along with Pollini and Ashkenazy, is a shining star, a presence that is almost too dazzling. In terms of actual age, these individuals should be considered elderly, but to me, they remain shining young stars forever. This is likely because the image I had when I first encountered them persists.

Her duo partner, Ms. Ito, is one of Japan's leading pianists. After graduating from Tokyo University of the Arts, she went to Europe and won a prize at the Busoni International Piano Competition. Her work with the Argerich Foundation is widely known; at the music festival bearing Ms. Argerich's name, she not only invites Ms. Argerich but also features many performers, mainly young ones. It also functions as regional development for Oita and is attracting attention. She has a close friendship with Ms. Argerich, and this event would not have been possible without their intimate relationship. On the day of the event, she provided talk segments in addition to her performance.

Now, the program for this occasion consisted of three pieces, which were announced shortly before the start. The first piece of the second half was Ravel's "Jeux d'eau." The second piece was "Ma mère l'Oye" by the same composer, which was a duo with Ms. Ito. It goes without saying that both were wonderful performances, but here I would like to mention the piece performed at the beginning, Bach's "English Suite No. 3 in G minor, Gavotte I-II (Musette) II."

The Bach, which started suddenly without any preamble, sounded very charming. The resonance in the middle section was particularly exceptional; the soft pedal was used, and the bass notes and inner voices, which are usually not emphasized much, were clearly audible. It cannot be denied that this produced a very unique effect. There are many pieces by Bach and Scarlatti that produce pianistic effects, but those are also aspects discovered by the pianist. I felt as if the characteristics of this Gavotte for the piano were discovered by her. It was a Bach like a kaleidoscope. The performance allowed one to feel various lights, shadows, and colors, and combined with the impression of the two pieces in the second half, the diversity of tone quality must have left a strong impression on the audience. Looking back, the concert as a whole had a strong Impressionist feel, and this may have been a successful strategy by the performers.

As I left the venue, I saw many familiar faces of faculty and staff. Every face was full of emotion and satisfaction, and as someone who provided a little help in organizing the event, I finally felt a sense of relief.

I heard that the late Koichi Nomura, a graduate of Juku who was active in the field of music criticism, attempted to interview Ms. Argerich in the early stages. This represents an interaction with someone related to Juku in a bygone era.

This project was organized by Keio University and co-organized by the Argerich Arts Foundation and the Organization for Promotion of Letters and Materials in Print Culture. The event was also made possible by the cooperation of Ms. Tomoko Machida, Executive Director of the Organization (a Keio University alumni). Finally, I would like to note this and express my gratitude once again to all those involved.