Martha Argerich's Octaves

Argerich's use of her hands is my model. Rarely could I find even a slight unnecessary waste of energy. (which I can find even in Horowitz's playing, but I've to agree my view might be too narrow) Here's her octaves. It's interesting to see at the last 2 notes, which most pianists would press hard because those are slow anyway, she hit the notes with only momentary muscle contraction. You can see that by noting that there's a kind of reaction of such contraction moving her then relaxed, floating arm and wrist. The catch, or rather the result of her sound, is that it becomes more penetrating, vibrant, but not the thick and round tone many pianists are looking for. (get by moving in a controlled, somehow tense manner into the keys) I personally couldn't find a way to produce the round, thick, singing tone with the Argerich kind of efficient motion...... Anyone any ideas? I wish I could get this DVD.... again who knows where I can buy it?

Now the video is private... I finally have a few minutes free to go back over these old posts, and I can't watch! Oh well.... Could you find it again for me, Alvin? I am fascinated to see what you describe... AFF

From about 5:00 onward. When the last two notes (at around 5:17) are hit I can see a slight re-bounce or her hands, or should I say a momentary repercussion of hitting the keys with such untamed force. From that two notes (which I'm glad she plays, I believe, in the same way as she did in the fast octaves preceding it) her forearm seems to have thrust foreward a bit in order to ''stand up' her hands, instead of relying on the fingers to ''pull up'' her hands. I really should find the DVD!

OK now I watched it. Look, this is absolutely fantastic playing and she's doing everything right. What can I say? To tell you how to play octaves like that, read everything I ever wrote, watch everything I ever recorded, then practice like a son-of-a-gun. It's all there. This is not arm weight technique, this is not finger action, this is everything, the symbiosis of the best use of all parts of herself. At the center of it all is activity not relaxation!!!! Thanks for a great post! AFF

I watched it and when I tried to find it again, it was gone .-( A new link perhaps, anyone?

Alvin, this link is gone too. Could you please tell us what composition she was playing? Then we would have some chance of finding the clip on our own... All best, AFF

sorry about the late late reply. But this video is timeless I think. From about 46:40. I just wish I have this in DVD and good sound quality. But then would I still be looking at her hands given the great music? In case it might be lost again, it is Tchaikovsky Piano concerto No 1 B flat minor, with C Dutoit.