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The Arts Intel Report

A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler
A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler

Martha Argerich Plays Ravel

Feb 10–11, 2022
Kruisstraat 2, 3012 CT Rotterdam, Netherlands

At 80, Martha Argerich retains the youthful freshness of imagination that has been her hallmark throughout a fabled career. Expect nothing autumnal but pure springtime from her traversal of Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G, ever a sparkler in her repertoire. Conducted by Lahav Shani, the program also includes Stravinsky’s bejeweled Firebird Suite and a wild card: the 20-minute Second Symphony of the Dutch composer Willem Pijper, which premiered in 1921. Little remembered outside the Netherlands, Pijper aspired to the league of Ravel, Stravinsky, and Mahler. This compact but adventurous sample of his work makes an exciting case. —M.G.