A memorable evening with Martha Argerich, Jonathan Nott and the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande

Jonathan Nott conductor
Martha Argerich piano

Maurice Ravel
Le Tombeau de Couperin, for orchestra
Ludwig van Beethoven
Concerto for piano and orchestra No. 1 in C major, Op. 15
Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93

Martha Argerich, long-time resident of Geneva, and one of our dedicated soloists, regularly gracing our concerts with her presence. When her skilful fingers dance across the keys, the young Beethoven’s 1st Concerto takes on a distinctive character, especially in the impetuous finale, which intriguingly echoes the rhythm of Southern American folk music. This musical journey will be framed by two works evoking the past: A dive into Louis XIV’s France and eminent harpsichord masters; among these, Ravel’s exquisite Tombeau de Couperin, his poignant tribute to friends lost on the battlefields of World War I. At the height of his glory, Beethoven turns to his mentor Joseph Haydn, father of the symphony, with his lively Symphony No. 8. Playful like his elder, he cleverly mimics the unbearable, incessant tick-tock of the metronome, newly invented by his friend Mälzel, in the second movement, replacing the usual slow progression. Audible quirks in the mechanism reveal the faltering orderly cadence…