MARTHA ARGERICH, EVENING TALKS - GachotMartha Argerich, Evening Talks, directed by Georges Gachot, with Martha Argerich, produced by Idéale Audience & Georges Gachot 5 Synopsis Martha

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MARTHA ARGERICH, EVENING TALKS

Directed by Georges Gachot Coproduced by Idéale Audience & Georges Gachot

Martha Argerich, Evening Talks, directed by Georges Gachot, with Martha Argerich, produced by Idéale Audience & Georges Gachot

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Contents Press Contact Page 3

Price and selections page 4

Synopsis page 5

Press Opinion Page 6

George Gachot’s note page 7

Credits page 10

Distribution page 11

Musical selection page 12

Georges Gachot, director page 14

Georges Gachot, filmography page 15

Idéale Audience page 17


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Press Contact

Idéale Audience

6 rue de l’Agent Bailly-75009 Paris (F) Tél: +33 1 53 20 14 10 - Fax :+33 1 53 20 14 01

Email: [email protected]

www.ideale-audience.fr www.medici-arts.tv

Georges Gachot

Ekkehardstr.16 – 8006 Zurich (CH) Tél : +41 44 361 70 50 – Fax +41 44 361 71 69

Email : [email protected]

www.gachot.ch


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Price and selections PRIX ITALIA 2002 of Best Documentary of Music and Arts .

GOLDEN PRAGUE 2002, « Czech Crystal of Best Documentary» et Best Film for Student Jury».

« Premio Asolo » Per La Sezione Biografia D'Artista 2003

UNESCO, 26ième Festival International du Film d’Art et Pédagogique 2002,

Prix « Citation Musique ». 36th New York EXPOsition of Short Film and Video 2002, « Honorable Mention »

Official Selections:

Milano - Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia 2007

Sao Paulo Intl. Filmfestival 2005

Newport Beach Filmfestival April 25th 2005

Music Docfest 2005, Rome

Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival, USA , April, 2004

Int. Film Festival in La Havane, CUBA, 2003

Film Festival in Vancouver. Canada 2003

Vancouver International Film Festival, 2003

Swiss-American Film Festival, New York

BAFICI - Buenos Aires Intl. Independent Film Festival 2003 (BAFICI)

Festival International du Film sur l’Art de Montréal, 2003

38th Solothurn Film Festival 2003

Intl. competition CLASSIQUE EN IMAGE, Louvre Paris 2002

ENCOUNTERS SOUTH AFRICAN Intl. Documentary Festival 2002

Intl. Film Festival "VISIONS DU REEL" in Nyon 2002


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Synopsis

Martha Argerich is the last remaining pianist of legend. A wild child and a rebel at

heart, this legendary Argentinean musician is surrounded by an aura of mystery: some

find her too uncompromising, others generous and beautiful, yet to all she is without

doubt incredibly talented.

Thanks to these “evening talks”, Georges Gachot lifts a corner of the veil: for the very

first time on camera Martha Argerich shares with us her memories, confides in us her

doubts, and transmits to us her incredible appetite for music making.

Images of Argentina, rehearsals in the concert hall or at home, excerpts of recent

concerts and archival clips complete this unique film on one of the most secretive and

endearing artists of our time.


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Press Opinion

For those who love music and admire Martha Argerich, this documentary will prove to be a passionate experience. (Fernando Lopez © LA NACION 2003) "Martha Argerich, Evening Talks" shows the face of an impassioned, generous woman who intends to share her astonishing zest for life with us and all those who meet her. (yow © NYO, Visions du Réel, 2002) "The extreme honesty which she displayed was uniquely refreshing, and was reflected by the director´s approach. The boundaries often present between the interviews and musical sections were expertly merged creating an organic work which flowes from start to finish. This work captured the very essence of Martha Argerich, unfolding effortlessly like her performances." (© Student Jury of Golden Prague 2002) An intimate glimpse into the life of one of the greatest concert pianists alive, the Argentinian Martha Argerich. Talent and dedication don't require histrionics: Argerich comes across as deeply sensitive and intelligent, in awe of her craft and those who have gone before her, paying particular homage to her teacher, Friedrich Gulda as well as the composers "who like her". The film takes us to Warsaw, where she won the Chopin competition as a young girl, and around the world, including her native Buenos Aires. Interspersed with these are casual moments of conversation in which she proves to be both remarkably unassuming and inspired. ( © South African Int. Documentary Film Festival, July 2002) L'EXPRESSION semble désuète mais s'impose ici plus que jamais: soyez tout ouïe. Pour le pure enchantement des morceau musicaux, la rareté de la parole, la richesse et la profondeur implicite de la confidence. Combien de points de suspension dans la conversation nocturne avec cette musicienne de génie qu'est Martha Argerich ? Combien de phrase inachevées, de mots abandonnés en suspens pour l'imaginaire de l'auditeur ? Il y a bien sûr cet accent argentin, naturellement dansant et effusif, que la rigueur du français contrarie et que le pragmatisme de l'anglais réprime. Mais surtout, ce rendez-vous médité par Georges Gachot a quelques chose de sauvage, de dérobé, d'évanescent. (Valérie Cadet © LE MONDE 2002) "Martha Argerich se livre pour la première fois, pudique mais généreuse, au coin d'une caméra...La légende est donc bel et bien vivante. Derrière ses doutes, derrière cette chevelure à la fois souple et torsadée, se trament des souvenirs. Mais surtout une générosité qui n'appartient qu'à elle...C'est toute la dimension imprévisible du personnage qui éclate dans ce film. Tout son génie, aussi, sans parler des splendides archives de concerts." ( Julian sykes, © LE TEMPS 2002)


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Georges Gachot’s note How can I describe the film I have been dreaming of making for the past twenty years and which is now finally completed? This is a film which tells of how a woman, a performer, a pianist and her music have all had such a strong influence on my life, have developed my musical taste and stimulated my dreams in the interpretation of classical music. Why is it that for me some works such as Bach’s Partita in C minor or Beethoven’s Second Concerto have always been linked to Martha Argerich? I remember being at a concert in Zurich’s Tonhalle when I was a student. Prokoviev’s Concerto for Piano was on the programme. I had stepped forward to get a better view and had stood leaning against a pillar throughout the whole concert. It had begun on a frenzied tempo carried away by the soloist with the long black hair who, alone at her piano, appeared to be leading the whole orchestra. I was totally absorbed by the music and the tones, by the virtuosity and obvious ease with which the pianist was playing her instrument. This woman seemed to be living the music and wanting to share it in a way unknown to me. Suddenly, the conductor accidentally dropped his baton onto the piano strings. Unruffled, the soloist got up from her stool during a pause to reach for the baton which was bouncing up and down on the strings and returned it to a somewhat confused conductor. Later on, during the concerto’s last movement, the pianist’s temperament and enthusiasm caused a piano string to snap. I was still leaning against the pillar but at this point my legs were shaking. I was frozen to the spot, completely transported by the music, the musicians and the pianist who had enabled the audience to embark on a musical journey between dream and reality. The soloist bowed deeply to the audience, her body folded in two. This was the first time I had experienced a concert given by Martha Argerich. That evening, I promised myself that I would try one day to share the emotions I had just felt. Today, nearly twenty years later, the emotion is still there energising me. Besides, I can say that these memories have constantly uplifted me during the making of this film which everyone thought would be impossible to produce. I spent twenty years dreaming of the film, ten years trying to realise the idea and the last two years actually directing it. The result is a film, a document and most certainly a miracle. First of all because Martha Argerich never gives interviews, does not sign any contracts and has been known to cancel her concerts quite often. Her actions constantly remain unpredictable. What else could I do other than go with the flow? This unpredictability is also what makes each one of Martha Argerich’s concerts a new experience, often providing the audience with the opportunity to discover in a new light works it assumed it knew well and had become familiar with. However, this faithful audience gives in to her every whim. Every one of her concerts represents a moment of real exchange as well as a demonstration of love and generosity. Martha always gives us the possibility to escape from predictable musical patterns.


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The unpredictable side of Martha Argerich’s personality also meant that to make such a film was risky business as this requires considerable organisation and preparation as well as the involvement of a highly qualified team. Therefore, I had to start out alone because no one wished to embark on such an adventure. Many before me had tried their luck and appeared to have failed. To take forward such a project certainly required foolhardiness and a real willingness to take risks but I think that my higher motivation has always been driven by my love and passion for her music. First of all there is this interview which is not really an interview as I don’t think that any questions were asked. Let’s say instead that it was a conversation that took place in the middle of the night with neither lighting nor make-up. This First Lady of Piano, who has always remained distant from the celebrity world and the media, had agreed for the first time to speak in front of a camera. The unique “evening talks” which followed were miraculously recorded on the magnetic tape of a camera. They would become the heart of the film. That moment of magic and grace was comparable to one of the many major concerts that make up Martha’s forty-five year long career. It was a gift, Martha’s gift. That evening, my cameraman Matthias Källin seized the opportunity and cleverly managed to merge his shots with Martha’s comments. It was as if he as well had spent the last twenty years getting ready for this meeting. Martha Argerich’s words were deeply moving as they mirrored somehow the subconscious thoughts buried in my mind. I would have loved these thoughts to have been unveiled long before then as I may have taken a different path… Then, as if by magic, Martha spoke of Bach’s Partita in C minor, of Ravel’s Concerto in G, of Schumann, who “was not an Argentinean” and of Erroll Garner who she described as “sensual”… These characters are all central to my musical world. Martha spoke of these composers and their music, of these familiar companions of my life, in the most simple and natural way. She did not resort to theory or, as she would say, to technical aspects. We were learning not only about music and its interpretation but also about life. It was like a ray of light piercing into the sometimes dusty world of classical music. She then spoke of her willingness to take risks, of her pursuit of the unexpected moment and of her choice during rehearsals not to go through the whole work so that her spontaneity could be retained for the concert. This is the career of an artist constantly seeking inspiration but also endowed with an exceptional piano technique. Her great talent is clearly shown in the film through the rehearsals of Schumann’s Concerto, the astonishing archives of Liszt’s Concerto in 1973 (New Philharmonia Orchestra, dir. Erich Leinsdorf), Prokoviev’s Concerto in 1977 (London Symphony Orchestra, Dir. André Prévin) or Ravel’s Concerto in D in 1991 (Orchestre de Radio France, Dir. Charles Dutoit). Moments of music punctuate the artist’s comments expressing her thoughts when words come to an end. It took the editor Ruth Schläpfer and myself a year to edit the film which we structured like a concert or a musical. I had been looking for this form for a long time. At last, it has been possible to achieve this. Perhaps because Martha Argerich is the music, as a 16 year old student commented after the film was shown in a school. I believe that the success of this film is due not only to the fact that it is the first one on Martha Argerich but also that it manages to show this unique artist in such a beautiful light. It is a film containing no filters, no special effects and no cut-away shots. It aims to remain as close as possible to Martha Argerich’s personality. I wanted this work to


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be faithful and authentic, without any commentary, and leaving great freedom to the pianist. This can be seen for example in the rehearsals of Schumann’s Concerto with the orchestra which were filmed with one camera only. This meant that when we were editing we used the sequence shot and this is what brings a great sense of authenticity and reality to the whole film. Maybe this is the form which is the closest to the state of mind in which Martha Argerich establishes contact with her audience, that is with honesty, generosity and respect. Young artists such as the violinist Geza Hosszu-Legocky or the pianist Mauricio Vallina reveal another aspect of the artist’s generosity. Martha Argerich supports and encourages these young talents who often have difficulty finding their way in the world of classical music where “business” is becoming more and more the driving force. Martha herself has known a time when classical music played another role in society. One day, a woman phoned me to tell me that she had seen the film five times at the cinema and that she now wanted to have a copy on video cassette! All who have been following her career have been waiting for a film on Martha Argerich for a long time… I also hope however that this film will captivate those less familiar with classical music who may find in it a whole new world and a new way in which to share this music. This was in any case my profound wish whilst making the film. Finally, I wish to express my deepest gratitude to my principal colleague, Pierre-Olivier Bardet from Idéale Audience, who provided decisive and passionate support in the post production of this film. Georges Gachot Zürich, February 2003 (Translated from French by Nicole Antonietti)


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Credits

Year of production 2002

A film written & directed by Georges Gachot Produced by Idéale Audience / Pierre-Olivier Bardet & Georges Gachot Cameramen Matthias Kälin Milivoj Ivkovic (Pescara)

Sound Alfred Benz, Martin Hertel, Toine Mertens, Dieter Meyer, Luc Yersin

Editing Ruth Schläpfer Format Video Digital Beta Sound Stereo Versions French, English, Deutch Running Time 57 minutes In coproduction with ARTE France Bayerischer Rundfunk With the participation of DRS, TSI, TSR, SVT, ORF, NRK, SBS TV Australie, ARTV With the support of Centre National de la Cinématographie

Succés Cinéma Succés Passage Antenne


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Distribution Distribution TV EuroArts Music International GmbH Hohenzollerndamm 150 14199 Berlin Germany Contact: Sandrine Laffont Head of Sales Fon +49-30-88708-241 Fax +49-30-88708-299 [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> Distribution for Festivals Idéale Audience International 6, rue de l’Agent Bailly 75009 Paris - France Tél : +33 1 53 20 14 18 Fax : +33 1 53 20 14 01 Email: [email protected] Buyers of the programme (TV) : ARTE (France et Allemagne) Estonian Television (Estonie)

Bayerischer Rundfunk (Allemagne) VPRO (Hollande)

DRS / TSR / TSI (Suisse) RTS serbien Broadcasting (Youg.)

SVT (Suède) RTV slovenia (Slovénie)

NRK (Norvège) YLEIS (Finlande)

ORF (Autriche) DRK (Danemark radio)

SBS (Australie) RTVH (Bosnie Herzégovine)

ARTV (Canada) TV Ontario

RTP (Portugal)


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Musical selection

Beethoven Concerto N°4 (sound only) Claudio Arrau Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Cond. Bernard Haitink Piazzola Libertango-pescara, 2000 Piano, Edouardo Hubert/Martha Argerich Percussion, Ricardo Rossi Liszt Concerto N°1-1973 Piano Martha Argerich New Philharmonia Orchestra Cond. Erich Leinsdorf Chopin Concerto N°1, Op.11-Paris – 1969 Piano Martha Argerich Orchestre Philarmonique de l’ORTF Cond. Franco Mannino Beethoven Moonlight Sonata – Vienna, 1968 Piano, Friedrich Gulda Beethoven Concerto N°2, Op. 19 – Milan, 1980 Piano Martha Argerich London Sinfonietta Ravel Concerto in G major, 1991 Piano Martha Argerich Orchestre de Radio France Cond. Charles Dutoit Prokofiev Concerto N°3, Op.26 – Croydon, 1977 Piano Martha Argerich London Symphony Orchestra Cond. André Prévin Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody N°6-1957 (sound only) Piano Martha Argerich Chopin


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Scherzo N°3, Op. 39 – Vasovie, 1965 Piano Martha Argerich Bach Partita N°2 BWV826 – Zurich, 2001 Piano Martha Argerich Schuman Concerto Op. 54 – Heilbronn, 2001 Piano Martha Argerich Württembergisches Kammerorchestre cond. Jôrg Faerber Saint-Saëns Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso, Op.28 – Genève, 2000 Piano Martha Argerich Violin, Geza Hosszu-Legocky Dvorák Slavonic Dances in E minor, Op.72 – Pescara, 2000 Piano Martha Argerich Violin, Geza Hosszu-legocky Lutoslawski Variations on a Theme of Paganini – pescara, 2000 Piano Martha Argerich Piano Mauricio Vallina Ravel Ma mère l’Oye – Teatro Colón –Buenos Aires, 1999 Piano Martha Argerich Piano Nelson Freire Schumann Kinderszenen Op.15 – Varsovie, 1980 Piano Martha Argerich Prokofiev Tocatta (sound only) Piano Martha Argerich


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Georges Gachot,Director Georges Gachot is a filmmaker specialized in the field of classical music film. He started to play piano at age 5. At 18, he left Paris (France) to study electrical engineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich (Degree in 1998), Switzerland (Specializing: Acoustics, Automatic Control Technology and Applied Digital Information Processing). At the same time he carried on to study piano and musicology. Georges Gachot's first steps into film were in 1985 when he became an actor for TV and cinema advertising and the production assistant in Swiss film business. After getting a degree in electrical engineering in 1988, he took a full time job working in the field of classical music film making. Between 1989 and 1993 he worked as author and director on classical music videos shot on locations all around Europe achieving 55 hours of music visualization's programs (distributed Worldwide by the label NAXOS) including his favorite piece of music of the classical repertoire. He was then commissioned by various TV channels to direct films such as portraits of composers and interpreters. He began to produce his own films in 1996 some of which will be distributed to cinemas. He received the prestigious "Prix Italia" for his portrait of Argentinean pianist Martha Argerich in 2002. He tackles for the first time a subject other than classical music in his film on Brazilian singer Maria Bethânia (2005) Georges Gachot has been interested in Cambodia since 1996 and has directed 3 documentary feature films about the country as well as the humanitarian works of the paediatrician and cellist Beat Richner.

www.gachot.ch

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Georges Gachot, filmography

15 years of Kantha Bopha 45 minutes – Format HDCam 16:9 – Colour - Stereo Original Language: French / English Production : Georges Gachot - 2007 Maria Bethânia, música é perfume Lenght 82 minutes (Cinéma), 53 minutes (TV) 35 mm / Dolby Digital Format, 1:1.66 / Colour Original Language: Portugese / Brasilian Produced by Georges Gachot – 2005 Coproduced with: Idéale Audience, SSR SRG idée Suisse With the support of SF DRS / TSI / TSR / FRANCE 5 / SVT / MIGROS Kulturprozent / Fondation UBS pour la culture / Succès passage antenne / Succès cinéma / CNC Money or Blood Cinema : 70’ - Format: 35 mm – Dolby SR – Cast : Dr. Beat Richner, Gérard Depardieu, Carole Bouquet Production: G. Gachot - Teleclub AG – SSR SRG idée Suisse, 2004 Depardieu goes for Beatocello 24’ - Format: 16/9 – Stereo – Langues : Français- Production: G. Gachot - 2001 ... And The Beat Goes On Dr. Beat "Beatocello" Richner 65’ - color , 35 mm / Dolby digital Langages: Dutch, French, Khmer Production : Georges Gachot - 2000 Claude Debussy "Music can't be learnt..." 58'30" - Format: 16/9 ratio Son: stereo Production: METROPOLITAN München - 2000 Kultur Für Alle 45' - Format: 16/9 ratio, Sound: stereo Production: G. Gachot in Co-production with DRS / TSR / TSI / 3 sat - 1999 Concerto Cantabil, Rodion Shchedrin 48 ' - Format: 16/9 ratio Cast : Maxim Vengovov / Mariss Jansons / Lorin Maazel / Olli Mustonen / Mischa Maisky, violoncelliste / Franz Helmerson / Nicolas Economou / Chick Corea/ Paul Gulda Production: Loft music / METROPOLITAN/ SF DRS - 1999 Wilfried Hiller... ein musikalischer Geschichtenerzähler 56' - Format: 16/9 ratio Redaction: Korbinian Meyer (BR) Production: BR / LOFT music - 1998


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Tides / Gezeiten / Les marées 7' – Format 4/3 – Video - Stereo Musique: Arvo Pärt Magnificat, 1989 Production: Georges Gachot & ZDF - 1997 Bach at the Pagoda Dr. Beat "Beatocello" Richner 61' –Format 16/9 – sound : stereo Production : Georges Gachot - 1997 Grace Bumbry "What a lucky girl I am..." 58' – Format 4/3 – Video - Stereo Production: ZDF - 1996 Carl Loewe "Und er singt die neue Weise..." 30' - Format 16/9 – Video - Stereo Cast: Hermann Prey / Juliane Banse / Franz Hawlata / Dietrich Henschel Production: SWF-Süd West Funk / LOFT music - 1996 Wilhelm Killmayer, a german composer 45' – Format 4/3 – Video - Stereo Soloist: Wilhelm Killmayer, Kim Kashkashian, Thomas Zehetmair, Boris Pergamenschikow, Ulrike Sonntag. Production: BR / LOFT - 1995 Sante Fe, with Pinchas Zukerman & Marc Neikrug 80' 19 " – Format 4/3 – Video - Stereo Production: BMG Classics / LOFT music - 1994 Holy Russia, Celebrates The Festival Of Christmas 58' – Format 4/3 – Video - Stereo Production : NVC Arts / Warner Music Group Distribution Video: Teldec Video / Warner Music Group – 1993 Video Classics for NAXOS 55 x 60 min – Format 4/3 – Video - Stereo Production: HNH Int. Ltd. - 1990 -1993 Petite histoire symphonique racontée par Antonb Dvorak 12' – Format 4/3 – Video - Stereo Musique: Anton Dvorak / 1st mvt. of the "New World Symphony" Production: Georges Gachot - 1989


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Idéale Audience Ideale Audience is an audiovisual production company specializing in documentary and music films. Since its establishment in 1990, Ideale Audience has built a reputation for distinctive, world-class productions. Leading titles in its catalogue include Bruno Monsaingeon's "Yehudi Menukin, the Violinist of the Century," and "Richter, the Enigma", Frederic Mitterrand's theatrical feature film of "Madame Butterfly, the collections "The Art of ...," and "Classic Archive". As well as Frederick Wiseman's "La Comédie Française" and “Death Squadrons, the French School” of Marie-Monique Robin. Idéale Audience has also developed an in-house distribution division, Ideale Audience International, which markets a catalogue of more than 200 titles. As a specialized distributor, Ideale Audience International provides independent producers and filmmakers who entrust it with their films access to an extensive international network of specialized buyers in television and video. Titles in distribution of particular note include films by Frederick Wiseman, Johan van der Keuken, Bruno Monsaingeon, Frank Scheffer and Alexander Sokurov luminaries in the field of documentary and international music programs. Ideale Audience has also created in 2002 a department for the DVD edition, whom activity started with the Classic Archive collection (56 titles). In 2007, Ideale Audience joined the Medici Arts Group, specialised in performing arts. High artistic standards, a concern with preserving the cultural heritage and an international approach are the key elements on which the four producers of Idéale Audience, Pierre-Olivier Bardet, Hélène Le Coeur, Françoise Gazio and Pierre-Martin Juban, continue to build a distinctive editorial profile.

Documents

MARTHA ARGERICH, EVENING TALKS - GachotMartha Argerich, Evening Talks, directed by Georges Gachot, with Martha Argerich, produced by Idéale Audience & Georges Gachot 5 Synopsis Martha