Martha Argerich - Tchaikovsky, Schumann: Piano Concertos (1996)

That Martha Argerich is a powerhouse with heart is not a problem, it's a delight; that she can occasionally be rambunctious and a bit careless, on the other hand, can be a problem. On this recording, happily, the pluses are very much in evidence and the minuses nonexistent. She plays the Tchaikovsky with absolute abandon joined with a technical assuredness that is thrilling, and the fact that she gets through it almost error-free makes the breakneck experience all the more rewarding. The Schumann Concerto is hardly in the same league as the Tchaikovsky, but Argerich makes a superb case for it. She practically defines 19th-century romanticism in the way she puts real feeling into it--she finds stimulation where others have been lax and eloquence where others bore. The little pieces that round out the recording are most welcome, too--the Chopin is particularly gorgeous. Conductor Kord is a willing conspirator, and he's wise enough not to attempt to rein her in. This is a gem. -- Robert Levine