Martha Argerich Shines in Munich Philharmonic's BBC Proms Performance

The Munich Philharmonic, led by new chief conductor Lahav Shani, performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London as part of this year's BBC Proms, according to a review published by The Guardian.

The concert's central attraction was 85-year-old pianist Martha Argerich, who performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No 2. According to the review, her appearance prompted an enthusiastic response from the audience, and she was called back to the stage repeatedly by audience applause until she returned for an encore alongside Shani.

The Guardian's review described Argerich's playing during the concerto as "lucid," noting that she "stilled a capacity crowd." The encore, The Fairy Garden from Ravel's Mother Goose suite, was described in the review as "oddly wooden," though occasionally enlivened by what the reviewer called Argerich's "right-hand filigree."

The orchestral portions of the program received more mixed assessment. According to the review, the opening of Farrenc's Overture No 2 was "scrappy," with the strings struggling to blend despite Shani's conducting, which the review noted was performed without a score or baton throughout the concert.

The review placed the performance in context of a series of high-profile international orchestras appearing at this year's Proms as the festival approaches its conclusion, noting the Munich Philharmonic followed two well-received concerts by the Berlin Philharmonic. The review noted the Munich orchestra's historical pedigree, having previously been conducted by Gustav Mahler and Wilhelm Furtwängler, while suggesting that the Berlin orchestra's recent performances set a high standard for comparison.

The review suggested that much of the audience's interest centered on Argerich's appearance rather than the orchestra's own performance.