Search - Alexis Weissenberg, Piotr Ilyitch Tchaikovsky, Sergei Rachmaninov :: Piano Concerto #2

Superb performances of both concertos

D. R. Schryer | Poquoson, VA United States | 12/23/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Alexis Weissenberg, athough not as well known as some celebrity pianists, was one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century -- perhaps THE greatest in performing music from the Romantic era, such as these two deservedly popular concertos. It is notable that the renowned conductor, Herbert von Karajan -- who respected Weissenberg greatly -- agreed to conduct the accompaniment on both these works, and many other Weissenberg recordings as well. Weissenberg's performance of the Tchaikovsky concerto is staggering in both it's intensity and it's artistry. Only Van Cliburn's legendary interpretation, with which he won the first Tchaikovsky piano competition, is in a class with Weissenberg's.



But Weissenberg stands alone in the second work, Rachmaninov's 2nd piano concerto. This is my favorite piano concerto and I have heard numerous performances of it by both famous and obscure pianists, but no performance compares with Weissenberg's. Each of the three movements is superbly played but Weissenberg's performance of the gorgeous slow movement (the second movement) is simply sublime.



If you don't like music from the Romantic period played with genuine Romanticism, you probably would not like this CD. But if, whatever your taste, you can appreciate Romantic music played with genuine commitment, outstanding virtuosity, and superb artistry, you will love these performances. Here are two incredible perfomances on one CD at a bargain price."

YET MORE ALEXIS

GEORGE RANNIE | DENVER, COLORADO United States | 08/01/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here of late, I've been purchasing many recordings that feature the splendid piano playing of Alexis Weissenberg. I've always enjoyed his playing and have owned many of his recordings. (In fact, I hold Alexis in the very highest esteem rating him above all other concert pianist before the public today--just my own opinion.) Somehow, I previously missed getting these "new" acquisitions that I've been acquiring lately. This recording of Tchaikovsky's 1st piano concerto and Rachmaninov's 2nd piano concerto was, alas, somehow missed by me. EMI has released these recordings at an unbelievably low price of $6.98; therefore, I own it now. What great recordings these are! Although, I do own many recordings of both works that are on this disc (Tchaikovsky's 1st piano concerto and Rachmaninov's 2nd piano concerto), I've never heard them played any better. Weissenberg is phenomenal! Those octaves in the first and third movements of the Tchaikovsky are dazzling and the second movement of the Rachmaninov is achingly beautiful. Listening to him paired with Herbert Von Karajan conducting the Berliner Philharmonic (in the Rachmaninov) and Orchestra of Paris (in the Tchaikovsky'), I had a severe case of the "wows"! It has been often said that Weissenberg and von Karajan mutually admired each other a great deal. To me that is very evident in these recordings which are simply splendid with both artists seemingly very attuned to each other musically and, to me, they are on the same "brain wave" as to interpretation. Although, I've heard these works many times, I've repeatedly listened to this new, to me, recording--I can't take it off of my disc player.



Although, this recording is being offered at a very low price, the sound is exemplary. EMI sound technicians have done a superb job of transferring these recordings to CD format. These recordings were made in the 1970s; however, the sound does NOT sound that old.

"

A dissenting opinion -- you get what you pay for

Robert L. Berkowitz | Natick, MA United States | 08/21/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Alexis Weissenberg is a pianist I really _want_ to like. It seems that he and my piano teacher were on a friendly first-name basis. (She affectionately called him "Ziggy"). His steely-fingered account of Prokofiev's 3rd piano concerto riveted that piece into my consciousness and no performance has surpassed it in my opinion. But that same steely-fingered quality has sometimes caused his playing to sound cold to me, especially in the music of Chopin and Debussy. His Rachmaninoff, though, has been consistently admirable, as evidenced by his successful recording of the complete Rachmaninoff Preludes.



This disc features Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto and it was the reason I grabbed it once available. I heard this recording for the first time off an LP via a radio broadcast many years ago and was convinced that it was the recording I was looking for -- combining all the particular features of performance I was seeking. The performance is lyrical, powerful and exciting where it needs to be. The third movement is particularly successful. The Berlin Philharmonic is sumptuous and Weissenberg is easily in command of this piece throughout.



However, this disc also features the Tchaikovsky 1st piano concerto with Karajan conducting the Paris Orchestra. On listening to this performance -- hearing it for the first time on this recently purchased CD -- the adjectives that come to mind are not at all complimentary. The tempo is very slow and the effect is pompous and ponderous. I am drawn to wonder how much of this performance was determined by von Karajan whose other recordings have sometimes struck me in the same way.



To the few people for whom this recording is your only exposure to the Tchaikovsky first piano concerto, please do yourself a favor and find another recording. Almost any other one will do, but I would particularly suggest Cliburn/Kondrashin, Rubinstein/Leinsdorf, Gilels/Reiner, Gilels/Mehta, Janis/Kondrashin, Freire/Kempe, Ohlsson/Marriner, or Argerich/Kondrashin. Sudbin/Neschling is also very satisfying, though a little unusual. The Cliburn/Kondrashin, Ohlsson/Marriner and Rubinstein/Leinsdorf recordings are available in this same coupling of the Tchaikovsky 1st and Rachmaninoff 2nd concertos. I have reviewed the Cliburn/Kondrashin, Ohlsson/Marriner and Sudbin/Neschling recordings elsewhere on this website.



This CD is worth having only for its recording of Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto."