Very much like Rachmaninoff played and recorded it himself: no nonsense, no overblown emotions, no dramatic ritardandi and gestures, and with the ossia cadenza that Rachmaninof preferred and played himself. Wonderful performance.
@@mayumiitoh65 was I was in Paris at UNESCO s concert, I met Weissenberg for the first time. It was over 30 years ago. He was playing Mozart concerto and I definitely enjoyed the way he played. I have all Weissenberg's CD you could find!..
"NO NONSENSE"? CITE A PERFORMANCE BY A PIANIST THAT CONTAINS "NONSENSE." AND WHAT IS WRONG WITH DRAMATIC GESTURES. WEISSENBERG HAD SOME DRAMATIC GESTURES HIMSELF IN THIS PERFORMANCE. AND THIS IS NOT THE "OSSIA" CADENZA, WHICH IS LONGER, MORE CHORDAL AND MORE DIFFICULT TO PLAY. I PREFER IT, AND WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT ALEXIS CHOSE THIS ONE. PERHAPS HE PLAYED BOTH DURING HIS MAGNIFICENT CAREER. IT WOULD BEHOOVE YOU TO CORRECT YOUR COMMENT, ESPECIALLY SINCE SOMEONE ALREADY POINTED OUT YOUR ERROR.
It would be a good idea for many of the present day concert pianists to watch this video - particularly those who contort their faces and become circus acts like Lang Lang. Whilst we cannot view Rachmaninov himself playing this concerto , I would hazard a guess that his posture etc was identical to that of AW - that is the music is what counts.
I like a lot Weissenberg interpretation in this difficult Concert. His rendition of the 2nd one is also quite fine, but I like him specially here. It's well known he had kind of a steel fingers, what became, let's say, a sort of identity sign for him. Only Gilels had a sound as powerful as the one Weissenberg had. A Winner of the Leventritt International Piano Award, he did also a fantastic recording of the Mozart 21st Piano Concert. And then there is his great rendition of the Chopin Nocturnes, played in a "darker and stronger" way, as it was said. The sensitivity he shows in those Nocturnes contradicts everyone who ever said he was a cold, technical pianist. He was very famous in the sixties and seventies but was quite quickly forgotten after, when he had to retire from the public scene, due to the Parkinson sickness. Still he is considered one of the best pianists of the XXth Century, together with Gould, Richter, Argerich Horowitz and Magaloff. He is just one of the best. 🎵🎶🆗👍💙
Come on Rick! Dimitri Bashkirov her teacher Anastasia Virsaladze teach saying to Bashkirov the most important lesson is the love of beautiful colorful piano sound! This was already In 1930s! Really Shocking! So Best Pianists are the Best piano sound players! Wilhelm Kempff the most beautiful piano Sound! Emil Gilels the King of beautiful sound! Grigory Sokolov The Giant of Piano! The Titan of Piano! Vladimir Ashkenazy had the most volcano colorful piano sound! Solomon Cutner the Best structure for music!!
one of the most underrated pianists in the history of music. I've always loved his performances so simple and elegant and deep. a master of classicism and technical perfection.
I totally agree. No one playes the 3th R. so crystal clear. Everything is in place here and every line can be heared. Probably the best performance (if such a thing exists) of this work ever.
Not so much underrated. Weissenberg had a fantastic sonority when playing piano. Very recognisable. With such an incredible technique and deep understanding of what he played, he was choosed by Karajan to perform with him. This led him to be worldwide known and so had lots of followers during the sixties and seventies. He became the pianist of the upper class, was said. But thousands or millions of people became fans too. Would say it was due to three factors : his rich, unique, powerful sound, to be a DG artist and to play with Karajan. Am not fond of K instead. But, am a lover of "steely fingers", as Sigi, the champagne pianist, was called. Yes, he was brilliant and it can be seen. It was afterwards, when Richter and most than any other, Glenn Gould or Martha Argerich with Abbado, took his place. He slowly cast aside during the eighties and we stopped having news about him. Never understood why. This is reputed as quite a difficult concert among pianists. Composed as "deliberately difficult", according to e.g. my mother, who has the piano career. Other pianists friends of mine have told me similar things. And Weissenberg as sort of specialised in Rachmaninoff and Chopin, had to record it. Given his recognised masterful technique, too, think he thought had to left us his account of it. Can only say that wish he had recorded much more. Am interested and in the way of getting, if not all, a lot of his performances. My father was also a fan of him and my mother agrees with me, that his sound is something once you've heard it, you always want more of that. The piano sound becomes the one he has, somehow. For me he is the piano per excellence in what sound refers. Then he is sensitive when needed, and has an extremely articulated technique. So, he is a very complete musician, approaching perfection, quite often. Richter can be ethereal and fantastic too (in his Rach 2, doubtless), Vassary is exquisite in his Chopin Nocturnes, as Freire, but Weissenberg has the sound. His Chopin Nocturnes are beyond any others, for me. So of course here, prefer him to the famous Argerich performance of this Rach3. His Rach Preludes are great too. His whole Chopin in fact is a jewel. What to say, Sigi remains the Big Music.💎 He was a nice person have been told, also. Surely the gods love him as we keep doing. Hats off to AW!! 🤔🙄😔🙃💜👌
This performance is so understated that many people won't comprehend the incredible mastery on display here. Probably why he's such an underrated pianist.
Ce n'est pas un pianiste inconnu.C'est simplement que ceux qui l'écoutent aujourd'hui ont oublié qu'il était classé parmi les plus grands dans les années 60 ,70 etc.. De lui Vladimir Horowitz disait même qu'il était le seul à pouvoir le suivre!
AW was such an interesting interoreter! Personal, poetic and with a powerful technique . Apart from his Rachmaninoff , I am always impressed by (for example) his Bach (IMHO, the best Bach on piano). He composed some delicious pieces after Trenet songs. There are very fine renditions of them by Hamelin (yes, in YT!). Alexis's art will never die!
I had the feeling like here he didn't want to play he wanted to be somewhere else. Did you ever hear his studio recording? It's a lot better. Also the orchestra doesn't suit this music here....
Ergreifend dichte, sehr sensible, nie sentimental werdende Interpretation des wirklich großen Alexis Weissenberg, kongenial begleitet durch den unvergessenen Jean Martinon und das ORTF- Nationalorchester. Bei stets straffen Tempi: ungewöhnlich verhaltener Beginn; alles filigran; in den Ausbrüchen mit reifer Eleganz - die schönste Aufnahme dieses Konzerts, die ich kenne. Bei INA-France-Boutique ist nochmals eine Live-Aufnahme der beiden Künstler zu hören: Tschaikowskis 1. Klavierkonzert.
I keep coming back to this performance. I have heard many pianists perform this, but none with the technical bravado and intensity of Mr. Weissenberg. The cadenza near the end of the first movement is unbelievable, as is the entire 2nd movement. What a master.
J' ai écouté depuis ....50 ans , une somme considérable d' interprétations du 3e de Rachmaninof. Je ne suis pas Dieu. Je ne porte pas de jugements. Les deux qui m'ont le plus enthousiasmé : Denis Matsuev et...Weissenberg ! les autres ne sont pas de mauvais musiciens mais j' ai l' impression qu'ils veulent domestiquer l' abondance de notes dans une lecture " raisonnable" de l' oeuvre. Weissenberg en fait une pépite extra-terrestre , un joyau pur. Il faut écouter à 22.25 la reprise ; c 'est époustouflant. Pendant qu'il était encore en vie , les critiques musicaux faisaient la fine bouche sur son jeu ( trop "mécanique" ). on brocardait son impassibilité au piano ( ah c 'est sûr que Fazil Say à côté....) . Il reste pour moi un des plus grands pianiste du 20e siècle. A noter que l' orchestre est très bon , quoique un peu en retrait ( prise de son ) , mais à l' époque le National avait encore une sonorité très typée " française".
One of Weissenberg's greatest recordings was a 1969 Angel recording with Seiji Ozawa and Orchestre de Paris of Ravel G Major Concerto and Prokofiev 3rd Concerto... absolutely sublime interpretation, and was considered a "fresh" interpretation of both works at that time... best interpretations of both works I've ever heard... what a shame they're not posted on here, certainly worth hearing more than once
Always loved the more relaxed tempos Weissenberg took with this, especially the finale. I could see he was expecting things to go awry in the final passage, as so often does, so he just basically sat there and waited for the conductor to get to the final chords so he could finish in sync with the orchestra. Such a fine technician.
Weissenberg studied under Olga Samaroff, teacher of William Kapell.Weissenberg treats this Concerto like a series of spontaneous on the spot improvisations which is a unique and brilliant conception.Possibly unsurpassed in feeling and electricity.His recording with Bernstein has been digitally remastered on EMI and sounds pretty fabulous.
Thanks so many. I'll get Weissenberg with Bernstein. Has to be very good. Think AW recorded the Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue. Will get it with him too. Weissenberg loved jazz. 👍
Yes, Weissenberg was a Julliard disciple, and the Julliard is reputed as the best Western music place one could hope for. There is the Russian School and then there is the Julliard, it is said. So, he was with some of the best. But then he had those long and strong fingers that allowed him to get a so distinctive sound and perfect digitalization.. Here we can appreciate this once again, his incredible, fantastic sound!! 💜💎👌Amazingly good rendition, Weissenberg, once again.
@@rickartdefoix1298 there is the Bulgarian school too. Weissenberg was Bulgarian and studied with Bulgarian composer and pianist Vladigeroff. He started with the Russian repertoire in Bulgariq very well. This.is why his Petrushka became famous. he was already playing it as a young student in Bulgaria
@@RositsaPetrovarjp7 Not to mention, Artur Schnabel and Wanda Landowska were also Weissenberg's teachers. Schnabel was a student of Leschetizky who studied with Carl Czerny who was a student of Beethoven who studied with Haydn. Landowska was a student of Michalowski who studied with Moscheles who studied with Mendelssohn.
This is the Flagship of all piano concerto. It brings out the best in great pianist and the finale motivates the performer to excel. I agree I love the various interpretations I have heard over the years. My favorites are Rachmaninoff himself and Horowitz. His 1950 recording is astounding. Thank You for posting this.
Sublime interprétation d'Alexis Weissenberg, superbe accompagnement de l'Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion française en 1960, (alias O. N. de l'Office de la Radio Télévision Française de 1964 à 1974, Orchestre National de France jusqu'à quand?)
Es el Concierto para piano y orquesta más hermoso y difícil del mundo!!! El pianista de este video es un gran artista, poseedor de una gran técnica pianística que lo destaca en el mundo. mundialmente.
Ein vom 'Russischen Pathos' befreiter Rachmaninoff, mit einem fast zu schlanken Ton für das entsprechende Repertoire. Aber welche geistige und auch manuelle Kraft geht von Weissenberg aus! Diese Interpretation reicht natürlich nicht an die von Horowitz heran, aber sie kommt sehr bald danach. Die rein pianistische Bewältigung dieses schwierigen Konzertes ist absolut bewundernswert, die geistige Disposition und seine pianistische Kontrolle sind faszinierend. Eine wunderbare Aufnahme, Dankeschön!!
Weissenberg was never affected, never manierist, didn't need to...did Horowitz exagereted his octaves, for instance ? Well, this master did not need "special effects", to say so. Weissenberg Sound was so powerful by itself than you can hear every single note as with no one else. Is the richest piano I've never heard. His sonority is the perfect one for me.
Yeah, its epic, just like whole comcerto .I'm proud that in my smal country is born such genious like Maestro Weisenberg ! Rachmaninov pointed Horowiz, but I thing that AW posseses more subtle style .
Wonderful Performance ...but....Horowitz/Rodzinski is the most mind boggling Recording of Rachmaninoff 3rd ever made...its on UA-cam....don’t miss it !!!!! You will thank me.
As a pianist myself, I notice he curls his knuckles when he plays. I used to do that and was corrected by my piano teacher who said my hands should be relaxed. But, whatever. It works for him!
I have to agree to jjp009. I've been a fan of him since 2008 and every piece he did, that I see the version from another pianist just doesn't seem right as his.
La première fois que j'ai entendu Weissenberg j'ai cru que c'était un enregistrement télé de Rachmaninov tant la ressemblance était frappante. C'était l'âge d'or de la télévision, l'époque où on passait des choses intéressantes.
This is one of the very few performances than can be compared to Horowitz/Reiner.Pretty fabulous.Weissenberg took lessons from Olga Samaroff, William Kapell's teacher.On a scale of 1 through 10 this performance is at least a 9.
WOW! WHAT AN EXPLOSIVE CADENZA IN THE FIRST MOVEMENT. I HAVE NEVER HEARD THAT PLAYED BY ANYONE OF ALL THE MANY RECORDINGS OUT THERE. DID RACHMANINOFF PENN THAT HIMSELF? I WONDER? JUST PYRO TECHNICAL EXPLOSIVITY.!
In terms of lack of mannerisms etc, he's similar to Stephen Hough who also manages a wide dynamic range, stunning virtuosity and excellent musicianship without the constant 'gurning' and other facial contortions bordering on agony, that some pianists are prone to.
Wonderful observation from jjp009. I couldn't agree more. Great commanded of the piano. What I love are the different interpretation of the Rach 3 from Horowitz(arguably consider to be best at interpreting Rach) to today’s pianist. In the end I guess every interpretation brings in its own unique beauty to each listener to include the visual aesthetics . Thanks for sharing
Yes, well, you are right. For instance in Rachmaninoff nr. 2 piano concert, have to agree and say that Richter account is the best one. But think it is a quite special case. For there is such an identification between him and the work than the concert sweats despair and sadness, the amount of feeling is something even shocking. The Weissenberg one is my second favourite. He is great, as usual, but does not reach the simbiosis sort of union Richter attains with the orchestra. Anyway, W was so good that his sound prevails over any other. And his vision of whatever he played was always a very interesting one. In an apparent simplicity lies genius, would I say. And never a candy coat approach to say so, too. He was sensitive but not cheaply sentimental. He had those delicate moments, always wonderfully played, left you willing for more, once and again. Weissenberg, the rich sound, the unique. 💎👌
after hearing bolet, horowitz,argerich, janis, freddy kempf, kissin, volodos, cziffravan cliburn,some of these interpretations really magnificent my favorite rach 3 are, in my humble opinion, the ones of: 1- perhaps the best- alexis weissenberg/prêtre, with the CSO- live, i think 2-william kapell, with he Toronto Orchestra, also live- really breathtaking and beautifull this live performance of weissenberg/martinon is also a magnificent one. i am really sad this extraodinary pianist died he is n
I think the "No-nonsense" epithet belogs to Monsieur Martinon as well. When you watch Mehta in his NYPO performance with Horowitz, he seems so OTT by comparison!
SCOTT LEATHER Hello Scott, there is a Rome Italy Alexis Weissenberg performance that is video, could be late 1940, 50's. I had it, cannot find it. Please kindly try to locate and post it. That was even better performance than this one, Black and White video. Thank you very much, Lena McGinnis
@@lenamcginnis5168 Yeah he was an incredible artist IMO. I heard him live in Budapest around 1980 play a recital and concerto with orchestra. The thing about him was you could hear him through the hall as he had strong fingers! I miss that in some of today's artists.
I doubt it as it is not a studio recording but a TV performance (for TV it would be an Emmy not a Grammy). That might be his recording of it on RCA with Georges Pretre that got nominated (I didn't know that).
Alexis was simply THE greatest Rach 3 player around, just like Richter was the best Rach 2 & Tchaikovsky no 1 performer of all. It's an outrage what we are being called upon to endure nowadays, eg the monkey antics BS of Langlang et cie.
9:21.....I'm wrong or I listen to some "Weissenberg" chords....;-) not Rach's...? I like it very much, in any case...!! Great pianist, very very great maestro...!!
A rather under-appreciated virtuoso, sadly for our sakes. Weissenberg was a world class pianist. (If by any chance you have a better copy of his 1980 Helsinki recital, kindly share. The one I've found has some unpleasant distortions.) Mil gracias.
He was and stay no1 pianist for me. When I look today, all the piano stars (especially from Asia) and when I see all the gesticulation they made, I turn off the video... Alexis was not Karajan's concert pianist by accident!
I always thought this concerto belonged to Horowitz and though Weissenberg plays it note-perfect, this video has not changed my mind. The electricity that Horowitz brings to this music simply is unlike anything else.
Not that it's any odds to me (can play very little on the piano), Mr Weissenberg's curved fingers - like as if it to clutch a ball - seems to be straight out of the many textbooks on piano technique - this video (excepting that the Rach 3 would be outside most piano student's capabilities) would serve as a great illustration (should a piano teacher need one) - to his/her students - of the generally preferred hand/finger posture for pianistic excellence !!
I agree with you...but...there's something "strange" in the first chords...a single note that I can't listen to in other famous recordings of this concerto: Argerich, Horowitz, etc...
Weissenberg is superb in this. (I have two of his other recordings of his Rach 3...of the forty I have altogether...which is actually embarrassing). His version with Pretre is even better on Lp (and on UA-cam). I have at least four with Horowitz, who first introduced me to this work with is 1952 version with Reiner...still unsurpassed. There are many versions by pianists one wouldn't normally identify with this piece. Rachmaninoff's own is naturally amazing, despite the dated sound. With his many on hand, I now can't make up my mind which is the best. But they all are in completely different ways.Despite my thoughts on this excellent performance, the piano sound could be better and I profoundly wish the director would omit the ridiculous and extremely distracting video gimmicks.
I have over 185 Rach 3rds so don't feel embarassed! It's my favorite piano concerto. There is another Weissenberg recording of it, done live in, I believe, 1968, (though the same performance might have been dated 1977) with Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony that is a fabulous performance! I believe it's on UA-cam (I originally got it on LP before the CD era and, also, now on CD if it's the same performance). You might like it even better than the Pretre (though the sound quality isn't as good as the RCA recording).
Thanks so much, Scott, for posting the Weissenberg-Martinon reading of the 3rd. I'd never heard it before. Also thanks to you, I just discovered his version with Ozawa. I'm curious about the 6-minute interview clip with Weissenberg talking about the 3rd and the excerpt from the finale, but can't figure out who the orchestra and conductor are. Any idea? Very impressed with your vast collection. Never thought there could possibly be 185 versions recorded in one format or other. My mere 40 (now 41) pales by comparison. The 3rd is also may favourite...as must be obvious I guess. Like my children, I can't choose any one favourite. Argerich with Chially is overpowering, as are William Kapell's two that I have (despite uneven sound), Jorge Bolet (who's master class on the Rach 3 used to be available somewhere), J-P Collard, Bruno-Leonardo Gelber (a pianist I've always admired), Emil Gilels (my first-ever recording of the 3rd in the '50s.) Alicia de Larrocha was a pianist one wouldn't associate with the Rach 3, but then she could do almost anything brilliantly. And all the versions (bootleg and otherwise) by Horowitz, who for years of course was said to 'own' the piece after the composer evidently stopped playing it. At least I'm glad I'm not alone in by Rachmaninoff 3rd obsession.
I presume you know the Bolet master class is on UA-cam....just found it again. What a treasure of insight from this great artist. ua-cam.com/video/CnyvFpP30bs/v-deo.html
@@iansutton9746 Ian, I don't know who the conductor is in that interview. Probably somebody with the Swiss-Italian Radio Orchestra I would assume. The DeLarrocha is a fabulous recording in my opinion. I originally had it when it first came out on LP. There is a 1968 and 1977 performance with Ozawa and the Boston Symphony. The 77 performance is almost brutal in fact. Weissenberg could be Horowitz-like virtuoso in his interpretation.
20世紀最高のピアニスト
アレクシス ワイセンベルク。
あの滑らかな、そして強靭で、繊細な音色がクリアに響き渡る!
表情も変えず、サラリと何でも無かったように演奏するけど、すごく情熱的で美しい!
ワイセンベルクさんのコンサートは何回か聴きましたが、50年経っても忘れられません。
ワイセンベルクさん、素晴らしいコンサートありがとうございました!
いつまでもあなたの芸術は私の心の中に生き続けます!
Very much like Rachmaninoff played and recorded it himself: no nonsense, no overblown emotions, no dramatic ritardandi and gestures, and with the ossia cadenza that Rachmaninof preferred and played himself. Wonderful performance.
Totally agree!
totally agree!
Rachmaninoff preferred the original cadenza(in this video), not the ossia one.
@@mayumiitoh65 was I was in Paris at UNESCO s concert, I met Weissenberg for the first time. It was over 30 years ago. He was playing Mozart concerto and I definitely enjoyed the way he played. I have all Weissenberg's CD you could find!..
"NO NONSENSE"? CITE A PERFORMANCE BY A PIANIST THAT CONTAINS "NONSENSE." AND WHAT IS WRONG WITH DRAMATIC GESTURES.
WEISSENBERG HAD SOME DRAMATIC GESTURES HIMSELF IN THIS PERFORMANCE.
AND THIS IS NOT THE "OSSIA" CADENZA, WHICH IS LONGER, MORE CHORDAL
AND MORE DIFFICULT TO PLAY. I PREFER IT, AND WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT ALEXIS CHOSE THIS ONE. PERHAPS HE PLAYED BOTH DURING HIS MAGNIFICENT CAREER. IT WOULD BEHOOVE YOU TO CORRECT YOUR COMMENT, ESPECIALLY SINCE SOMEONE ALREADY POINTED OUT YOUR ERROR.
This concerto fits him like a glove! Born to play it! AND super sexy cool, like the Steve McQueen of pianists!
I agree completely! Prescient comment!
It would be a good idea for many of the present day concert pianists to watch this video - particularly those who contort their faces and become circus acts like Lang Lang. Whilst we cannot view Rachmaninov himself playing this concerto , I would hazard a guess that his posture etc was identical to that of AW - that is the music is what counts.
I like a lot Weissenberg interpretation in this difficult Concert. His rendition of the 2nd one is also quite fine, but I like him specially here. It's well known he had kind of a steel fingers, what became, let's say, a sort of identity sign for him. Only Gilels had a sound as powerful as the one Weissenberg had. A Winner of the Leventritt International Piano Award, he did also a fantastic recording of the Mozart 21st Piano Concert. And then there is his great rendition of the Chopin Nocturnes, played in a "darker and stronger" way, as it was said. The sensitivity he shows in those Nocturnes contradicts everyone who ever said he was a cold, technical pianist. He was very famous in the sixties and seventies but was quite quickly forgotten after, when he had to retire from the public scene, due to the Parkinson sickness. Still he is considered one of the best pianists of the XXth Century, together with Gould, Richter, Argerich Horowitz and Magaloff. He is just one of the best. 🎵🎶🆗👍💙
Come on Rick! Dimitri Bashkirov her teacher Anastasia Virsaladze teach saying to Bashkirov the most important lesson is the love of beautiful colorful piano sound! This was already In 1930s! Really Shocking! So Best Pianists are the Best piano sound players! Wilhelm Kempff the most beautiful piano Sound! Emil Gilels the King of beautiful sound! Grigory Sokolov The Giant of Piano! The Titan of Piano! Vladimir Ashkenazy had the most volcano colorful piano sound! Solomon Cutner the Best structure for music!!
Saw him playing live at least 10 times. He was a great pianist who could combine fast tempi with an incredibly precise and poetic touch.
one of the most underrated pianists in the history of music. I've always loved his performances so simple and elegant and deep. a master of classicism and technical perfection.
and misunderstood composer rip totally agree with u love this guy
Absolutely correct!
i like his Goldberg Variations
I totally agree. No one playes the 3th R. so crystal clear. Everything is in place here and every line can be heared. Probably the best performance (if such a thing exists) of this work ever.
Not so much underrated. Weissenberg had a fantastic sonority when playing piano. Very recognisable. With such an incredible technique and deep understanding of what he played, he was choosed by Karajan to perform with him. This led him to be worldwide known and so had lots of followers during the sixties and seventies. He became the pianist of the upper class, was said. But thousands or millions of people became fans too. Would say it was due to three factors : his rich, unique, powerful sound, to be a DG artist and to play with Karajan. Am not fond of K instead. But, am a lover of "steely fingers", as Sigi, the champagne pianist, was called. Yes, he was brilliant and it can be seen. It was afterwards, when Richter and most than any other, Glenn Gould or Martha Argerich with Abbado, took his place. He slowly cast aside during the eighties and we stopped having news about him. Never understood why. This is reputed as quite a difficult concert among pianists. Composed as "deliberately difficult", according to e.g. my mother, who has the piano career. Other pianists friends of mine have told me similar things. And Weissenberg as sort of specialised in Rachmaninoff and Chopin, had to record it. Given his recognised masterful technique, too, think he thought had to left us his account of it. Can only say that wish he had recorded much more. Am interested and in the way of getting, if not all, a lot of his performances. My father was also a fan of him and my mother agrees with me, that his sound is something once you've heard it, you always want more of that. The piano sound becomes the one he has, somehow. For me he is the piano per excellence in what sound refers. Then he is sensitive when needed, and has an extremely articulated technique. So, he is a very complete musician, approaching perfection, quite often. Richter can be ethereal and fantastic too (in his Rach 2, doubtless), Vassary is exquisite in his Chopin Nocturnes, as Freire, but Weissenberg has the sound. His Chopin Nocturnes are beyond any others, for me. So of course here, prefer him to the famous Argerich performance of this Rach3. His Rach Preludes are great too. His whole Chopin in fact is a jewel. What to say, Sigi remains the Big Music.💎 He was a nice person have been told, also. Surely the gods love him as we keep doing. Hats off to AW!! 🤔🙄😔🙃💜👌
This performance is so understated that many people won't comprehend the incredible mastery on display here. Probably why he's such an underrated pianist.
One of the greatest ever I think... no idea why he's almost unheard of. Did a stint with Karajan but even then seemed to go unnoticed. Proper pianist.
Ce n'est pas un pianiste inconnu.C'est simplement que ceux qui l'écoutent aujourd'hui ont oublié qu'il était classé parmi les plus grands dans les années 60 ,70 etc..
De lui Vladimir Horowitz disait même qu'il était le seul à pouvoir le suivre!
He was not underrated, he was always known as a virtuoso who could seriously play Petrushka, for example. Top-level piano player.
AW was such an interesting interoreter! Personal, poetic and with a powerful technique .
Apart from his Rachmaninoff , I am always impressed by (for example) his Bach (IMHO, the best Bach on piano).
He composed some delicious pieces after Trenet songs. There are very fine renditions of them by Hamelin (yes, in YT!).
Alexis's art will never die!
I am in LOVE with this performance.
I had the feeling like here he didn't want to play he wanted to be somewhere else. Did you ever hear his studio recording? It's a lot better. Also the orchestra doesn't suit this music here....
Simple and elegant! Yet powerful and poetic!
His composed manner demonstrates s a real mastery of the art. No exaggeration, simply true to the music.
Mr. Weissenberg had perfect technique, which makes it seem that this difficult concerto is quite easy to play.
C'est exactement le style qu'il convient...Merci encore et bravo. Le chef me semble être Jean Martinon.
A style is a style.,Thanks God,we have so many styles as pianists!!!
And variety educates the taste.
Great performance of Meister Weissenberg!
Extraordinary pianist and great human, thank you Mr. Weissenberg for all you had done for us.
Ergreifend dichte, sehr sensible, nie sentimental werdende Interpretation des wirklich großen Alexis Weissenberg, kongenial begleitet durch den unvergessenen Jean Martinon und das ORTF- Nationalorchester. Bei stets straffen Tempi: ungewöhnlich verhaltener Beginn; alles filigran; in den Ausbrüchen mit reifer Eleganz - die schönste Aufnahme dieses Konzerts, die ich kenne.
Bei INA-France-Boutique ist nochmals eine Live-Aufnahme der beiden Künstler zu hören: Tschaikowskis 1. Klavierkonzert.
I keep coming back to this performance. I have heard many pianists perform this, but none with the technical bravado and intensity of Mr. Weissenberg. The cadenza near the end of the first movement is unbelievable, as is the entire 2nd movement. What a master.
J' ai écouté depuis ....50 ans , une somme considérable d' interprétations du 3e de Rachmaninof. Je ne suis pas Dieu. Je ne porte pas de jugements. Les deux qui m'ont le plus enthousiasmé : Denis Matsuev et...Weissenberg ! les autres ne sont pas de mauvais musiciens mais j' ai l' impression qu'ils veulent domestiquer l' abondance de notes dans une lecture " raisonnable" de l' oeuvre. Weissenberg en fait une pépite extra-terrestre , un joyau pur. Il faut écouter à 22.25 la reprise ; c 'est époustouflant. Pendant qu'il était encore en vie , les critiques musicaux faisaient la fine bouche sur son jeu ( trop "mécanique" ). on brocardait son impassibilité au piano ( ah c 'est sûr que Fazil Say à côté....) . Il reste pour moi un des plus grands pianiste du 20e siècle. A noter que l' orchestre est très bon , quoique un peu en retrait ( prise de son ) , mais à l' époque le National avait encore une sonorité très typée " française".
I enjoy the "French" sound. It's different and freely played.
Glenn Gould wrote that this was the only rendition of this piece that he liked.
The people in those old days were lucky, to be able to listen the masterpiece of original cadenza of Rach. 3. 1st mov.
One of Weissenberg's greatest recordings was a 1969 Angel recording with Seiji Ozawa and Orchestre de Paris of Ravel G Major Concerto and Prokofiev 3rd Concerto... absolutely sublime interpretation, and was considered a "fresh" interpretation of both works at that time... best interpretations of both works I've ever heard... what a shame they're not posted on here, certainly worth hearing more than once
have a link for that one?
An extraordinary pianist, french am I and I do love him, so much rare! Bravo! Emmanuel
0:57 - I. Allegro ma non tanto;
16:38 - II. Intermezzo: Adagio;
27:22 - III. Finale: Alla breve.
Eine Auffassung ohne übertriebene, schnulzige Sentimentalitäten. Noblesse oblige!!!!
My gosh, thanks for sharing this incredible video. You have made the world a better place, thank you!
Thanks a lot for this marvellous post !
And there writes a man who knows his music and recordings
He was the teacher of MY piano teacher!!!!
Totally agreed! Amazing technique and efficiency.
The only pianist recognized by Glenn Gould!
Always loved the more relaxed tempos Weissenberg took with this, especially the finale. I could see he was expecting things to go awry in the final passage, as so often does, so he just basically sat there and waited for the conductor to get to the final chords so he could finish in sync with the orchestra. Such a fine technician.
In the quicker sections, with the sound muted, you would think he was playing Czerny studies. He does make it look much easier than it is.
Grant Wood I get your point but you're obviously under misapprehension that Czerny etudes are easy. Some of them are quite as hard as this piece.
Such a great performance
Weissenberg studied under Olga Samaroff, teacher of William Kapell.Weissenberg treats this Concerto like a series of spontaneous on the spot improvisations which is a unique and brilliant conception.Possibly unsurpassed in feeling and electricity.His recording with Bernstein has been digitally remastered on EMI and sounds pretty fabulous.
Thanks so many. I'll get Weissenberg with Bernstein. Has to be very good. Think AW recorded the Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue. Will get it with him too. Weissenberg loved jazz. 👍
Yes, Weissenberg was a Julliard disciple, and the Julliard is reputed as the best Western music place one could hope for. There is the Russian School and then there is the Julliard, it is said. So, he was with some of the best. But then he had those long and strong fingers that allowed him to get a so distinctive sound and perfect digitalization.. Here we can appreciate this once again, his incredible, fantastic sound!! 💜💎👌Amazingly good rendition, Weissenberg, once again.
@@rickartdefoix1298 there is the Bulgarian school too. Weissenberg was Bulgarian and studied with Bulgarian composer and pianist Vladigeroff. He started with the Russian repertoire in Bulgariq very well. This.is why his Petrushka became famous. he was already playing it as a young student in Bulgaria
@@rickartdefoix1298 He was also a Vladigerov disciple. Vladigerov - Barth - Tausig & von Bronsart - Liszt.
@@RositsaPetrovarjp7 Not to mention, Artur Schnabel and Wanda Landowska were also Weissenberg's teachers. Schnabel was a student of Leschetizky who studied with Carl Czerny who was a student of Beethoven who studied with Haydn. Landowska was a student of Michalowski who studied with Moscheles who studied with Mendelssohn.
Es maravilloso! Weissenberg ha sido uno de los grandes del piano del siglo XX y siempre le recordaremos!
Extremely Underrated Masters.
This is the Flagship of all piano concerto. It brings out the best in great pianist and the finale motivates the performer to excel. I agree I love the various interpretations I have heard over the years. My favorites are Rachmaninoff himself and Horowitz. His 1950 recording is astounding. Thank You for posting this.
Sublime interprétation d'Alexis Weissenberg, superbe accompagnement de l'Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion française en 1960, (alias O. N. de l'Office de la Radio Télévision Française de 1964 à 1974, Orchestre National de France jusqu'à quand?)
Superb!
Es el Concierto para piano y orquesta más hermoso y difícil del mundo!!! El pianista de este video es un gran artista, poseedor de una gran técnica pianística que lo destaca en el mundo. mundialmente.
Ein vom 'Russischen Pathos' befreiter Rachmaninoff, mit einem fast zu schlanken Ton für das entsprechende Repertoire. Aber welche geistige und auch manuelle Kraft geht von Weissenberg aus!
Diese Interpretation reicht natürlich nicht an die von Horowitz heran, aber sie kommt sehr bald danach. Die rein pianistische Bewältigung dieses schwierigen Konzertes ist absolut bewundernswert, die geistige Disposition und seine pianistische Kontrolle sind faszinierend.
Eine wunderbare Aufnahme, Dankeschön!!
Wonderful and full of emotion without afectation........Like the old masters
Weissenberg was never affected, never manierist, didn't need to...did Horowitz exagereted his octaves, for instance ? Well, this master did not need "special effects", to say so. Weissenberg Sound was so powerful by itself than you can hear every single note as with no one else. Is the richest piano I've never heard. His sonority is the perfect one for me.
Fantástica interpretación de mi concierto favorito, tengo al menos seis versiones, pero esta es desde ahora la mejor!
Yeah, its epic, just like whole comcerto .I'm proud that in my smal country is born such genious like Maestro Weisenberg !
Rachmaninov pointed Horowiz, but I thing that AW posseses more subtle style .
Prefer him to Horowitz a thousand times.
本当に凄いですね、この人は。
what a cadenza!!!!
12:30 just after the cadenza, always love that bit the best
thank you so much for posting this!!
Wonderful Performance ...but....Horowitz/Rodzinski is the most mind boggling Recording of Rachmaninoff 3rd ever made...its on UA-cam....don’t miss it !!!!! You will thank me.
That bass is so powerful in the finale, exactly as it should be!
As a pianist myself, I notice he curls his knuckles when he plays. I used to do that and was corrected by my piano teacher who said my hands should be relaxed. But, whatever. It works for him!
For the Rach 3, Weissenberg is within my top 4 with Horowitz, Van Cliburn, and L. Valentina.
I have to agree to jjp009. I've been a fan of him since 2008 and every piece he did, that I see the version from another pianist just doesn't seem right as his.
Thanks for posting!
La première fois que j'ai entendu Weissenberg j'ai cru que c'était un enregistrement télé de Rachmaninov tant la ressemblance était frappante. C'était l'âge d'or de la télévision, l'époque où on passait des choses intéressantes.
This is one of the very few performances than can be compared to Horowitz/Reiner.Pretty fabulous.Weissenberg took lessons from Olga Samaroff, William Kapell's teacher.On a scale of 1 through 10 this performance is at least a 9.
Spotted
WOW! WHAT AN EXPLOSIVE CADENZA IN THE FIRST MOVEMENT. I HAVE NEVER HEARD THAT PLAYED BY ANYONE OF ALL THE MANY RECORDINGS OUT THERE.
DID RACHMANINOFF PENN THAT HIMSELF? I WONDER? JUST PYRO TECHNICAL EXPLOSIVITY.!
In terms of lack of mannerisms etc, he's similar to Stephen Hough who also manages a wide dynamic range, stunning virtuosity and excellent musicianship without the constant 'gurning' and other facial contortions bordering on agony, that some pianists are prone to.
Absolutely great!
He looks just like Rachmaninoff. Since I can't see Rachmaninoff play, this is the next best thing.
🙂
Thank you Scott!!
Il mio indimenticabile Maestro....
Le mien, aussi.
Che fortuna eh, haha
Wonderful observation from jjp009. I couldn't agree more. Great commanded of the piano. What I love are the different interpretation of the Rach 3 from Horowitz(arguably consider to be best at interpreting Rach) to today’s pianist. In the end I guess every interpretation brings in its own unique beauty to each listener to include the visual aesthetics . Thanks for sharing
Yes, well, you are right. For instance in Rachmaninoff nr. 2 piano concert, have to agree and say that Richter account is the best one. But think it is a quite special case. For there is such an identification between him and the work than the concert sweats despair and sadness, the amount of feeling is something even shocking. The Weissenberg one is my second favourite. He is great, as usual, but does not reach the simbiosis sort of union Richter attains with the orchestra. Anyway, W was so good that his sound prevails over any other. And his vision of whatever he played was always a very interesting one. In an apparent simplicity lies genius, would I say. And never a candy coat approach to say so, too. He was sensitive but not cheaply sentimental. He had those delicate moments, always wonderfully played, left you willing for more, once and again. Weissenberg, the rich sound, the unique. 💎👌
greattttttttttttttttttttttt
after hearing bolet, horowitz,argerich, janis, freddy kempf, kissin, volodos, cziffravan cliburn,some of these interpretations really magnificent my favorite rach 3 are, in my humble opinion, the ones of:
1- perhaps the best- alexis weissenberg/prêtre, with the CSO- live, i think
2-william kapell, with he Toronto Orchestra, also live- really breathtaking and beautifull
this live performance of weissenberg/martinon is also a magnificent one.
i am really sad this extraodinary pianist died he is n
Who is Cyprien Katsaris?
thank you very much for let me know.
I think the "No-nonsense" epithet belogs to Monsieur Martinon as well. When you watch Mehta in his NYPO performance with Horowitz, he seems so OTT by comparison!
Weissenberg is the spitting image of Rachmaninoff, by the way
SCOTT LEATHER
Hello Scott, there is a Rome Italy Alexis Weissenberg performance that is video, could be late 1940, 50's. I had it, cannot find it.
Please kindly try to locate and post it. That was even better performance than this one, Black and White video.
Thank you very much, Lena McGinnis
Hi Lena, I haven't come across or heard of that recording before. I'll keep my eye out for it though as I'd love to hear it!
All the best,
Scott
I'm sorry. I'm at loss to locate this performance. Would love to hear it. If I find it, I'll post here.
@@sll10 Thank you Scott, I will be looking for it until I find it!!!! Love Alexis!!! An incredible story of his life and survial
@@lenamcginnis5168 Yeah he was an incredible artist IMO. I heard him live in Budapest around 1980 play a recital and concerto with orchestra. The thing about him was you could hear him through the hall as he had strong fingers! I miss that in some of today's artists.
is this the one that got nominated for grammy in 1968?
I doubt it as it is not a studio recording but a TV performance (for TV it would be an Emmy not a Grammy). That might be his recording of it on RCA with Georges Pretre that got nominated (I didn't know that).
@@sll10 thx!!
Lovely but his recording with Petre is even better.
00:57 1er mouv
16:38 2e mouv
27:22 3e mouv
Alexis was simply THE greatest Rach 3 player around, just like Richter was the best Rach 2 & Tchaikovsky no 1 performer of all.
It's an outrage what we are being called upon to endure nowadays, eg the monkey antics BS of Langlang et cie.
9:21.....I'm wrong or I listen to some "Weissenberg" chords....;-) not Rach's...? I like it very much, in any case...!! Great pianist, very very great maestro...!!
魏森伯格的触键是富有诗意的
A rather under-appreciated virtuoso, sadly for our sakes. Weissenberg was a world class pianist. (If by any chance you have a better copy of his 1980 Helsinki recital, kindly share. The one I've found has some unpleasant distortions.) Mil gracias.
Actually, his name, as he spelled it when writing in English, is Rachmaninoff.
He was and stay no1 pianist for me. When I look today, all the piano stars (especially from Asia) and when I see all the gesticulation they made, I turn off the video...
Alexis was not Karajan's concert pianist by accident!
Are you the President Kim of North Korea because you look a lot like him?!
@@sll10 yes, It s me, the master of the free world!
@@flllutiste That's incredible if it's true! Weissenberg was also one of my favorite pianists!
There is absolutely no effort in his face at all, astounding.
Which (fine!) orchestra is this ?
I believe it is the ORTF
I always thought this concerto belonged to Horowitz and though Weissenberg plays it note-perfect, this video has not changed my mind. The electricity that Horowitz brings to this music simply is unlike anything else.
Not that it's any odds to me (can play very little on the piano), Mr Weissenberg's curved fingers - like as if it to clutch a ball - seems to be straight out of the many textbooks on piano technique - this video (excepting that the Rach 3 would be outside most piano student's capabilities) would serve as a great illustration (should a piano teacher need one) - to his/her students - of the generally preferred hand/finger posture for pianistic excellence !!
A. Weissenberg Rach 3 Piano concerto every bit a tie with V. Horwitz playing
the same score.
Nope - it's all Rachmaninoff... I think Weissenberg has too much respect for the great musicians to change anything - especially by Rachmaninoff.
39:56-39:59 Interesting the way he glances at the bass of the keyboard
What is he playing at 37:56?
pretty sure its the staccato one, i prefer the ossia, i like the grand chords of the ossia better, but still an awesome performance
28:40
24:30
27:00
37:17 -> 37:30
37:50
39:00
finale : 27:20
What happened at11.32 ???
Church Lady in the violin section at 38:32 - just over the conductor's left shoulder. Now, isn't that special?
Is hi played the short Cadenza or Ossia ?
The "short cadenza" the lighter one Rachmaninoff and Horowitz recorded
He plays a D Sharp from the first chord, not from the fourth, as written...!!
MVP Horwitz/Weissenberg
hope it helped :)
I agree with you...but...there's something "strange" in the first chords...a single note that I can't listen to in other famous recordings of this concerto: Argerich, Horowitz, etc...
ab 29:23 - 29:50 großartig!
if the conductor would not move so much he would look like karajan
I come for the detached no-nonsense playing, I stay for the long ties and the first violinist's yellow shirt.
If he had a bigger nose, he would look like Rachmaninov:)
Yes. Sure Sigi hypnotised would look alike to Rachmaninoff having to play that way. 😊🙃👍
Weissenberg is superb in this. (I have two of his other recordings of his Rach 3...of the forty I have altogether...which is actually embarrassing). His version with Pretre is even better on Lp (and on UA-cam). I have at least four with Horowitz, who first introduced me to this work with is 1952 version with Reiner...still unsurpassed. There are many versions by pianists one wouldn't normally identify with this piece. Rachmaninoff's own is naturally amazing, despite the dated sound. With his many on hand, I now can't make up my mind which is the best. But they all are in completely different ways.Despite my thoughts on this excellent performance, the piano sound could be better and I profoundly wish the director would omit the ridiculous and extremely distracting video gimmicks.
I have over 185 Rach 3rds so don't feel embarassed! It's my favorite piano concerto. There is another Weissenberg recording of it, done live in, I believe, 1968, (though the same performance might have been dated 1977) with Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony that is a fabulous performance! I believe it's on UA-cam (I originally got it on LP before the CD era and, also, now on CD if it's the same performance). You might like it even better than the Pretre (though the sound quality isn't as good as the RCA recording).
Thanks so much, Scott, for posting the Weissenberg-Martinon reading of the 3rd. I'd never heard it before. Also thanks to you, I just
discovered his version with Ozawa. I'm curious about the 6-minute
interview clip with Weissenberg talking about the 3rd and the excerpt
from the finale, but can't figure out who the orchestra and conductor
are. Any idea?
Very impressed with your vast collection. Never thought there could
possibly be 185 versions recorded in one format or other. My mere 40
(now 41) pales by comparison.
The 3rd is also may favourite...as must be obvious I guess. Like my
children, I can't choose any one favourite. Argerich with Chially is
overpowering, as are William Kapell's two that I have (despite uneven
sound), Jorge Bolet (who's master class on the Rach 3 used to be
available somewhere), J-P Collard, Bruno-Leonardo Gelber (a pianist
I've always admired), Emil Gilels (my first-ever recording of the 3rd
in the '50s.)
Alicia de Larrocha was a pianist one wouldn't associate with the Rach
3, but then she could do almost anything brilliantly. And all the
versions (bootleg and otherwise) by Horowitz, who for years of course was said to 'own' the piece after the composer evidently stopped playing it.
At least I'm glad I'm not alone in by Rachmaninoff 3rd obsession.
I presume you know the Bolet master class is on UA-cam....just found it again. What a treasure of insight from this great artist. ua-cam.com/video/CnyvFpP30bs/v-deo.html
@@iansutton9746 Ian, I don't know who the conductor is in that interview. Probably somebody with the Swiss-Italian Radio Orchestra I would assume.
The DeLarrocha is a fabulous recording in my opinion. I originally had it when it first came out on LP. There is a 1968 and 1977 performance with Ozawa and the Boston Symphony. The 77 performance is almost brutal in fact. Weissenberg could be Horowitz-like virtuoso in his interpretation.
Scott: I admire Dmitris Sgouros's 1983 EMI recording. Forgotten, but energetic and memorable. I'm sure you have that one.
12:18