Alexis Weissenberg

[Conchis]

I'd be interested in hearing opinions of this pianist, plus any recommended recordings.

I can't make my mind up about him.

[pastoralguy]

My first encounter with Weissenberg was when he partnered Anne-Sophie Mutter in the three Brahms sonatas on EMI c/w Franck's Sonata). I remember being very excited about this release since I'd been a fan of Mutter since her first Lp with Herbert und Die Berliner Philharmoniker in 1978/78. (It amazed me that this girl was making records in such exalted company whilst I was struggling with Grade 7!)

Iirc, this was her first chamber recording and I was keen to hear it. However, I'm sure Gramophone said that Weissenberg was 'creative' with Brahms' dynamic markings. Even as a novice, I realised that there was something 'not quite right' despite being entranced by la Mutter. I suspect Herbie teamed them up without, perhaps, exercising 'quality control'.

So, no, not perhaps the last word but certainly a very fine player.

(Reviewed in the June 1983 Gramophone)

[Alison]

I'm struggling to think of a really positive review of any of his records.

[richardfinegold]

I'm struggling to think of a really positive review of any of his records.

He was definitely a punching bag for critics. I wondered was he really that bad, or were critics pummeling him because as a Karajan protégée, it was a way to take a shot at Herr Generalmusikdirector of Europe, without being directly confrontational.

[PJPJ]

I'm struggling to think of a really positive review of any of his records.

I love "Mr Nobody plays Charles Trenet" Boum!

early recordings

How about the Liszt Sonata, or Petruschka?

[Pulcinella]

As well as his recording of the Golbergs, I have the 4CD set Les introuvables de Alexis Weissenberg (sic: why not d'Alexis, other than the fact that the series is 'Les introuvables de' Whoever?), though I paid £16.99, not £222.09 or even £1364.56!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=Weissenberg+introuvables

I nearly wore through the LP coupling of the Ravel G major and Prokofiev 3, with the Orchestre de Paris under Ozawa. I read later that he took some liberties (not sure if with both), but they didn't worry me at the time (not least because I wasn't aware of them!), and I'm not sure that they would even now, unless I had been told what to listen for or was following the score closely, so infectious I found/find his playing.

[silvestrione]

I like his DG Debussy disc, though i've not listened to it for a while. And as mentioned, Stravinsky Three Pieces from Petrushka: terrific.

[Pianorak]

Whatever one may think of Alexis Weissenberg, his recording of the D minor Sonata No. 1 by Rachmaninov I would count among the most exciting available. Forget about the Allegro moderato marking of the first movement - it's nothing less than Allegro con fuoco, and all the better for it (imv, of course). Hitherto I had always thought it a rather indifferent work - but no longer! I think Weissenberg's Petrouchka (3 movements) by Stravinsky is rightly universally praised.

[cloughie]

I like his DG Debussy disc, though i've not listened to it for a while. And as mentioned, Stravinsky Three Pieces from Petrushka: terrific.

I had the Debussy disc some years ago - I didn't particularly like it, and I think it may have contributed to a sales resistance of his other repertoire, I have a few recordings accumulated in big sets I'll try again!

[Stanfordian]

I like his DG Debussy disc, though i've not listened to it for a while. And as mentioned, Stravinsky Three Pieces from Petrushka: terrific.

I don't have too many solo recordings of Weissenberg mainly several those concertos albums he made with Karajan. His Debussy piano works album looks interesting.

[Conchis]

I don't have too many solo recordings of Weissenberg mainly several those concertos albums he made with Karajan. His Debussy piano works album looks interesting.

The DG Debussy disc got the single worst review in history of the Penguin Guide.

[Pianorak]

The DG Debussy disc got the single worst review in history of the Penguin Guide.

Just listened to the "Estampes" and I'm not surprised they got bad reviews.

[waldo]

The DG Debussy disc got the single worst review in history of the Penguin Guide.

For many years, that Weissenberg Debussy disc was my only Debussy. This was in the prelapsarian era, before I thought I had to get 14 versions of every piece - and also before I started reading about music. Anyway, I still love that disc and, for certain pieces, it is still absolutely definitive for me. I can't hear them any other way; other pianists seem a little anemic, in comparison - altogether too delicate.

I don't have anything else by him, though. My collecting journey has taken another fork on the path........

[Pianorak]

Schumann: Fantasie C-Dur op. 17 - Alexis Weissenberg (Orfeo live recording 7 August 1972)

The German critic Joachim Kaiser reviewing the Weissenberg recital wrote about Schumann's Fantasie: . . . Virtuosity on a grand scale can be revelatory and amount to an insight. But what does Weissenberg's blind accuracy reveal? Nothing but itself. . .

The best I could say about it would be: All the notes were there and in the right order.