Alexis Weissenberg (RIP Jan 8th 2012) Chopin Scherzo No.1 (1 of 2) Rare LP

This performance by Weissenberg of the first Chopin Scherzo in B Minor, op.20 has never been released on CD and this LP recording was released in 1967.

I put the cover of the original LP , a short video of the actual LP on the turntable and a selection of photos as a visual element.


Biography of Alexis Weissenberg:

Born: July 26, 1929 - Sofia, Bulgaria

The noted Jewish-born, French pianist of Bulgarian birth, Alexis Weissenberg, was taught to play the piano by his mother. Several members of her family were Vienna Conservatory-trained musicians, and he grew up in an environment where the sight-reading of chamber music was as common as watching television is for most children today. His second piano teacher was a disciplinarian dentist, his third Bulgaria's top composer and pedagogue, Pancho Vladigerov, at whose house Weissenberg heard Dinu Lipatti perform.

At age 10 (or 8), Alexis Weissenberg gave his first recital, performing, among other works, an etude of his own composition. Shortly thereafter, Weissenberg and his mother attempted to flee Bulgaria for Turkey as fascist terror deepened. They were caught and thrown in a concentration camp. "Only three elements remained constant," Weissenberg recalled. "Silence, singing, and crying." What saved the pair was an accordion Weissenberg had been given as a gift by an aunt. A German guard who liked music let Weissenberg play and after three months put the Weissenbergs on a train to Istanbul, throwing the accordion into their compartment through an open window as they left.

In 1945 they made their way to Turkey and then to Israel (then Palestine), where Alexis Weissenberg studied at the Jerusalem Academy of Music with Leo Kestenberg. In 1945 he made his first appearance as a soloist with an orchestra. Later he performed with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Leonard Bernstein. He left his accordion with a group of children after playing an outdoor concert and departed for the USA in 1946. He enrolled at the Juilliard School of Music, studying with Olga Samaroff and at times with Artur Schnabel and Wanda Landowska. He also made contact with Vladimir Horowitz, who urged Weissenberg to enter the Leventritt Award competition. Weissenberg won the award in 1947, and his career was launched. His USA debut came in 1947, playing Sergei Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra (or Philadelphia Orchestra) under the baton of George Szell.

After touring extensively the USA and Europe, Alexis Weissenberg moved in 1956 to Paris, eventually becoming a French citizen. For a decade beginning around that time, he took a hiatus from performing, subjecting himself to a reconstruction of his keyboard technique. In 1966 he resumed his career by giving a recital in Paris; later that year he gave Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 in Berlin under Herbert von Karajan, who called him "one of the best pianists of our time". Subsequently he toured all over the world, and remained active into old age.

Alexis Weissenberg possesses one of the finest techniques of any pianist in the generation following the great Russian School pianists (Lhevinne, Horowitz, et al.), yet he never used it for the sole purpose of virtuosity. Pyrotechnics only served the musical exposition. He is also well known for his expressive readings of Chopin, Schumann, S. Rachmaninov and Prokofiev, and the J.S. Bach's Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue was a staple of his recital programming. He also is a great teacher, giving piano master-classes all over the world. He has founded the Alexis Weissenberg's Piano Master Class in Engelberg (Switzerland), where he has had as students many pianists of the new generation: Kirill Gerstein, Simon Mulligan and Nazzareno Carusi among others.

Alexis Weissenberg's recording of the Franz Liszt Sonata of the early 1970's is one of the most exciting and also lyrical, in a discography with at least 75 recordings. His recordings of the 1960's and 1970's remained well represented in reissues on the EMI label as of the early 2000's. Among his recordings: Beethoven: Piano concertos Nos. 4, 5 (EMI); Chopin: Works for piano and orchestra (EMI); Debussy: Piano works (Deutsche Grammophon); S. Rachmaninov: Piano sonatas Nos. 1, 2 (Deutsche Grammophon); S. Rachmaninov: Complete Preludes (RCA Gold Seal); Johannes Brahms: Sonatas for violin & piano Nos. 1-3 (EMI).

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[morvensky]

Have you heard his later live recording from the 70s?

[AndrewToovey]

@morvensky Hi not sure I have heard this - it's difficult to keep up with all the various recordings. 

[Bret6464]

@davepipe Of course better than Rubinstein's - this is Alexis Weissenbeg :-))

Thank you for sharing.

[FurutayoshimotoAgon]

thankyou!!!

[bvbwv3]

The most exciting, articulate, dramatic, intelligent performance of this work I've yet to hear. One thinks of this composition in a new light after Mr Weissenberg's performance. Thanks for the upload.

[madaboutvoice]

Thank you for sharing! I'm an old fan of Mr Weissenberg and had many LP's by him but was forced to leave them behind when I moved countries (donated them to a college music library). Have you got his recording of Schumann's Carnival? I, among many, would be so appreciative if you could upload it. Many thanks and regards.

[chopinopus28]

AndrewToovey first of all thank you very much for this upload! i'm a big admirer of weissenreg's art. and may i ask something else. by the time you have this lp that had never been reissued could you please upload the third sonata??? i have read that the interpretation is thrilling ! in any case thank you for the scherzos!

[pchk1]

@Bret6464

oops . . . he just ruined the great ending

[Jigov]

Dont ever forget that he is student of Pancho Vladigerov.... Blood is thicker than water.

[quelbop]

WEissenberg at his best. i love this interpratation which got a terrible review in the Gramophone magazine in the 60s-his playing was ahead of his time.

[darkblueangel1956]

Era proprio così ai tempi del suo periodo d'oro. Formidabile tecnica, pieno di inventiva e con un certo pregio della sobrietà interpretativa. Ma col passare del tempo, Alexis Weissemberg è sprofondato sempre di più in una anonima volgarità esecutiva da cui non è più risalito. Gli abissi più profondi delle sue incisioni sono le opere di Debussy (DG), Valzer di Chopin (EMI), Sonate di Scarlatti, E tante altre incisioni "sconce" per la dignità dll'ascoltatore !!!!!!!!!

[andriventu]

This is a great interpretation, like mine!! Thanks for this :)

[davepipe]

This is the recording I grew up hearing -- better than Rubinstein's. I wish there were a video of his performance of this.