Rachmaninov - 2nd concert - Alexis Weissenberg and Karajan

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Rachmaninov - 2nd concert - Alexis Weissenberg and Karajan 

Bulgarian pianist Alexis Weissenberg, hailed as "one of the greatest performers of the 20th century", was one of any number of Jewish World War II-era musicians whose careers (and mature lives) almost never happened (János Starker also comes quickly to mind). 

He had been incarcerated in a makeshift concentration camp in his German-occupied native Bulgaria for a few months in 1941 when a sympathetic guard (realizing the young pianist’s gifts after hearing him play Schubert on the accordion) secreted him and his mother onto a train bound for Istanbul, throwing in the lad’s accordion through an open window on the train. Such stories are the stuff of movies and novels, but the guard’s actions enabled Weissenberg to develop his talent and pursue a career, during which he matured into one of the world’s great pianists. He was a particular favorite of Herbert von Karajan, who recorded the five Beethoven concertos with him, along with those of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff. 

Inside Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No.2 & Franck - Variations Symphoniques - Alexis Weissenberg Piano, Berliner Phil., Karajan, EMI QUADRO

Alexis Weissenberg’s spectacular technique and individual style have made a lasting impression on the art of twentieth-century piano playing. Some of his recordings of the Russian repertoire especially have set a benchmark and are often cited as top recommendations in this field. On stage he has a commanding presence, although he never uses theatrical or other non-musical gestures to deliver his message. 

His playing career was cut short in the early 1980s by the onset of Parkinson’s disease, but the pianist continued to teach and give master classes thereafter, and died in early 2012.

Recording throughout the 60s and 70s, Weissenberg will perhaps be remembered most widely for the Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky concertos he recorded with Herbert von Karajan.

Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto #2 in C Minor, Op. 18 for piano and orchestra.

Soloist - Alexis Weissenberg.

Conductor - Herbert von Karajan.