# Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3 / Alexis Weissenberg Pianist Preludes Complete / Alexis Weissenberg Pianist **URL:** **By** Roy A. Childs, Jr. **Published:** January 1, 1974 --- “Two of Rachmaninoff's best works are his two sets of preludes for solo piano (Op.” Sergei Rachmaninoff was truly a giant of 20th century music. Born one hundred years ago this year, he delighted decades of music lovers with both his fabulous pianism and his compositions so much in the Romantic tradition that they have almost become paradigms of romanticism. Together with Liszt and Tchaikovsky—each of whom also left his stamp on the history of music—Rachmaninoff was among the first to come under attack when the musical winds began to change earlier in the 20th century. Rachmaninoff was criticized or ignored by the musical elite for conquering 20th century audiences with 19th century sound. Given their standards, they were right, for nothing is so totally opposed to the spirit of 20th century music than the richly melodic and dramatic compositions of Rachmaninoff. Naturally, in all such cases, the public has continued to love the memory of the man and his music. Two of Rachmaninoff's best works are his two sets of preludes for solo piano (Op. 23 and 32, together with the famous prelude in C-sharp minor) and his third piano concerto. His third piano concerto, unjustly overshadowed by the more famous second concerto, is easily one of the greatest of all piano compositions. Generally regarded as one of the most difficult to play, it has been recorded many times, but very few of these interpretations are convincing. As one pianist says, not about this music, but about all music: "The most important element of a performance is that it should hold together. It should be given to the listener like something he must swallow whole, then digest as slowly as he wishes. The pianist must create an impact and cause a shock. This does not happen if the performance is diverse, if emotions are thrown right and left as the pianist progresses.... In every work you play—whether three minutes, half an hour or two hours long—you have to build a climax." This is what is required of a successful recording or performance of Rachmaninoff's Third Concerto. One recording has managed to accomplish this dramatic effect and more. It is rendered by the pianist who wrote those words—Alexis Weissenberg—and the highly regarded conductor Georges Pretre, along with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, one of the greatest orchestras in the world. Weissenberg is indeed, as one critic called him, a "pianistic powerhouse." (Only Horowitz, among the other leading pianists, approaches his intensity, his flair for the dramatic and unusual.) His recording of the third concerto stands out above all the others in this respect. There is no meandering in his performance; it is a tightly sculptured reading which builds from beginning to end. Listening to this recording, whether you agree with Weissenberg's interpretation or not, you will be instantly aware that you are listening to a pianistic genius, and for the duration of his performance, you will realize that you are under the power of his concept of the work, from the opening bars until the very end. It is that concept which glues every segment of this piece of music into a single unit. This level of integration is so difficult to achieve in such a work that when it is achieved, one knows that he has had a musical experience in the fullest sense of that much abused term. Weissenberg's version of the complete Rachmaninoff preludes is equally exciting. Until now, a really good recording of the full twenty-four pieces had not been produced. Moura Lympany's older recording had some high spots, but was, overall, disappointing. Constance Keene's version of the preludes, while containing some exquisite pianism, did not really capture the character of too many of the preludes. Weissenberg's version surpasses both of these by far. He takes each prelude as a unit and, builds every one to a climax. The climaxes are not necessarily forceful, though in some cases they are. His performance of the C-sharp minor is a case in point. He begins with a slower tempo than many pianists. Slowly, something definite and very interesting is carved out of the piece; it builds to a climax of astonishing intensity and then subsides again, following an almost inevitable inner logic. His performance of many other pieces is just as impressive and distinctive. Listening to some of these preludes performed by other pianists, one realizes disappointedly that although over a dozen pianists have performed these works, each pianist seems to be imitating the others, and all are bad imitations. Weissenberg is distinctive and exciting. He does full justice to Rachmaninoff's music. When you have compositions as difficult and challenging to perform as Rachmaninoff's, that is saying a lot. _Reviewed by R. A. Childs, Jr. / Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto No. 3, BFL Price $4.95 (List $5.88) / Rachmaninoff, Preludes, BFL Price $8.95 (List $11.95)_