Robert Weisz

Weisz, Robert

Robert Weisz. Pianist, teacher, b Arad, Rumania, 25 Jun 1925, of Hungarian parents, naturalized Swiss 1963 and Canadian 1975; prix de virtuosité (Geneva Cons) 1949. He studied until 1947 at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest with Annie Fischer and Béla Böszörmenyi-Nagy and then at the Geneva Cons with Dinu Lipatti. In 1949 he won first prize at the Geneva International Competition for Musical Performers. He then worked with Nadia Boulanger in Paris and Myra Hess in London. He gave recital tours in South America in 1951, Indonesia in 1953, and throughout Europe 1951-67; in Holland the critic of Het Vaterland described his technique as the 'perfect servant of an intelligent and sensitive musicianship.' He was artist-in-residence 1967-9 at Indiana U and was appointed to teach piano at Laval University in 1969. Jacinthe Couture and Michel Franck, winners of the Prix d'Europe in 1974 and 1977 respectively, are among his pupils. He has given numerous recitals, performing at the JMC Orford Art Centre in 1974, in Montreal, and in Quebec City and has appeared on the CBC TV program 'Les Grands Concerts.' With the CBC Quebec Chamber Orchestra he was guest soloist on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Lipatti's death. He formed a two-piano team with Jeanne Landry at Laval University, performing works with orchestra by Matton in 1971, Bartók in 1972, and Schumann in 1973. The team also gave a recital at Montreal's Salle Claude-Champagne in 1975 and with the Quebec Symphony Orchestra played Martinu°'s Concerto for two pianos in 1976. Between 1950 and 1952 Weisz recorded Schumann's Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Opus 26 and Brahms' Waltzes, Opus 39 (Decca LK-4063), Schumann's Fantasy, Opus 17 (Decca LM-4539), and, with the cellist Paul Tortelier, Schubert's Sonata in A Minor ('Arpeggione') and Grieg's Sonata in A Minor, Opus 36 (Pathé-Marconi FALP-570).