Piano Concerto no. 2 & Academic Festival Overture

Many interpretations of historical importance fall back on great "encounters": Fischer – Furtwängler – Berlin Philharmonic, Backhaus-Böhm-Vienna Philharmonic, Horowitz-Toscanini-NBC, Gilels-Jochum-Berlin Philharmonic, Zimmermann-Bernstein-Vienna Philharmonic etc.

Somewhat less charismatic undoubtedly was the encounter between the still young but nevertheless already famous Peter Maag, the Turin Orchestra of RAI and the even younger American pianist from a Bulgarian background, Alexis Weissenberg, who at the time gave his debut in Europe. Less charismatic but no less pleasing in respect of the result: the audience in Turin experienced a performance which was predestined to become one of the greatest in broadcasting-repertoire.

"Even collectors who swear by their Toscaninis, Furtwänglers and Karajans stand to learn something from Maag" Gramophone about Maag’s Beethoven Symphonies nos. 2, 4, 5 & 6 (ARTS 47244-2) 

"Maag's approach echoes Bruno Walter's. But Maag favors a leaner sonority, secures a more richly detailed texture, and draws a sharper motivic profile” Fanfare about Maag’s Beethoven Symphony no. 9 (ARTS 47248-2)