Search - Manuel de Falla, Uta Weyand :: De Falla: Complete Original Works for Piano

She's No DeLarrocha

J Scott Morrison | Middlebury VT, USA | 04/23/2006

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Ute Weyand is a young (mid-thirties) German pianist resident in Spain who had earlier recorded some Granados piano music to some acclaim; I've not heard that recording. Here she plays all the piano music of Manuel de Falla. Much of this music -- the major pieces (Fantasia Betica, Cuatro Piezas Espanolas, Allegro de Concierto) -- has been previously recorded gloriously by Alicia de Larrocha. And therein lies the problem with this CD. Weyand simply is not in the same league as de Larrocha when it comes to limning, with utter accuracy, clarity and feeling, the intricacies of the music. At times, indeed, her playing seems tentative, with flabby rhythms, misaligned right and left hands. Sometimes the pianist seems to be on autopilot, and at other times as if she is trying hard simply to get in all the notes.



My advice would be to avoid this one.



Scott Morrison"