Sviatoslav Richter

[Bogey]

Now listening to:

Beethoven
Sonata No. 17, Op. 31
&
Schumann
Fantasia in C minor, Op. 17

Sviatoslav Richter
Label: Angel
Recording Date: July and August of 1961
Format: Lp

This important notice on the back of the album cover:
Richter's recorded performance of the Schumann Fantasia is 31 minutes and 43 seconds in duration.  In order to maintain the Angel Records' standards of high fidelity and ensure consistent dynamic levels, it was found desirable to break the sides at a musical pause in the first section of the Fantasia.  This natural pause permits the faithful reproduction exactly as Richter recorded it, without artistic or engineering comprimise.

The album back also discusses that these recordings were made instead of  a concert trip to England which was postponed due to Richter being exhausted from his seven concerts at Carnegie Hall.  The studio setting was a relaxed setting for him and his mother met him in NY, the first time he had seen her since WWII.

[George]

Very cool stuff, Bill! 

[Bogey]

Correction on the above post.  Though his mother met him in NY, it seems that even though he  postponed his concerts, he must have still went England as the following recordings were also at the same time.....unless there were two Richters! 

Haydn
Sonata for Keyboard no 32 in G minor, H 16 no 44

Chopin
Ballade for Piano no 3 in A flat major, B 136/Op. 47

Debussy
Préludes, Book 1: no 2, Voiles
Préludes, Book 1: no 3, Le vent dans la plaine
Préludes, Book 1: no 5, Les collines d'Anacapri

Prokofiev
Sonata for Piano no 8 in B flat major, Op. 84

Sviatoslav Richter
Label: DG
Recording Date: July-August 1st Wembly Town Hall, London
Format: Lp

[George]

Correction on the above post.  Though his mother met him in NY, it seems that even though he postponed his concerts, he must have still went England as the following recordings were also at the same time.....unless there were two Richters! 

Cancel my post about it being cool, then. That changes everything. 

[George]

More reviews from my ongoing reverse chronological survey of Richter's recordings of Schubert Piano Sonatas. This time it's D 664:

Paris 11-13, 16, 17 February and 11 April 1963 (EMI) – Of the four available released versions that Richter released of this sonata, this is the only studio version. It is also the best one, as it captures Richter's tone beautifully in a superb performance. The first movement is played with grace and a refinement usually reserved for later Richter performances. Everything is in place, no harsh outbursts or steely tone. This is the type of Schubert playing that led me to become an avid admirer of Richter's Schubert performances. The second movement is played gently and serenely. The finale opens with a breath of fresh air, with a Mozartian playfulness and energetic style. A witty rondo, Richter plays this well, emphasizing the differences found in the contrasting episodes. This performance can be found in the recently released 14 CD EMI box that compiles all of Richter's EMI recordings.     

Live performances – Munich 23 July 1978, Tokyo 1 February 1979, London 31 March 1979 – These three are all of very similar conception, something that they have in common with his earlier studio version for EMI. The timings for all four are very close, without any significant variance. The only real difference between them is the sound quality. The Tokyo recording has a slightly muffled tone, but was recorded with well-placed microphones, as it captured well the dynamic range and tone of Richter's playing. This is best of the three live recordings and also the least expensive. The London had better tone, but more tape noise and more audience noise. The Munich had the worst sound, with distantly placed microphones that did not capture Richter's sound as well and also highlighted the audience noise. The performance of all three is excellent, but the EMI did a better job of conveying the sound of the piano and the performance and therefore remains my recommendation of this work by this pianist. 

[Mandryka]

I just stumbled across this duet with Richter and Ginzburg -- it goes beautifully mystical in the middle.

Does anyone know where the recording comes from?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O9mE6etd5E&feature=PlayList&p=71ADBCCEDB75BCDF&index=35

[Mandryka]

I own the following examples of Richter playing Liszt:

A 1958 concert on the Revelation label
All the Liszt on the Parnassus set "Richter in the 1950s" -- but not volume 4.
The Philips Authorised Recordings Liszt
The Liszt in the Praga box.


My question is -- am I missing anything good?

[George]

I got a Liszt CD on Palexa recently because of some raving over at RMCR. Haven't heard it yet, but when I do, I'll report back.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I own the following examples of Richter playing Liszt:

A 1958 concert on the Revelation label
All the Liszt on the Parnassus set "Richter in the 1950s" -- but not volume 4.
The Philips Authorised Recordings Liszt
The Liszt in the Praga box.


My question is -- am I missing anything good?

That's a pretty good cross-section. I'd add Liszt's Funerailles from Budapest, 1958, on Music & Arts. Absolutely hypnotic. Included on that disc is an engrossing Hungarian Fantasia for piano and orchestra w/ Ferencsic and the Hungarian State Orchestra from 1961.

And if you had to have another Liszt sonata (I have three ) the Aldeburgh recording (now on BBC Legends) is spectacular.

Otherwise the one glaring omission in your collection seems to be the two concertos. Unless that's a conscious decision on your part. The Philips recording of both is darn near indispensable.

[Mandryka]

I listened to the Etudes Symphoniques from Richter in Prague yesterday.  I had a hard time with it. There are probably better Richter performances of this piece around.

The Schumann Fantaisie, however, on the same disc, is terrific.

How strange -- I just listened to that and I loved it!   I've heard it said that the Richter Etudes on BBC Classics is very good, and that the version on Olympia is very well recorded, but I haven't heard either myself.

What I like about Richter's way with this piece is the way he brings out the virtuosity, without, IMO, losing the poetry. And the energy, the thrust.

That's a pretty good cross-section. I'd add Liszt's Funerailles from Budapest, 1958, on Music & Arts. Absolutely hypnotic. Included on that disc is an engrossing Hungarian Fantasia for piano and orchestra w/ Ferencsic and the Hungarian State Orchestra from 1961.

And if you had to have another Liszt sonata (I have three ) the Aldeburgh recording (now on BBC Legends) is spectacular.

Otherwise the one glaring omission in your collection seems to be the two concertos. Unless that's a conscious decision on your part. The Philips recording of both is darn near indispensable.

I got a Liszt CD on Palexa recently because of some raving over at RMCR. Haven't heard it yet, but when I do, I'll report back.

Thanks guys.

You know I think those  Richter records from the 50s are the best Liszt I have heard.

[dirkronk]

Otherwise the one glaring omission in your collection seems to be the two concertos. Unless that's a conscious decision on your part. The Philips recording of both is darn near indispensable.

But the list includes "The Philips Authorised Recordings Liszt"--which would include those concertos, no? And I agree--they ARE indispensable (forget the "darn near").


Dirk

[Dancing Divertimentian]

But the list includes "The Philips Authorised Recordings Liszt"--which would include those concertos, no?

Well, I assumed Mandryka meant the Philips Authorized Edition, and the concertos aren't part of that edition.

But the concertos ARE on Philips, of course, so if you wanna get technical...

[Mandryka]

I meant the Authorised Etdition: I don't have Richter doing the Concertos.

[George]

I meant the Authorised Etdition: I don't have Richter doing the Concertos.

IOW, it's essential.

[dirkronk]

I meant the Authorised Etdition: I don't have Richter doing the Concertos.

Oh, noooooooooooo.
Please rectify at once, Mandryka!!


Dirk

[Herman]

What I like about Richter's way with this piece is the way he brings out the virtuosity, without, IMO, losing the poetry. And the energy, the thrust.

Well, we often seem to like diferent things. I was pretty sure I would have given these Prague Symph Etudes short shrift if I'd heard them blind on the radio. I'd assumed it was an uninteresting pianist. Maybe sometime soon I'll listen to another Richter Sym Et  -  though I don't really feel any obligation to like Richter by all means.

[Holden]

Oh, noooooooooooo.
Please rectify at once, Mandryka!!


Dirk

..and this one has the best SQ



..and the LvB sonatas are great as well. I particularly like his way with Op 14/2

[not edward]

Anyone know the provenance of this creature? http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product/NR_May09/WHRA6023.htm

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Anyone know the provenance of this creature? http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product/NR_May09/WHRA6023.htm

Either the "WHRA" label is taking advantage of a loophole in Richter concert dating or they've somehow verified that all these works were indeed performed on Feb.9, 1958, in Budapest.

If it's the latter perhaps it's all spelled out in the notes to this CD, but if the former it's not beyond the pirates at all (which I'm assuming WHRA is) to make bold claims like this in order to sell CDs - principally to Richter neophytes.

The loophole is that up until now there's been no 'official' dating of the Pictures - one source says Feb. 19th, one source says Feb. 9th or 19th, and one source says Feb. 8th. Same for the Schubert D.958, minus the claim for the 19th.

More importantly, I actually own both the Pictures and the Schubert D.958 on separate Music & Arts releases and the one dead giveaway that these are NOT from the same concert comes from the "noise-checker". In Pictures Richter sits on an irritatingly squeaky piano bench (which is omnipresent) but in the Schubert the squeak is nowhere to be heard (unless he switched benches but in concert I imagine the Schubert would've come first).

And if that weren't enough the Schubert is much poorer in overall sonics. The Pictures, squeaky piano bench aside, has enviably warm and rich sound (for 1958/bootleg) and should be far better known (maybe Marston could edit out that squeaky bench ).

So unless WHRA has uncovered new evidence to verify their claims I'm still going with separate dates for these performances.

The performances are still worthwhile, however, and if the sound is up-to-snuff this disc might be worth picking up.

[Que]

WHRA stands for "Westhill Radio Archives". It's Canadian and occassionally cooperates with Muscis and Arts - even the artwork of the CD's looks similar.

No website!? How anyone can run a bussiness without one, surprises me.

Q