Sviatoslav Richter

[George]

Perhaps he played through midnight, hence the confusion. I remember there was a Mingus concert (in Paris, I think) which resulted in a simialr mistake.

Just a suggestion, even if unlikely

I hadn't thought of that, but it sounds entirely possible. Thanks.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

The Schumann Fantasie on this Supraphon 2008 CD, SU 3795-2, is labeled as being recorded on November 1, 1959. Is this a misprint? There was a Fantasie on Praga from November 2, 1959 and I think they are the same. Does anyone know if they are the same performance?

It's my understanding they are the same but I can't remember now where I got that information.

[Mandryka]

Reviews of D 850

   

Great George -- I enjoyed those reviews.

I'm sorry that the second movement of the Prague recording doesn't seem to effect you in the same way as it does me -- I was hoping to find a kindred spirit. 

For me each variation seems to express some new, complex, emotion. Your word -- tender -- is spot on.

I've only ever heard three other pianists play this sonata -- Uchida and Kempf and Schnabel. I would argue that Richter is way better than the first two. And I think you just can't compare him with Schnabel -- both great, but incommensurable!

[Dancing Divertimentian]

The Schumann Fantasie on this Supraphon 2008 CD, SU 3795-2, is labeled as being recorded on November 1, 1959. Is this a misprint? There was a Fantasie on Praga from November 2, 1959 and I think they are the same. Does anyone know if they are the same performance?

George, I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier, but if you own both recordings try comparing for noises, things like coughs, static, anything. Noises that shows up on both, or don't.

Whatever you find you will be the one to solve the mystery.

[George]

George, I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier, but if you own both recordings try comparing for noises, things like coughs, static, anything. Noises that shows up on both, or don't.

Whatever you find you will be the one to solve the mystery.

I checked and because the Supraphon has been completely remastered, it's hard to tell.



I just grabbed this from MDT for $40.62 shipped. Initially I skipped it because of the price and the fact that I thought that I had most of it. It turns out I only have half of it.   

[Brian]

I checked and because the Supraphon has been completely remastered, it's hard to tell.



I just grabbed this from MDT for $40.62 shipped. Initially I skipped it because of the price and the fact that I thought that I had most of it. It turns out I only have half of it.   

I might be interested in that one myself, depending on your report. 

[George]

I might be interested in that one myself, depending on your report. 

I can tell you now that at least half of it is excellent, in good to very good sound. The other half I will report on later. 

[George]

I just grabbed this from MDT for $40.62 shipped. Initially I skipped it because of the price and the fact that I thought that I had most of it. It turns out I only have half of it.   

Right now at MDT, the above 14 CD EMI Richter set is only $34.76.  The Brilliant box is only $15. Two great bargains!

Link to MDT: http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/pages/home/default.asp 

[George]

This set arrived today. I just compared this set to duplicate performances (9 CDs) from my collection. There isn't any sound upgrade in the new box. In fact, they all sounded a bit more open (less noise reduction) on the earlier releases. I am still happy to have it for the remaining performances that I didn't already have, though. I wish they had just left the transfers alone, for I could have sold off my old CDs and freed up some shelf space. The notes say that the mastering is not new, but something is definitely different. It's not drastic, but it's there. Perhaps the age of the tapes, who knows.

The liner notes are by none other than Leslie Gerber. Unfortunately, they are only 5 pages long. The CDs come in thin cardboard sleeves that are not unlike the ones used by Brilliant Classics. The sleeves are marked with track listing and composer names on them. The box it comes in is about an inch thick.   

[George]

I might be interested in that one myself, depending on your report. 

Brian, after hearing three of the 6 CDs that I hadn't heard before from this set (Brahms Lieder, Schubert Trout, Beethoven Spring VS and Mozart VS) I can say grab this set! The performances are excellent and the sound is very good, by Richter standards. 

[Que]

George, here is the listing of that old Philips series.
And, believe it or not: NO indication whatsoever of recording dates & venues!

The items in bold are missing from the recent reissue.



Brahms
Sonata No. 1 in C Op. 1
Sonata No. 2 in f sharp Op. 2
Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Op. 35: Book 1
Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Op. 35: Book 2
Klavierstücke, Op. 118: No. 3 - Ballade in g
Klavierstücke, Op. 119: No. 4 - Rhapsody in E flat
Fantasien, Op. 116: No. 5 - Intermezzo in e
Klavierstücke, Op. 76: No. 8 - Capriccio in C   

Schumann
Fantasia in C, Op. 17
March in g, Op.76 No. 10
Concert Studies On Caprices by Paginini, Op. 10: no. 4 in c, no. 5 in b, and no. 6 in e
Novellette in F Op. 21 No. 1
Blumenstück, Op. 19
Nachtstücke, Op. 23

Q

[George]

Thanks very much, Que I thought you'd forgotten. 

I'll let you know what I turn up. Perhaps donwyn has some info on this.

[George]

Ok, here's what I dug up:

The items in bold are missing from the recent reissue.




Schumann
March in g, Op.76 No. 10 - only release of this performance
Concert Studies On Caprices by Paginini - only release of this performance and of this work.
Novellette in F Op. 21 No. 1 - also on Philips 454166, 454170, 462128 and 456549
Blumenstück, Op. 19 - also on Philips 454166, 454169
Nachtstücke, Op. 23 - also on Philips 454166, 454169




This is 454166 (Just as, if not more rare as the above Philips set) 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Thanks very much, Que I thought you'd forgotten. 

I'll let you know what I turn up. Perhaps donwyn has some info on this.

George & Que,

It's my understanding the contents of the Brahms/Schumann set in the old Authorized Edition were all first releases. As the both of you have noted Decca decided (for whatever reason) not to reissue all the material in the Master series. Strange.

The one notorious thing about that old Authorized Edition had to do with the dating of the material. Practically NONE of it was properly dated, or dates were simply omitted. From what I've read Philips queried Richter about it but got nowhere. What I know of the dates I learned from Trovar.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Brahms
Sonata No. 1 in C Op. 1
Sonata No. 2 in f sharp Op. 2
Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Op. 35: Book 1
Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Op. 35: Book 2
Klavierstücke, Op. 118: No. 3 - Ballade in g
Klavierstücke, Op. 119: No. 4 - Rhapsody in E flat
Fantasien, Op. 116: No. 5 - Intermezzo in e
Klavierstücke, Op. 76: No. 8 - Capriccio in C   

Schumann
Fantasia in C, Op. 17
March in g, Op.76 No. 10
Concert Studies On Caprices by Paginini, Op. 10: no. 4 in c, no. 5 in b, and no. 6 in e
Novellette in F Op. 21 No. 1
Blumenstück, Op. 19
Nachtstücke, Op. 23

Q

Que, is Schumann's Toccata Op.7 included in this Philips set?

[George]

George & Que,

It's my understanding the contents of the Brahms/Schumann set in the old Authorized Edition were all first releases.

Actually, of the works from the Brahms/Schumann 3 CD Authorized set that were not released on the Master series, only two works (the March and the Concert Studies) were first releases, unless those Decca ones came afterwards. I outlined this in my post above.

[George]

Que, is Schumann's Toccata Op.7 included in this Philips set?

Trovar does not list it as being in that Philips set (catalog no. 438477.)

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Ok, here's what I dug up:

The items in bold are missing from the recent reissue.

Schumann
March in g, Op.76 No. 10 - only release of this performance
Concert Studies On Caprices by Paginini - only release of this performance and of this work.
Novellette in F Op. 21 No. 1 - also on Philips 454166, 454170, 462128 and 456549
Blumenstück, Op. 19 - also on Philips 454166, 454169
Nachtstücke, Op. 23 - also on Philips 454166, 454169




This is 454166 (Just as, if not more rare as the above Philips set) 

Yet further intrigue from that Philips Authorized set...

Indeed, George, some of the missing Schumann did see the light of day again. It was re-released as part of that Philips Essentials box which came out a couple of years after the Authorized Edition. It's broken down into five discs each with its own nickname: The Virtuoso, The Poet, The Mystic, The Philosopher, and the Sofia recital.

The Blumenstück Op.19 and Nachtstücke op.23, No.4 are on The Poet (454169), and the Novellette in F, Op.21, No.1 is on The Philosopher (454170).

I actually have this box set. It's very handsome and is useful for a few odds and ends that aren't otherwise in print. But admittedly its only real value to the average consumer is as a supplement to the Authorized (now Master) edition. 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Trovar does not list it as being in that Philips set (catalog no. 438477.)

Hmm, that's odd as it's part of that Philips Essentials box. It's on The Virtuoso (454168).

[George]

The Blumenstück Op.19 and Nachtstücke op.23, No.4 are on The Poet (454169), and the Novellette in F, Op.21, No.1 is on The Philosopher (454170).

I actually have this box set. It's very handsome and is useful for a few odds and ends that aren't otherwise in print. But admittedly its only real value to the average consumer is as a supplement to the Authorized (now Master) edition. 

Yeah, no real value. I'll take it off your hands for $20.  

Seriously, nice detective work there.