Sviatoslav Richter

[Dancing Divertimentian]

• A Mozart recital from the Barbican on Philips which is very special for the K310 and K545 (1989)

Yes, that K.310 is my favorite:

But I think he found a special affinity for Mozart in those later years, and maybe Bach and Chopin too.

I somewhat agree with this but I have a couple of Mozart concerto recordings (nos. 17 and 27) from the mid-60s that show a good amount of finesse. It probably doesn't hurt that in this case the accompaniment (Barshai and the Moscow CO) actively plays up the finesse, too, so putting the two together some pretty exquisite Mozart emerges. Though this could be the exception that proves the rule as it's been a while since I've heard any solo Mozart from Richter's "pre-western" days.

As far as Richter's Chopin it seems to me that there's no one period that stands out as "the best". Yes I would say there are differences between his pre-western Chopin and post-western but there's little that sounds "out of place" to me. Recordings from the 50s on through the late 80s always manage to have something to say to me.

And his presentation of them – austere, stoical – is rather to my tastes. I find the Chopin on that Orfeo disc from the seventies at least as valuable and at least as deep as  the 1950 Moscow Chopin recital on Preiser.

Agreed. What 70s (and beyond) Chopin I have compares very well to that 1950 Moscow recital (though I have it on Ankh).

[George]

New 14 CD set: Richter in Hungary

Link Here Click on this image when you get to the page -

I am not sure if any/all of this has been released before. These performances do not appear on Trovar, but that discography only covers CDs released in the pianist's lifetime.

I have been reading a lot of good things about this set, not just the performances, but I hear the sound is excellent as well.

A yahoo group has been established to help those outside of Hungary get a copy:
SviatoslavRichterHungary-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Membership is fast and free.

I also suggest that all fans of Richter join the informative yahoo group:
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/sviatoslavrichter/
It's free and the folks there are knowledgeable and membership may be required to join the first group I mentioned.

In addition, I read this morning that amazon.de will have this set for sale on February 19. However, I don't see it on their site. 

[Mandryka]

I somewhat agree with this  . . .

Yes. I probably should have been a bit more nuanced.

I listened yesterday to some Mozart sonatas from Prague Spring. I thought K282 was very good (1956), K280 (1966) less so.  I thaught his K533/494 from 1956 was absolutely stunning -- a pleasure to hear despite the sound.

I haven't heard Barshai and Richter in K595. Can you recommend a transfer?

I know his 1967 recording with Britten of K482 and I just don't much like it (though I'm glad to have it for the cadenza by Britten). Idem for the K453 with Ormandy (1970).


On the other hand, I like very much his 1959 K466 with Wislocki.

So maybe I should have said that his earlier Mozart is variable.

I like all his later Mozart that I have heard.

As far as Richter's Chopin it seems to me that there's no one period that stands out as "the best". Yes I would say there are differences between his pre-western Chopin and post-western but there's little that sounds "out of place" to me. Recordings from the 50s on through the late 80s always manage to have something to say to me.

I think there is less bravura in his later Chopin style. But I haven't done AB comparisons. Yet.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I haven't heard Barshai and Richter in K595. Can you recommend a transfer?

I'd love to be able to but unfortunately this is a recording (along with no. 17) that isn't available anywhere outside Russia - and it exists only on cassette!! Trovar doesn't list it yet but Tanin's site does - though how to pronounce the label name is a mystery to me: Lyrec Twic.

I sort of lucked into this beauty when a Russian employee of my father-in-law's told me of her plans to return to Russia for a visit. What better way to unearth some rare Russian Richter I thought and hit her up for some goodies. Unfortunately her English still isn't very good (plus I wasn't clear enough with my intentions) and all I got as far as Richter was this cassette (the rest of the loot was simple standard fair/mainstream). Not complaining though since, as it turns out, musically speaking this is superb Mozart. Throw in the fact that this cassette is actually a Richter rarity (of sorts) and I'm a very happy man! (Hmm...I wonder if she'll make a return trip to Russia sometime........)

To top it all off there's the vivid sound: rich and clear - a substantial bonus! 

(Concerto no. 17 is from Leningrad, 1969, and no. 27 is from Moscow, 1966).

So maybe I should have said that his earlier Mozart is variable.

Ah, ok.

I like all his later Mozart that I have heard.

Me, too.

I think there is less bravura in his later Chopin style. But I haven't done AB comparisons. Yet.

Yes, I think that's fair. There seems to have been more of a poetic touch in his Chopin starting from about the time he first ventured to the west.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I have been reading a lot of good things about this set, not just the performances, but I hear the sound is excellent as well.

I don't know about you George but the more I hear about "good sound" on this set the more interested I become! (Sure is expensive for us Stateside, though....).

[George]

I don't know about you George but the more I hear about "good sound" on this set the more interested I become! (Sure is expensive for us Stateside, though....).

Yes, I know. 

[George]

New 14 CD set: Richter in Hungary

Link Here Click on this image when you get to the page -

I am not sure if any/all of this has been released before. These performances do not appear on Trovar, but that discography only covers CDs released in the pianist's lifetime.

More info on buying the above set:

The new distributor US sistributor of the above set is Allegro:

http://www.allegromediagroup.com/allegro_dist.html

I have heard that they will receive it in the next month.

[George]

New 14 CD set: Richter in Hungary

Link Here Click on this image when you get to the page -

Looks like JPC got that set - http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Svjatoslav-Richter-in-Ungarn-1954-1993/hnum/8576950

[Coopmv]

Sorry to hear that. It works fine for me and unfortunately it's the only one that I have.

I will wait until the set is available at the e-tailers I normally deal with.

[Peregrine]

You won't be sorry. I just played it again after making that post, and I compared the Debussy Estampes on it with the recording on DG made in the early 60s.

More colour on DG -- but the Orfeo one is much more intense and somehow, in a way I can't explain, less superficial.

I also compared the Barcarole on the 1977 Orfeo with the early 60s one on BBC Legends, and IMO exactly the same points apply.

All the Chopin on that record is extraordinary -- the Waltzes have such a sadness about them, like no other waltz recordings I can think of.

Had this disc for a few days and it is indeed an excellent addition to my Richter collection, the Debussy being a particular highlight for me.

Many thanks for the heads up!

[George]

Had this disc for a few days and it is indeed an excellent addition to my Richter collection, the Debussy being a particular highlight for me.

Many thanks for the heads up!

I assume that you have that Red BBC CD of Richter's with the preludes on it? That's a special set.

[Peregrine]

I assume that you have that Red BBC CD of Richter's with the preludes on it? That's a special set.

Yep!

[Peregrine]

Anyone heard these two recent releases on Melodiya? Sound quality etc? -



http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//MELCD1001626.htm



http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//MELCD1001622.htm

[George]

I wonder if they are re-releases?

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I wonder if they are re-releases?

Hard to tell.

Although I can add one tidbit of info on the Debussy disc: the by-line (lower right corner) reads "first time on CD" but I'm not sure what to make of that as at least two tracks from this Oct.10, 1976 recital of Bk 2 (nos. 5 & 8 ) were previously released on Music & Arts 775 (the four-CD set).

I guess it's possible Melodiya hadn't heard about the prior M&A release and it's all in good faith. Or maybe something else is intended by that statement - like only selections are first time on CD. Dunno...

What I can say for certain is the sound on these two tracks is great, aside from the occasional noise thumping in from somewhere in the hall. As far as interpretation-wise, they're top-notch.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Just noticed that a couple of works on that Melodiya Chopin disc above have previously been available on that Music & Arts four CD set I mentioned in my last post (from the same Oct. 10, 1976 recital): the fourth Scherzo and the Etude Op.10/4. So again these at least will be in good sound, and definitely gratifying performance-wise.

Sadly the Prelude Op.28/15 that was also part of that Oct.10 recital has been omitted from the Melodiya disc. Can't imagine why as the performance is both blazing and extremely rare.

Although happily included on that Melodiya disc are yet more works from the same Oct.10 recital not otherwise available, so sound-wise (and I'm betting performance-wise) things should be up to snuff.

I'm tempted to get the disc just for that Op. 70/3 Waltz (again from the Oct.10 recital) as Richter waltzes aren't very plentiful on disc.

[Drasko]

Anyone heard these two recent releases on Melodiya? Sound quality etc? -

Presto gives complete tracklisting and states that it is live recital from May 1967:
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Melodiya/MELCD1001626

CD Review on BBC radio 3 gives the date as 26th May 1967 and plays Etude 10/4, sound seems pretty good to me. Though their reviewer says also that it is a re-issue I couldn't find recital with that date as previously relesed at Trovar.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00r66zs

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Presto gives complete tracklisting and states that it is live recital from May 1967:
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Melodiya/MELCD1001626

CD Review on BBC radio 3 gives the date as 26th May 1967 and plays Etude 10/4, sound seems pretty good to me. Though their reviewer says also that it is a re-issue I couldn't find recital with that date as previously relesed at Trovar.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00r66zs

That's fairly accurate except they forgot to cut and paste (and translate) the rest of the info:


ФРИДЕРИК ШОПЕН (1810–1849)
1. Полонез-фантазия, соч. 61 2. Вальс фа мажор, соч. 34 №3
3. Вальс ре-бемоль мажор, соч. 70 №3 4. Мазурка до-диез минор, соч. 63 №3
5. Мазурка до мажор, соч. 67 №3 6. Мазурка фа мажор, соч. 68 №3
7. Мазурка ля минор, соч. посмертное №2 8. Этюд до-диез минор, соч. 25 №7
9. Скерцо №4 ми мажор, соч. 54
Три ноктюрна, соч. 15:
10. Ноктюрн фа мажор 11. Ноктюрн фа-диез мажор 12. Ноктюрн соль минор
13. Ноктюрн ми мажор, соч. 62 №2 14. Ноктюрн ми минор, соч. 72 №1 (посмертный)
15. Этюд до-диез минор, соч. 10 №4
Общее время звучания: 69:35
СВЯТОСЛАВ РИХТЕР, фортепиано
Записи по трансляции из Большого зала Московской консерватории.
Годы записей: 26 мая 1967 года (13–14), 6 октября 1971 года (10–12),
10 октября 1976 года (1–9, 15).


Info from Melodiya's Live Journal.

[George]

This book comes out mid-April. 

Amazon Link

[Drasko]

That's fairly accurate ...

Yes, I'd agree in case of presto but Andrew McGregor played that 10/4 Etude and then explicitly said that recital is from 6th May 1967. That's more than sloppy for BBC radio 3 and show that is specifically about CD releases.

Thanks for the correct info.