Sviatoslav Richter recommendations

[B. Goren.]

Any recommendation will be appreciated. I'm interested especially in your opinion on his DG set and the EMI set.

[blind-blake]

Hey B. Did you ever buy one of these? If so, what are your thoughts?

[BruceH]

I'd probably lean toward the DG box, but I like all the Richter I've heard.

[gnhrtg]

I have more than half of the recordings included in the EMI box (but not the box) and the DGG box (and I'd heard about half of the material in the box prior to my purchase) and if you are going to get only one of these I would recommend you spend your money on the DGG box. Both are worthwhile but there're plenty of other Richter recordings (of mostly older vintage, generally in worse sound because recorded live, some with enough finger slips to annoy you if you are bothered by such, and more expensive per disc than the EMI/DGG recordings) I would put above them.

Do you have any repertoire in mind & how important is the quality of the recording for you, Bentsy?

[B. Goren.]

Hey B. Did you ever buy one of these? If so, what are your thoughts?

The answer is negative b.b. I'm still sitting on the fence.

Do you have any repertoire in mind & how important is the quality of the recording for you, Bentsy?

Gokhan, of course the sound quality is an importnat factor. The reprtoire is great on both box sets but my heart tends to go with DG.

[blind-blake]

I recently got this from my library and it's excellent.

http://www.amazon.com/Sviatoslav-Richter-C...9111&sr=1-1

[B. Goren.]

I recently got this from my library and it's excellent.

http://www.amazon.com/Sviatoslav-Richter-C...9111&sr=1-1

Thanks. All 5 CDs are solo?

[blind-blake]

I recently got this from my library and it's excellent.

http://www.amazon.com/Sviatoslav-Richter-C...9111&sr=1-1

Thanks. All 5 CDs are solo?

Honestly, I haven't listened to all five. The three Ive heard are all solo, however. I checked on Amazon, and the samples would seem to indicate that they are all solo. If you like him, you will love this.

[B. Goren.]

I recently got this from my library and it's excellent.

http://www.amazon.com/Sviatoslav-Richter-C...9111&sr=1-1

Thanks. All 5 CDs are solo?

Honestly, I haven't listened to all five. The three Ive heard are all solo, however. I checked on Amazon, and the samples would seem to indicate that they are all solo. If you like him, you will love this.

Thanks again.

[gnhrtg]

I've had that 5-disc Brilliant set since its release (for your information, the same material is also contained in the 100-disc Brilliant Russian Legends box; the performances across the 100 discs - not only by Richter but many others [including all the usual suspects], of course - are not as consistent, not surprisingly, but the set as a whole is easily worth your money, and for the most part, time) and I agree, dramatic performances that keep you listening (with interest). One other way to get some very good Richter performances affordably is the Regis re-releases. Berkshire Record Outlet will generally have a dozen or so in stock for $5 each, I believe.

I asked about your tolerance to sound on historical recordings not because I think it would change whether & how much you'd enjoy the DGG box over the EMI box (& to repeat, I'd recommend the DGG box based on performance & repertoire, sound on both is acceptable, better in the DGG recordings), but to find out whether you'd be willing to try, primarily, the Melodiya and Doremi releases (you might find samples from these online, some are out of print and people ask ridiculous amounts of money for a copy, but your library might have them or you might come across regularly priced copies in stores around - which is how I've been acquiring them).

[B. Goren.]

Thanks Gokhan. I'm thinking seriously about this 5 CDs set.

[medjuck]

I used to have a concert performance by him of Pictures at an Exhibition that I liked a lot.

[alppila]

I used to have a concert performance by him of Pictures at an Exhibition that I liked a lot.

Probably this...

It's a classic amongst pianophiles. I also enjoy the 'Richter in Prague' series on Praga, but I'm no expert.

Edited October 23, 2009 by alppila

[alocispepraluger102]

I used to have a concert performance by him of Pictures at an Exhibition that I liked a lot.

agreed.

sofia, bulgaria 1958

one of my top ten recordings, ever.

all other solo versions pale..................

Edited October 8, 2009 by alocispepraluger102

[B. Goren.]

I recently got this from my library and it's excellent.

http://www.amazon.com/Sviatoslav-Richter-C...9111&sr=1-1

I bought it today. Will let you know my impressions when I'll get it.

Edited July 9, 2012 by B. Goren.

[blind-blake]

I recently got this from my library and it's excellent.

http://www.amazon.com/Sviatoslav-Richter-C...9111&sr=1-1

I bought it today. Will let you know my impressions when I get'll it.

Nu?

[B. Goren.]

I recently got this from my library and it's excellent.

http://www.amazon.com/Sviatoslav-Richter-C...9111&sr=1-1

I bought it today. Will let you know my impressions when I get'll it.

Nu?

Richter was a killer pianist. Very enjoyable playing.

[blind-blake]

I recently got this from my library and it's excellent.

http://www.amazon.com/Sviatoslav-Richter-C...9111&sr=1-1

I bought it today. Will let you know my impressions when I get'll it.

Nu?

Richter was a killer pianist. Very enjoyable playing.

Glad you like. Hear it's flooding in Israel. That's bizarre.

[Д.Д.]

Anybody can recommend any Richter's recording of Debussy? I have a DG compilation "In Memoriam" with Estampes and three preludes, and they are excellent, some of the my favorite Richter. Russian Melodia released all-Debussy Richter CD recently: http://www.melody.su/eng/work/catalog/classic/637 - anybody heard it, by chance?

[mracz]

Yes, the DG Estampes is very fine. I don't know this particular issue, but Richter's live recordings from the 60s and early 70s are almost always of a very high standard. The Moscow Radio recordings of this period are in good mono sound, and I'd say that it's probably worth a punt. If you want a more complete recording of the Preludes by Richter (also from 1967), then try BBC Music BBCL 4021-2, which has the complete Bk 2 plus 10 Preludes from Bk 1 (Richter never played La fille or Minstrels); there are only 4 Preludes from Bk 1 on the Melodiya set. Good radio broadcast sound from the Beeb (as you would expect) and it's a highly recommended two-disc set. He also plays L'Isle joyeuse and Cloches a travers (from Bk II Images), and there's some particularly good Chopin as well (although I realise Richter's Chopin isn't to everyone's taste). There's an excellent live recording of Suite Bergamasque + Estampes on Orfeo C491 981 B, live at the Salzburg Festival in '77. Although he more than once said that his two favourite composers were Debussy and Wagner, he didn't perform all that much of Debussy's solo piano music, or play it all that often. BTW, I find the late recording (on Doremi) of some of the Etudes disappointing, but there is a good bootleg of the Fantasie for piano and orchestra with Barenboim conducting if you can find it (sorry, are we allowed to mention bootlegs here?!)

[Д.Д.]

Yes, the DG Estampes is very fine. I don't know this particular issue, but Richter's live recordings from the 60s and early 70s are almost always of a very high standard. The Moscow Radio recordings of this period are in good mono sound, and I'd say that it's probably worth a punt. If you want a more complete recording of the Preludes by Richter (also from 1967), then try BBC Music BBCL 4021-2, which has the complete Bk 2 plus 10 Preludes from Bk 1 (Richter never played La fille or Minstrels); there are only 4 Preludes from Bk 1 on the Melodiya set. Good radio broadcast sound from the Beeb (as you would expect) and it's a highly recommended two-disc set. He also plays L'Isle joyeuse and Cloches a travers (from Bk II Images), and there's some particularly good Chopin as well (although I realise Richter's Chopin isn't to everyone's taste). There's an excellent live recording of Suite Bergamasque + Estampes on Orfeo C491 981 B, live at the Salzburg Festival in '77. Although he more than once said that his two favourite composers were Debussy and Wagner, he didn't perform all that much of Debussy's solo piano music, or play it all that often. BTW, I find the late recording (on Doremi) of some of the Etudes disappointing, but there is a good bootleg of the Fantasie for piano and orchestra with Barenboim conducting if you can find it (sorry, are we allowed to mention bootlegs here?!)

Thanks! Is it this BBC release you're talking about: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00001W07K ?

I am not a fan of Chopin, but I like how Richter plays him.

Edited May 4, 2011 by Д.Д.

[mracz]

Yes, this is the one.

[Д.Д.]

Any comments on Richter on Teldec set: http://www.amazon.com/The-Teldec-Recordings-Concertos-Concerto/dp/B006W7SVQ0/ ?

[bluesoul]

Richter's 100th birthday today.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2015/03/19/393778706/sviatoslav-richter-the-pianist-who-made-the-earth-move

http://www.theguardian.com/music/tomserviceblog/2015/mar/18/10-of-the-best-essential-richter-recordings

[Д.Д.]

I am selling a new copy of the Melodiya 100th Anniversary Edition set: