Search - Sviatoslav Richter, Beethoven :: Sviatoslav Richter II (Great Pianists of the 20th Century, Vol. 83)

Great playing, but not the best Richter has to offer...

01/25/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"All the performances on this collection are nothing less than wonderful While, by anyone else's standards, thie CD would be a miraculous achievement, Richter has made even greater recordings of these Beethoven Sonatas. The miraculous performances of Opp 109-111 on the Music and Arts CD "Richter In Leipzig" make the present Philips versions, distinguished though they are, look staid in comparison. And Richter's powerful view of the "Appassionata" is better heard on the Moscow recording available on BMG/Melodiya than on the BMG/RCA recording presented here. For the Tempest, try Richter's recording on Praga, rather than the EMI one available on this 2CD package. No one buying this set would be disappointed, but you could find even greater satisfaction elsewhere."

Richter plays Beethoven

Robin Friedman | Washington, D.C. United States | 02/25/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sviatoslav Richter (1915-1997) was one of the greatest and most recorded pianists of the 20th century. He played with virtuosic technique, beautiful tone, and great imagination. Richter was largely self-taught which may account for the personal, idiosyncratic character of many of his performances, including some aspects of the performances in this compilation.This compliation is part of an outstanding series devoted to the great pianists of the 20th century. It consists of Richter's recordings of six Beethoven piano sonatas, out of the composer's 32 works in this form, together with the "andante favori" and an early concert rondo for piano and orchestra. The recordings date from 1961-1963 and 1993. The six Beethoven sonatas in the collection include three early to middle period works on the first disc together with Beethoven's final three sonatas on the second disc. The final three sonatas were recorded live in 1993. The sonatas themselves date from 1800 to 1822.The collection opens with the sonata in a-flat major, opus 26 which dates from about 1800. This is one of my favorite Beethoven sonatas even though it is less well-known than the works with popular names. It is a four-movement work of an improvisatory character (none of the movements are in sonata form) in which Beethoven expanded the scope of writing for the piano. The work opens with a set of variations on a meditative them, but it is best known for the third movement, a funeral march, which is a predecessor of the funeral march in Beethoven's third symphony and in Chopin's second piano sonata. Richter plays this great sonata with a light, clean touch. He takes the final movement at an unusually fast pace.The disk continues with the "Tempest" sonata, opus 31 no. 2, written in 1802. This work is in three movements and features an opening movement which integrates sections of widely varying tempos and emotional characters. The middle portion of this movement features two piano recitifs played pianissimo in a distant voice of unearthly sorrow. Richter plays them beautifully. The final movement of this work is a rondo on a rolling theme in the minor full of smoldering passion.The first disk concludes with the "Appassionata" sonata, opus 57, written in 1803, a major work of Beethoven's "heroic" period. It is the best known of the Beethoven sonatas in this compliation and has been recorded many times. This is a work for piano virtuosity and Richter plays it to the hilt. It is also a work of deep sorrow combined with an angry determination. Richter captures the force and fury of this great music.The second CD consists of Beethoven's final three piano sonatas, opus 109, 110, and 111. These sonatas were written as a trilogy and date from 1820-1822. Beethoven was totally deaf at the time of the composition of these works, all of which reflect a deep inward character. These are notoriously difficult and complex works, but I am aware of no music which has the spiritual force of these late compositions.The opus 109 sonata is my own favorite of these works and of Beethoven's piano sonatas. It is in three movements and features a concentrated lyricism in its opening movement and a meditative set of variations for the conclusion. Beethoven gave expressive markings to the movements of these last works and directed that the theme of the last movement be played "songlike, with the greatest inwardness of feeling."
This is spiritual, introspective, meditative music like none other.The four-movement opus 110 sonata in a-flat major includes a shattering slow movement marked "song of lament" which is juxtaposed with a final, triumphant fugue.The last of Beethoven's 32 piano sonatas, opus 111 in c-sharp major is in only two movements, the first of which consists of a slow, majestic introduction reminiscent of the sonata pathetique followed by an allegro. The final movement is another song-like theme with variations, similar in some ways to the variation movement of opus 109.The compiliation here comes with program notes which focus on Richter's playing rather than on Beethoven's music. I found the works beautifully and thoughtfully performed. They will allow the listener to appreciate Richter's pianism and, more importantly, to get to know the Beethoven piano sonatas. The emphasis in this collection is on the final three sonatas which still have a somewhat forbidding reputation and remain unfamiliar to many listeners. This disk will help the listener know and love this music."

The best 'Appassionata'

Craig Matteson | 10/06/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have listened to the almost famous pianists' Beethoven Piano Sonatas,especially 'Appassionata'. The result I have listened to them conclused Richter's Appassionata(60s) is the best. I am sure his fantastic virtuosity will knock out you. I really recommend Richter's Beethoven Piano Sonatas."