Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz [Vienna] Schubert, Robert Schumann :: Sviatoslav Richter Plays Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann

Richter is brilliant

Michael P. McGarry | San Francisco, CA United States | 07/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The contents of this CD: two Beethoven sonatas (Op. 14, #1 in E and #2 in G); Schubert's "Wanderer" Fantasy; Schumann's Theme & Variation on "Abegg" (Op. 1) and Faschingschwank aus Wien (Op. 26); and a Chopin Etude (Op. 10, #4 in C# minor). These are concert recordings from the Royal Albert Hall in 1963, but the sound quality is good and the audience noise is minimal (until the thunderous applause at the end of each piece). Richter, of course, shines. His Beethoven is powerful and precise. His interpretation of the "Wanderer" Fantasy breathes a wonderful vitality into that piece. The Schumann is wonderful, especially the relatively obscure "Faschingschwank." The Chopin --- no doubt an encore piece --- gives a rousing close to this piece. For anyone interested in these pieces, and/or anyone interested in studying Richter, one of the great pianists of the 20th century, I would heartily recommend this album."

Memorable recital!

Hiram Gomez Pardo | Valencia, Venezuela | 07/29/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

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The Royal Festival Hall's audiences were witnesses also knew about the grandness of this mater of the piano. Richter, had caused absolute disturbance as well as a evident furor in USA with motive of his debut in Carnegie Hall in 1960.



Richter knew to choose his repertoire according the audiences. He decided to start in Carnegie Hall with Haydn, but in London 1963 Beethoven was the chosen composer to initiate that unforgettable soirée. Impeccable phrasing and accurate fingering was enough to deserve all the praises.



The Second half of the Recital was still better, because the introspective mood of Robert Schumann was always much more closer to Richter ` s temperament. And this was a very risky decision, specially when the great audiences in London had listened to Benedetti Michelangeli in the famous recital of 1957, but smartly Richter also knew there was no other pianist with such renowned fame like him from those times. Besides he had been known in 1960 because the terrible controversy, generated with Karajan with motive of visible discrepancies around the triple Concert . So the expectative was enormous and Richter accepted the huge challenge.



The result was surprisingly effective. Richter was overwhelmingly inspired that evening and even 43 years after, the positive comments still are in the environment. He overpowered the audience with his strong artistic personality. When you listen the chosen piece, product of the sonorous applauses, Chopin `s Etude No. 4 , you will know why that night had to be a mesmerizing experience.



Additionally you will hear the most mesmerizing Wanderer that Richter ever layed.



A musical document of incalculable value!

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Brilliant Performances

D. A Wend | Buffalo Grove, IL USA | 12/27/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sviatoslav Richter would often push the limits of music and there is no better example of this then the Beethoven sonatas and the Schubert Wanderer Fantasy on this disc, recorded in 1963.



The Beethoven sonata no 9 and 10, both from opus 14, are magnificently played. The middle movement of the sonata no. 9 is marked Allegretto but Richter takes a much slower tempo so the music takes on a more somber attitude. But in spite of a slower tempo nothing is lost. Schubert's Wanderer Fantasy was a piece that Richter added to his reparatory early in his career. It is a notoriously difficult piece that even Schubert found difficult to play. Again, Richter takes some risks in his playing and a lot of wrong notes are played. I recall a comment by Bryce Morrison concerning the wrong notes that Cortot often played in performance to the effect that his playing with, nonetheless, but what wonderful. The same can be said for this Wanderer: Richter pushes the music making it an exciting ride.



The Schumann works - the Abegg Variations (the composer's opus 1) and Faschingsschwank aus Wien were recorded at an earlier concert than the Beethoven and Schubert in January 1963 and the recording is plagued by coughing. The earlier pieces on the disc are pretty much cough-free but after a couple of minutes into the Abegg Variations it starts. The coughing is less noticeable when using headphones but playing over speakers the coughing was more prominent. The Abegg Variations was based on a transliteration of the surname of the Countess Pauline Abegg and is a glittering and ingenious set of variations with Schumann having great fun with his cipher. Sviatoslav Richter plays the piece with brilliance. He is equally at home with the Faschingsschwank aus Wien. An interesting point made in the notes, Richter's hands were so large that he could easily span the 10ths that are called for in the score. Richter plays the chords with real force and takes the Finale at an exhilarating pace. The coughing of the audience is less evident in this piece, fortunately.



The Chopin Etude No 4 is taken very fast indeed. There are quite a few wrong notes in the whirlwind speed Richter adopted but for sheer excitement there are probably few recording to match this one. The recorded sound is very good and sounded fantastic when played over speakers. These are wonderful recordings of Sviatoslav Richter at his peak and should not be missed despite the occasional cough.

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