Beethoven Richter - Richter 9 (37 tracks) +Album Reviews

More Richter treasures lost to Americans

Larry VanDeSande | Mason, Michigan United States | 12/19/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here's another Sviatoslav Richter CD lost to the American audience. This one came from Richter's maturity in the USSR, recorded in that country circa 1970-71. The contents are Beethoven's Six Variations Op. 34, his rollicking Six Variations Op. 76, and the far more complex and substantial "Eroica" Variations Op. 35. Richter turns these middle period Beethoven works into spun gold with life oozing at every turn. I triple dog dare you to keep from toe tapping during the conclusion of Op. 76!

After making mincemeat of the Beethoven, Richter takes on the major item on the CD, Robert Schumann's Etude Symphoniques, Op. 13. This was the Schumann piece most recorded during Richter's long and illustrious career and this version can stand with any of them.

Using his innate senses of intelligence, musical proportion, romance and technical wizardy, Richter moves through these variations as if the chapters of a lengthy biography. He opens quietly, almost as if whispering, in the opening theme's Andante and first variation, then takes off into another world with the second variation.

Richter regularly switches gears during these miniatures works of art, stringing them together with his powerhouse technique and mature musical temperament. While the 1970 recording does not reveal the technicolor spectrum of sound Richter produced, it is more than acceptable by modern standards.

I recently compared this recording to the new version of Etudes Symphoniques by arch-colorist Mikhail Pletnev. I am pleased to say Richter's near 35-year-old recording more than stands up to the challenge. While Pletnev benefits from modern DDD technology and imbues the variations with his own personality and trademark pedaling, Richter's more classical and intelligent approach carries the day for me.

Last I looked you could still acquire this CD from Amazon.com UK. If this combination of music intrigues you, this well-filled (77 minutes) CD will give you pleasure today and for many years to come regardless of the number of young virtuosos that challenge in coming years."

Bravo! Bravo!!

Vidar Palsson | Garðabær, Iceland | 08/26/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"To play Schumann with lyrical beauty and a dreamlike inspiration is a rare gift, for many pianists tend to fall into the pit of dry and all to rythmic hammering, even empty loudness. Richter doesn't fall into that but playes the monumental Schumann etude-variations with a warm and strong charactered insight. The tempos are never to the exstreme in either way and the pedaling is moderate, without ever bringing to birth an unplesent staccato. The triumphant final march is garanteed to raise your hair, not only because of Schumanns beautyfull music but also because of Richters powerfull and joyfull approach. This recording ranks among the very best. The Beethoven variations are also well served here although not exeptional. I highly recommend this recording."

Desert Island Performances

Larry VanDeSande | 07/29/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Beethoven was Schumann's god, and the pairing of the Eroica Variations with the Symphonic Etudes, which are variations on a theme, is a good benchmark of Richter's artistry. First, the Beethoven is superb, played with all the authority one expects of Richter, rich in contrasts, in color and in lyrical beauty. The concluding fugue simply can't be played any better. The Symphonic Etudes aren't known as well as they should be, partly because they're long and technically difficult, but more because, in the wrong hands, they can sound empty and grandiose. What Richter does is marvelous: he creates a kind of musical narrative, composed of different chapters, each having its own character, yet perfectly related to the music's overarching structure. This is an example of a great artist at the zenith of his powers; it shouldn't be missed."

Here you have; a CD plenty of rewarding treasures!

Hiram Gomez Pardo | Valencia, Venezuela | 09/10/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Since 1965' s Carnegie Hall' s famous recital, Richter (in his 50) was "touched" by the spiritual legacy of Beethoven. There are many available recordings that might attest it

One may realize how the phrasing, intonation, tempos, expressiveness and formidable sense of breadth in Richter' s Beethoven overtly enhanced. That transformation obviously was progressive and you may verify with all its radiant intensity and blazing intensity.

These performances are dated from July 1970, the bicentennial year of Beethoven. Henceforth, Richter is in his 55 and all his sheer technique, overwhelming fingering, powerful imagination and radiant lyricism were quite enough to play a different Beethoven, according to his own approach.

So, it's not a mere casualty 1970 has been the starting point for him to display and perform a set of memorable recordings around the pianist literature of Bonn' s beloved son. And the result was a resonant artistic triumph. It might be said Richter rediscovered Beethoven. And this fabulous turning point was definitive and crucial for the rest of the composers. As a matter of fact, his musical scope focused still more around Schubert and Schumann producing so, notable and legendary recordings.

These Schumann' s Symphonic Etudes are simply mesmerizing. If Kempff' s Schumann was radiant , the prodigious merit of Richter was to show us the neurotic side of the overall romanticism of this marvelous Opus. I love this work, but Richter displays such range of different perspectives that contributes to clarify still more the meaning of this set of variations.

Additionally there is a very relevant aspect to remark; Richter played five variations included in 1837 between the well known variations V and VI that were rescued by Brahms is a supplementary volume in Breitkopf' s Edition. I mean, according the modern lexicon; this was originally the composer' s cut, and believe me these additional variations confer the work a whole sense of unity all the way through.

Don' t miss under any pretext to acquire this extraordinary volume. You' ve got my word.

"

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