These are Sviatoslav Richter’s first
recordings for the BBC. He was at the
height of his powers in the early 1960s.
Perhaps the most commanding pianist
of the 20th century, Richter
had no peers concerning sonority, rhythmic
flow, tone/touch, and the ability to
greatly alter indicated tempos without
depriving the music of the emotional
content intended by the composer.
There are currently
many dozens of Richter recordings on
the market. The newly released BBC recording
has one main factor to its advantage
– the most compelling "Carnival Jest
from Vienna" on record. It even bests
Richter’s acclaimed version on EMI.
Further, all of the other performances
on the disc are exceptional, although
the listener will have to deal with
sound that is rather recessed and murky.
These are the disc’s
highlights:-
Beethoven’s Sonata
in E major (2nd Movement
Allegretto) – One of Richter’s trademarks
is his wondrous ability to play music
at extremely slow tempos that in the
hands of any other pianist would destroy
the musical flow. So it is with Richter’s
six-minute traversal of the 2nd
Movement. This dangerously slow pace
is just half the speed of most other
recorded versions, and I simply marvel
that Richter not only succeeds but also
trounces the competition.
In this Allegretto
the two-octave leaps, which are so prevalent,
play a major role in the music's poignancy
and rhythmic foundation. Richter doesn’t
pay much attention to them, as he reshapes
the music almost into a hymn-like structure
of great melancholy and regret. The
effect is mesmerizing and places the
performance ahead of a typically paced
version such as the exceptional one
by Rudolf Buchbinder on Teldec. Buchbinder
certainly makes the most of those octave
leaps.
Beethoven’s Sonata
in G major (2nd Movement
Andante) – Twice as slow as most versions
of the Sonata in C major’s 2nd
Movement, Richter defies expectations
by playing twice as fast as the norm
in the G major’s Andante. My favorite
recording of the G major comes from
Emil Gilels who creates a wonderfully
mysterious staccato attack of chords
in the Andante. Somehow, Richter manages
at a very quick pace to retain the music’s
mystery while also supplying a jaunty
rhythm that is quite positive in mood.
Schubert’s "Wanderer"
Fantasy – My standard over the years
has been Richter’s EMI performance in
Paris recorded just a few months after
his London performance. Clifford Curzon’s
Decca recording of 1949 is supreme in
conveying Schubert’s singing lines.
Richter however is also exceptional
in this regard and in addition conveys
the demonic and impetuous qualities
of the music in a more pronounced manner
than Curzon. There isn’t a great deal
to choose between the EMI and BBC Richter
performances. He is a little more spontaneous
and wild in the BBC reading, but the
EMI offers much better clarity and immediacy
of sound.
Schumann’s "Abegg"
Variations – Although of more immediate
than lasting pleasure, this is an excellent
work as Opus 1s go. Consisting of a
theme, three variations, intermezzo
and finale, the piece has plenty of
structural variety and displays Schumann’s
total command of the piano’s resources.
Clara Haskil on Philips imparts a strong
and stern drama to the music, but I
prefer Richter’s more idiomatic approach
stressing the music’s tenderness and
positive moods. For an exceptional modern
era recording, I recommend Daniel Blumenthal
who offers a delicious and sparkling
rendition on a Calliope disc.
Schumann’s "Carnival
Jest from Vienna" – Richter’s EMI performance
of 1962 in Italy has long been considered
the best version ever recorded. From
my perspective, the London interpretation
surpasses it with room to spare. An
absolutely riveting performance, Richter
is more exuberant, poignant, and spontaneous
than in his EMI recording. Especially
outstanding is the portrayal of the
various personalities in the 1st
Movement Allegro where Richter offers
greater coherency among the extremely
divergent souls than in any other version.
Best of all, this is the version that
most conveys a "Carnival Jest".
Chopin’s Etude in C
sharp minor – Among the many other recordings
I own of this work, Richter’s is clearly
the fastest. It is a feat of vituosity,
but I’m not convinced that the tempo
allows the music to breathe sufficiently
to bring out its demonic qualities or
coherency. I remain loyal to the Horowitz
on RCA, Pollini on Deutsche Grammophon,
and the Ashkenazy from 1959 on Melodiya.
These three versions reign supreme with
their slashing rhythms and great concentration
of energy.
In conclusion, this
new BBC disc from Sviatoslav Richter
is a compelling portrait of one of the
towering musical artists of the past
century. The recorded sound is not up
to par, but Richter transcends such
mundane considerations. To add to the
disc’s rewards, we get the most rewarding
version of Schumann’s "Carnival Jest
from Vienna" on the market. Needless
to say, the disc is strongly recommended
to all piano enthusiasts as well as
fans of the composer.
Don Satz
Sviatoslav Richter, piano 
