[.ca] 1958 Sofia Recital

Treasures everywhere:
This disc was for me the motive to start collecting classical music. It's a registration of a Richter recital when he was in his (technical) prime. Beside the great Mussorgsky, that needs no recommendation, there is much more present. Ever heard Liszt's Feux Follets at this speed? Wow. Or the mid-section of Chopin's out-played Etude, played with ravishing anger? Rachmaninov's melancholic Prelude maybe? These immortal renditions of Schubert's Impromptus? My favourite two pieces are the Liszt waltzes, especially the second one. This is such funny music... What did Liszt actually mean when he composed them? Were these waltzes meant to ridiculize the Straussies? Or was it just a tribute to them? Whatever, this is great fun. I seldom heard Richter play with so much humour, by the way. Unfortunately the disc is out of stock currently, but it's still available in a 5-cd box set called 'The essential Richter.' It's slightly more expensive, but you'll get some great pianism in return.

Sharing his Artistic Spirit:
This recording was made in 1958, a time when live performances were recorded more frequently than is the case today. Richter holds nothing back, playing with abandonement to the point where the listener shares in Richter's artistic spirit. That is why this will always be the recording to return to.

Look for hidden gem:
This performance is remarkable, so I will not even bother to repeat the other reviewers' praise. But I will point out that the "Pictures" is not the only reason to buy the CD. I keep going back to an absolutely haunting rendition of Chopin's Etude in E, op. 10 no. 3. Really, the 4:21 minutes worth of that one piece is reason enough to give this a listen. Richter makes the almost schmaltzy Chopin become the emotional force that he truly is when played appropriately (i.e., with restraint). Also, some people seem to mind the recording quality of the performance: I actually prefer the tension it creates. It also gives it a more human and potentially fragile quality, as if you have to savor it that much more because it may fall apart at any moment. If you're one of those people who actually likes the fact that you can hear Glenn Gould humming while he's playing, then you'll appreciate this recording as well. Enjoy.

Despite minor flaws, you'll be moved:
The first time I heard this CD, I was a little disappointed. After all, the sound is only as good as the little tape recorder that was recording the concert could produce back then. And on top of that, the audience was suffering from a flu epidemic and were therefore coughing fairly often. Did I mention the obvious finger slip in the opening of the "Pictures"? Well, after discovering all of these things for the first time, I was not counting on this record doing anything for me. Much less being one of my all time favorites. But that's what happened after the last note was struck...the performance made up for any minor setbacks and then some. There's a way an artist can affect you to where you not only don't mind any negatives (sound, noise, missed notes, etc.), but you almost enjoy them, realizing that that is part of the art. Horowitz could do it and so could Richter. This CD is essential, but the only way you will see that is by listening to it and letting it sweep you away.

Definitive recording, greatly improved sound:
This legendary recording captures Sviatoslav Richter in a live recital in Sofia in 1958. I first heard it on the DG "Panorama" double CD of selections of Mussorgsky's works. The sound was quite poor: the piano was tinny, there was noticeable surface noise that came and went, and the dynamic range was compressed and lacked depth. Still, the performance was so compelling that I found myself listening to it over and over again. Even after buying the Byron Janis recording on Mercury with much better sound, I missed the intensity and power of Richter's performance. So when this newly remastered version became available, I immediately bought it, hoping that it would be an improvement. The sound of this new remastering is what this performance has deserved all along. The surface noise is almost totally gone, and the sound of the piano is much more natural, without the dry, compressed sound of the previous version. The audience is still noisy, with coughs throughout, but you get used to it after a couple listenings. The same is true of the infamous fluffed note in the opening; it's there, it's grating the first few times, then it almost takes on a certain charm all its own. But the real power of this recording is the incredible performance by one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century. Some have said that this is the greatest piano recording ever made of anything, period. While that is perhaps an overstatement, it's certainly not far from the truth. This is an essential recording, not just because it's the definitive recording of "Pictures", but because of the power and beauty of Richter's artistry. I still enjoy the Janis recording with its clean sound and accomplished playing, but Richter's total involvement with the music surpasses Janis and all others. My only complaint is that while the notes include a short biography of Richter, there's nothing about the recital itself, nor are there any comments about the process used in this latest remastering. This is an unfortunate oversight, especially when Philips could have justifiably used this as a stunning example of their newest remastering techniques.

• Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
• Pictures At An Exhibition: I Gnomus
• Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
• Pictures At An Exhibition: II II vecchio castello - Promenade
• Pictures At An Exhibition: III Tuileries
• Pictures At An Exhibition: IV Bydlo
• Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
• Pictures At An Exhibition: Ballet des poussins dans leurs coques
• Pictures At An Exhibition: VI Samuel Goldenberg und Schmuyle
• Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
• Pictures At An Exhibition: VII Limoges: le marche'
• Pictures At An Exhibition: VIII Catacombae: Sepulchrum romanum - Cum mortius in lingua mortua
• Pictures At An Exhibition: La Cabe sur des pattes de poule
• Pictures At An Exhibition: La Grande Porte de Kiev
• Moment Musical in C Major, D780 no.1
• Impromptu In E Flat Major, D899 No,2
• Impromptu in A Flat Major
• Etude In E Major, Op.10 no.3
• Valse oubliee No.1 In F Sharp Major
• Valse oubliee No.2 In A Flat Major
• Etude d'execution transcendante No.5
• Etude d'execution transcendante No.11
• Prelude In G Sharp Minor, op.32 no.13