Customer Reviews

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2 / Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It was Rachmaninov who seduced me into classical music. It was my first hearing of Richter's earlier version that hooked me forever on both Rachmaninov and classical music (I have searched for Richter's Piano Concerto #2 with the Moscow National Symphony Orchestra, with the conductor Kiril Kondrashin, for several years on disc. If anyone knows how I might locate a copy please e-mail me, very much appreciated.) When I hear this version I inevitably feel the profoundest exhileration run through my veins. I don't find Richter's version sentimental, perhaps darkly romantic, but rather a stirring and stimulating encounter. I remember lying in bed as a young man and listening to this concerto (Richter's earlier version) and being totally absorbed and distant from all else. My musical taste is eclectic but if I had to choose only one type of music, it would be classical music, and that would be largely due to Rachmaninov and Richter. This piece breathes with an emotional intelligence unafraid to go over the edge, and then some. So far, Richter's interpretations remain at the top of the chart in interpretation and execution.

The Second Concerto has been recorded more times than perhaps any other piano concerto, but one interpretation stands head and shoulders above all others; indeed it remains one of the most magnificent recordings of classical music ever made. This is the legendary 1959 account by the great Soviet pianist Sviatoslav Richter, superbly remastered on Deutsche Grammophon, coupled with Richter's equally famous (albeit controversial) version of the Tchaikovsky First concerto.

The Rachmaninov is quite simply the most moving, the most exciting, and the most beautiful performance ever recorded. Richter's pianism in the slow movement is fabulous, and the Finale (taken at a cracking pace) makes others seem dull by comparison.

The Tchaikovsky concerto is not quite in the same league, although Richter's playing makes it seem more profound than normal. He and Karajan appear not to have agreed over certain tempi, but it is a fascinating performance nonetheless.

Sound throughout is glowing. At mid-price, this CD should be in the collection of every music lover.

Also, don't miss Richter's wonderful Dvorak Concerto (a beautiful piece) coupled with Schubert on EMI.

There is nearly unanimous consensus that Richter's 1959 recording of the Rachmaninov 2nd rises to a height challenged only by the composer himself. Richter's ability to play the fastest passagework while moving from soft to loud and back again is breathtaking--speed doesn't change his control over dynamics one bit. But that's to pick out a single aspect of a performance that is by turns noble, lyrical, passionate, and poetic. One could spend the whole performance marveling just at the independence of Richter's two hands. He rescues this thrice-familiar work from its fulsome reputation. Rowicki conducts well, but the recorded sound is thin, and the Warsaw Phil. decidedly provincial. None of which matters a bit.

Reviewers here echo the Amazon critic in disparaging the Tchaikovsky First from 1963, although it is in better sound than the Rchmaninov and played better by the orchestra, too--Karajan had a special relationship with the Vienna Sym., a sorry ensemble under most conductors. I like this performance a great deal. Richter isn't highly individual--he plays for strength and dignity in the first movement, not for Horowitz's burn-down-the-house virtuosity, and in the last movement he applies restrained delicacy. Since the Tchaikovsky First is the deadest of dead horses to me, I liked hearing such thoughtful musicality. As for Richter and Karajan being on different pages, they sound together to me. Taste, what can you say? Five stars for both performances.

Do I love controversy? Yes! Everybody seems to praise this CD because of the unsurpassed Rachmaninov. They would buy this CD just for the first part. I'll take it for the second part, the Tchaikovsky that they all try to demolish.

The Rachmaninov piano concerto played by Richter is irrefutably the best, but this composition tends to make me sleepy, although I'm very romantic, very sensitive, very emotional, very sentimental. I don't understand why I never liked this famous composition. Am I different or can't I appreciate good music?

The Tchaikovsky piano concerto No. 1 was recorded in 1962, and the sound is amazingly vibrant. I never liked Karajan, but I deeply enjoy his conducting the Wiener Symphoniker here.

Richter is so astounding in this recording that I can forget the rest: Argerich/Kiril Kondrashin(Bavarian Radio Orchestra), Shura Cherkassky/Leopold Ludwig(Berlin Philharmonic), Kissin/Karajan, Fasil Say/Yuri Temirkanov, etc.

How can they complain about Richter and Karajan in this recording? Too slow and boring? Oh no! It's slow, but exciting, thrilling, grandiose, beautiful! The slow and sensitive moments are delightful and deep. They allow you to softly fly to a fantastic world of dreams, a magical world of fantasy, and then whirl to the world of human reality, of life, with every detail of it, with more awareness of all the emotions and human passions.

It's an intricate interpretation continuously mingled with creativity and perfume and colors. Am I delirious or is everybody else absurd?

There is a lot that can be disputed about this performance of Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto. And I will concede immediately that Richter takes his artistic license to its extremes in this reading of the work. But I will also insist that without taking away from so many other fine performances by other gifted soloists, this performance is breathtaking in its artistry, and deserves to be heard for its unique interpretation.

Previous reviews extoll the virtues of Richter's performance, and indeed it is magnificent. Unfortunately, the remastering of this recording did not produce a quality result. The dynamics are poor, resulting in fuzzy strings, and horns and a less than vibrant sound from Richter's piano. There is no sense of "presence". This is a valuable recording for those with two or more copies of the Rach 2, who want this one as a historic performance or for collectors of Richter. If this is your first copy and you have a decent sound system, steer clear.

Richter's famous recording of Rachmaninov's C minor concerto deserves every bit of the attention it gets. He builds up the intensity of the opening chords so perfectly! And when the main theme finally enters, he doesn't rush through it (like Cliburn), but dwells on it to emphasize the intensity. The slow movement is played just as it should be (very gently). As for the Tchaikovsky B flat minor, I never could enjoy this piece, no matter who is playing it. This CD is still worth it for the incomparable Rachmaninov!

The great Russian pianist took up the cause for Rachmaninov's at the time much-maligned works. I'm an enthusiast of modern music but I can't resist the warmth of the Romantics either. In our hearts, I think more people have a Romantic sensibilily than a Modernist one.

The second of Rachmaninov's concertos is one of his most famous works and one of the most lushy and slushy in the Romantic piano/orchestral repertoire. The concerto was prominently featured in the David Lean romance "Brief Encounter". Obviously they didn't use this Richter recording since it didn't exist yet.

From the grave opening to the stunning slow movement and the scintillating energy of the finale, this recording has Richter delivering the goods for the benefit of his Russian countryman's music. Listen especially to the last 2 and a half minutes of the slow movement, Richter plays with such raptness and feeling, it is heart melting and dreamy. Guaranteed to drown you in beautiful sound! I haven't heard anyone else play with such understanding. If you want a comparison recording, try Van Cliburn with Fritz Reiner. It's another great performance but not as good as Richter's. The conductor working with Richter is Stanislaw Wislocki and he leads the orchestra from Warsaw.

The coupling on this CD is Tchaikovsky's 1st, a concerto that is even more famous than the Rachmaninov. Unfortunately Richter and the great Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan did not see eye to eye in matters of interpretation. Karajan, conducting the Vienna Symphony ( not the Philharmonic! ) goes for the long line, the lush texture, the grand backcloth. Richter goes for more energy, trying to break free of Karajan's pompous orchestral back up. I love Karajan as a conductor but he doesn't collaborate well with instrumental soloists usually. It's a strange performance that doesn't compete with the more famous accounts of this masterpiece. But that does not matter, if you want the best recording of Rachmaninov's 2nd concerto, this CD is it.

Another reviewer accused this recording to be in poor sound. I can't understand his opinion. The sound for 1959 ( the Rachmaninov 2nd ) is terrific and the Original Image Bit-Processing remastering job from DG has given it extra depth and bass, which is a major plus. I don't find any reservations here, this is great. A must purchase for Richter enthusiasts!

Richter's work has long been a benchmark in the library of piano virtuosity, but in these two selections, he has transcended normal experience. For an artist to insert himself into the world of music on such a grand scale is to take great risks, and that is exactly what he has done. I believe that at a point, Richter and the music become one and the same. It is as though he were fused to each note. The result is a performance that is both flawless and yet, warm, sonorous and full. There is nothing that he has left out. He is an artist for the ages, and we are richer for his presence at the keyboard.

So, my two cents. Yet another five-star review. I have been listening to classical music for a very long time. But when I heard Richter play the Rachmaninoff, I had the oddest feeling that I was hearing it for the first time. He plays with such utter clarity, and this is really Richter's strength - absolutely perfect articulation. Regardless of how fast he plays or how enormous the chords and arpeggios are, every note is distinctly audible. Surely, this has to be the best performance of this concerto. Never mind that the orchestra is just so-so, and that the conductor is also just so-so ... at least he doesn't get in Richter's way, and this CD is about Richter, not the conductor.

The Tchaikovsky has been criticized a lot, not because of Richter but rather Von Karajan. I have never liked Karajan's work. He is about as exciting as a glass of water. And, yes, this performance suffers from a lack of vigor with a quite slow tempo. To give some credit to Karajan, although it is lacking in drama, and while it does not make up for the lack of excitement, it is certainly eloquent.
However, again, this disk is about Richter, not the conductor, and once more, I felt as though I was hearing this concerto for the first time. I heard things that I never heard before, not even from Cliburn whose version with Kondrashin is certainly more energetic. Cliburn was a fine young pianist with a lot of talent. But Richter was a musician.

As for the comment from a previous reviewer criticizing the sound quality ... you should hear the Melodiya release with Richter/Mravinsky/Sanderling first, then you would appreciate this CD more. Mravinsky and Sanderling with the Leningrad Orchestra may have given better performances and Richter may have been more free on the Tchaikovsky than he was with Von Karajan, but how can you tell? The sound quality is just awful (see my review for the depressing truth). The sound on this DG CD is certainly good enough considering the recording dates.

All told, an excellent disk. Well worth the modest price.