Richter in Prague Complete [Import]

Sviatoslav Richter (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 12, 2002)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 15
• Format: Import
• Label: Praga Czech Rep.
• ASIN: B00005REQ0
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #420,907 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This is the largest, most comprehensive, and most valuable collection currently available of the playing of one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century. Czech Radio seems to have recorded virtually everything Richter played during his frequent visits to Prague during a period of 34 years. Many of the highlights of the pianist's vast repertoire are included here, including 10 Beethoven Sonatas, two Concertos, and the "Diabelli" Variations, along with major works of Brahms, Chopin, Mozart, Ravel, Schubert, Schumann, and Scriabin. These include such unusual items as the first two Brahms Sonatas and the Chopin Ballades. Some of the earlier recordings are muffled in sound quality, and a few (such as Mozart's Sonata K. 280 and Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition) are even afflicted with disturbing tape flutter. But most of the recordings sound excellent, and most of the performances are glorious. At the greatly reduced price (15 CDs for the price of 5), this set is a bargain that any pianophile can afford. But if you've collected the original series, beware of discarding them too quickly. An entire CD of Prokofiev--one of Richter's greatest specialties--is missing from this compilation, as are separately issued discs of the Dvorák and Grieg Concertos, which could have made yet another worthwhile disc. For what we have, however, let us give thanks--and also for the space-saving box! --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Treasure Trove of 'Live' Richter Performances, April 9, 2002

By 

T. Beers (Arlington, Virginia United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Richter in Prague Complete (Audio CD)

Recorded by Czech Radio between the mid '50s and the late '80s, this fascinating CD set is one of the best available documents of the great Sviatoslav Richter in concert. Recorded sound is variable (the set rates 5 stars just the same), and most of the pre-1970s performances are mono, but no fan of great pianism should be without this set. And although many performances here are Richter "standards" (Skryabin sonatas, Beethoven's 'Appasionata' and 'Tempest' sonatas, Schumann's 'Fantasie,' to name just a few), there are some rarities as well. Let me give just three reasons why I find this set so indispensable. Richter didn't perform Beethoven's monumental 'Diabelli Variations' and 'Hammerklavier' sonata until quite late in his career; the very well recorded Prague concert recordings presented here are fully the equal of any released on other labels. Likewise, the performance of Brahms's First Piano Sonata (which exists in several Richter versions)is truly first-rate. Nevertheless, the Brahms disc is more valuable for presenting the best Richter performance I've heard of the less well-known Second Sonata, plus the only known Richter performance of the composer's 'Variations on a Hungarian Tune.' Finally, let me say to those who have long known - and loved - Richter's magnificent 1958 Sofia performance of Moussorgsky's 'Pictures at an Exhibition,' this set presents a roughly contemporary (1956) Prague account that is almost as good and much better recorded. So Richter fans shouldn't hesitate and those who don't know the the man's art will find in this set a convincing demonstration that the late Ukrainian/Soviet pianist was one of the greatest artists in the history of the instrument. One final note. This is a reissue of a boxed set that appeared several years ago, also on Harmonia Mundi. For the reissue, the fifteen discs have been transferred to sturdy cardboard envelopes and housed in a space saving 'soft' box that is elegant to behold and very space-efficient. Full liner notes duplicate those on the previous issue, but the price has been handsomely reduced: fifteen cds are now offered for the price of five!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Many definitive recordings here, March 19, 2004

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J. Loke "Loke" (Kailua, HI United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Richter in Prague Complete (Audio CD)

Richter has a way of getting to the heart or to the truth behind any piece he plays. Using his powerful mind, spirtual understanding, and limitless technique, his is able to put his ego aside and let the music speak for itself. Out of the 15 discs, I thoroughly enjoyed 14 of them. The only exception being the Brahms Sonata 1 & 2. I simply do not enjoy listening to either piece. I will now list the pieces in which I believe are definitive performances. Each will be followed with other recordings with which I am comparing them to. 1. Appassionata(Pletnev, Pollini, Rubinstein, Horowitz) 2. Chopin Etude Op.10 No.1 (Perahia, Pollini, Ashkenazy, Lugansky, Wild, Berezovsky) 3. Chopin Nocturne Op.62 No.2 (Pires, Ashkenazy, Rubinstein) 4. Chopin Polonaise-Fantasy Op.61 (Kapell, Horowitz, Pollini) 5. Scriabin Sonata No.5 (Horowitz, Evgeni Mikhailov, Sofronitsky, Bernd Glemser) 6. All Chopin Ballades-definitely some of the most passionate interpretations on record(Perahia, Ashkenazy, Nikolai Petrov, Zimmerman, Kissin) 7. Beethoven Piano Con. 1&3 (Perahia, Serkin, Rubinstein) 8. Liszt Transcendental Etudes-excluding Feux Follets, best performance is given be E.Kissin (V.Ovchinikov, Berezovsky, Arrau, Bolet, F.Kempf) 9. Valses nobles et sentimentales (Cecile Ousset, Berezovsky, Pogorelich) 10. Miroirs-Richter perfectly enters the sound-world of Ravel like no other pianist. His tone and phrasing are out-of-this-world. (Cecile Ousset, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Minoru Nojima, Gieseking, Anne Queffelec) Almost every piece he plays sounds important and has an indescribable satisfaction to it. Buy it! It will give you hours of listening pleasure.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Music, September 16, 2003

By 

fCh "fCh" (GMT-5, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Richter in Prague Complete (Audio CD)

After owning a few dozen recordings with Richter (including a few made in Czechoslovakia), buying this box-set would have been a stretch had it not been for a couple of assumptions: a) Richter's confessed affection for several things Czech b) the promised value for money. Now, to sum it all up, I am so glad this set exceeded my expectations by so much!

Indeed, I could detect in these live performances, given over 3 decades, what might have been Richter's love for music, audience, and Czechoslovakia. The atmosphere is of warm intimacy, punctuated by veritable moments of musical tension built and delivered so masterfully, yet jocular at times. Such unique moments, not always present in his other recordings, I posit, are the fruit of Richter's being in resonance with his part Slavic and part German audience.

As for the presentation, suffice it to say it is simply great. Kudos to Harmonia Mundi Germany! The master-recordings seem to be more than decent--considering their casual nature. The booklet is concise and informative--notes on the composers and pieces as well as notes on Richter's approach to those pieces/composers.

Had I been asked to pay twice as much as I did after listening to this music I would have done it!