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Sviatoslav Richter

Background information
Birth name Sviatoslav Teofilovich Richter
Born March 20 [O.S. March 7] 1915
Zhytomyr, Ukraine
Died August 1, 1997 (aged 82)
Moscow, Russia
Genre(s) Classical
Occupation(s) Pianist
Instrument(s) Piano
Years active 1934-1996

Sviatoslav Teofilovich Richter (Russian: Святосла́в Теофи́лович Рихтер, Svjatoslav Teofilovič Rikhter) (March 20 [O.S. March 7] 1915 – August 1, 1997) was a Soviet pianist, widely recognized as one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century. Events 1600 - The Linköping Bloodbath takes place on Maundy Thursday in Linköping, Sweden. Old Style (or OS) and New Style (or NS) are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year Year 1915 ( MCMXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Zhytomyr (Житомир ( Zhytomyr) Житомир ( Zhitomir) Żytomierz is a historic City in the North of the western half of Ukraine Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music A pianist (/'piənɪst/ is a Musician who plays the Piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces play with an ensemble or Orchestra A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Events 1600 - The Linköping Bloodbath takes place on Maundy Thursday in Linköping, Sweden. Old Style (or OS) and New Style (or NS) are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year Year 1915 ( MCMXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar He was well known for the depth of his interpretations, virtuoso technique and vast repertoire.

Contents

Biography

Richter was born in Zhytomyr, Ukraine to a German expatriate father and a Russian mother. Zhytomyr (Житомир ( Zhytomyr) Житомир ( Zhitomir) Żytomierz is a historic City in the North of the western half of Ukraine Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. The German people (Deutsche are an Ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent and speaking the German language as [1] He grew up in Odessa. ODESSA which stands for the German phrase O rganisation d er e hemaligen SS - A ngehörigen which in turn translates Unusually, he was largely self-taught although his father who was a pianist and organist, and one of his father's pupils, a Czech harpist, provided him with a basic education in music. [2] Even at an early age, Richter was an excellent sight-reader, and regularly practiced with local opera and ballet companies. He developed a lifelong passion for opera, vocal and chamber music that found its full expression in the festivals he established in Grange de Meslay, France, and in Moscow, at the Pushkin Museum. The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts (Russian Музей изобразительных искусств им He started to work at the Odessa Opera where he accompanied the rehearsals. The Odessa National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet is the oldest theater in Odessa, Ukraine. [3]

Early career

On March 19, 1934, Richter gave his first recital, at the engineer club of Odessa; but he did not formally start studying piano until three years later, when he decided to seek Heinrich Neuhaus, a famous pianist and piano teacher, at the Moscow Conservatory. ODESSA which stands for the German phrase O rganisation d er e hemaligen SS - A ngehörigen which in turn translates The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers Heinrich Gustavovich Neuhaus (Генрих Густавович Нейгауз Genrikh Gustavovič Nejgauz; &ndash Moscow, October 10, 1964 The Moscow Conservatory (Московская Государственная Консерватория им During Richter's audition for Neuhaus, Neuhaus apparently whispered to a fellow student "this man's a genius". Although Neuhaus taught many great pianists, including Emil Gilels and Radu Lupu, it is said that he considered Richter to be "the genius pupil, for whom he had been waiting all his life", while acknowledging that he taught Richter almost "nothing". Emil Grigoryevich Gilels (Эми́ль Григо́рьевич Ги́лельс ru-Latn Emi'li Grego'rievič Gi'lelis; October 19 1916 – October Radu Lupu (b November 30, 1945) is a Romanian Jewish concert pianist.

Early in his career, Richter also tried his hand at composing, and it even appears that he played some of his compositions during his audition for Neuhaus. He gave up composition shortly after moving to Moscow. Years later, Richter explained this decision as follows: "Perhaps the best way I can put it is that I see no point in adding to all the bad music in the world". [4]

Behind the Iron Curtain

As much as can be expected of the early- to mid-twentieth century Soviet Union, Richter was openly gay in that his homosexuality was no secret to those who knew him well. This fact as much as any other is what caused him to be somewhat private and withdrawn. [5][6] Richter was not open to interviews and never publicly discussed his personal life.

In 1945, Richter met the soprano Nina Dorliak. Shortly thereafter, Richter accompanied her in a program that included songs by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Prokofiev. Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov ( Николай Андреевич Римский-Корсаков, Nikolaj Andreevič Rimskij-Korsakov) also Nikolay Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Серге́й Серге́евич Проко́фьев Sergéj Sergéjevič Prokófjev) ( - 5 March 1953 was a Russian composer who This was the first meeting in an association that would last the rest of their lives. Richter and Dorliak were never legally married, but they were constant companions. She was the practical counterbalance to his impulsive nature. She would wind his watch for him, remind him of appointments, and manage his professional commitments.

In 1949 he won the Stalin Prize, which led to extensive concert tours in Russia, Eastern Europe and China. The USSR State Prize (Госуда́рственная пре́мия СССР was the Soviet Union 's state honour Richter gave his first concerts outside the Soviet union in Czechoslovakia in 1950. Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. [7] In 1952, Richter was invited to play Franz Liszt in the all-Russian remake of the 1946 Glinka movie, also Russian, of the life of Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka, called Kompozitor Glinka (Russian: Композитор Глинка, "Glinka The Composer"). A " remake' " is a term used to described something that has been done again sometimes with better Quality, and usually with more features Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka (Михаи́л Ива́нович Гли́нка ( –) was the first Russian composer to gain wide recognition inside his own country The title role was played by Boris Smirnov. Boris Smirnov is the name of the following people Boris Alexandrovich Smirnov (actor (1908&ndash1982 a Soviet actor Boris Alexandrovich Smirnov The pianist gave his first concerts in the USA in 1960 in England and France in 1961.

In 1960, even though he had a reputation for being "indifferent" to politics, Richter defied the authorities when he performed at Boris Pasternak's funeral. Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (Бори́с Леони́дович Пастерна́к ( — May 30, 1960) was a Nobel Prize -winning Soviet [8]

Sviatoslav Richter (who had received the Stalin and Lenin prizes and became People's Artist of the RSFSR), gave his first tour concerts in the USA in 1960 in England and France in 1961 [9].

Beyond the Iron Curtain

The West first became aware of Richter through recordings made in the 1950s. One of Richter's first advocates in the West was Emil Gilels, who stated during his first tour of the United States that the critics (who were giving him (Gilels) rave reviews) should "wait until you hear Richter. Emil Grigoryevich Gilels (Эми́ль Григо́рьевич Ги́лельс ru-Latn Emi'li Grego'rievič Gi'lelis; October 19 1916 – October "[10]

Richter's first concerts in the West took place in May 1960, when he was allowed to play in Finland. That same year, Richter was finally permitted to play in the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the His U. S. debut occurred on October 15, 1960, in Chicago, where Richter played Johannes Brahms's Second Piano Concerto accompanied by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Erich Leinsdorf, creating a sensation. Johannes Brahms ( pronounced ˈbʁaːms (May 7 1833 &ndash April 3 1897 was a German Composer The Chicago Symphony Orchestra ( CSO) is an American orchestra based in Chicago Illinois. WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> Erich Leinsdorf ( Erich Landauer) ( February 4, In a review, noted music Chicago Tribune critic Claudia Cassidy, who was known for her unkind reviews of established artists, recalled Richter first walking on stage hesitantly, looking vulnerable (as if about to be "devoured"), but then sitting at the piano and dispatching "the performance of a lifetime". The Chicago Tribune is a major daily Newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, and owned by the Tribune Company Claudia Cassidy (1899&ndash1996 born in Shawneetown Illinois, was a Music, Dance, and Drama Critic. [11] Richter's 1960 tour of the United States culminated in a series of concerts at Carnegie Hall. Carnegie Hall (generally ˌkɑrnɨgi ˈhɔːl is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east [12]

Richter, however, claimed to dislike performing in the United States[13]. Following a 1970 incident at Alice Tully Hall in New York City, when Richter's performance alongside David Oistrakh was disrupted by anti-Soviet protests, Richter vowed never to return. David Fyodorovich Oistrakh (Russian Давид Фёдорович Ойстрах) David Fiodorovič Ojstrah; &ndash October 24, 1974 [10] Rumors of an alleged return to Carnegie Hall surfaced in the last years of Richter's life, although it is not clear if there was any truth behind them. [14]

In 1961, Richter played for the first time in London. His first recital, pairing works of Haydn and Prokofiev, was received with hostility by British critics. Notably, Neville Cardus concluded that Richter's playing was "provincial", and wondered why Richter had been invited to play in London, given that London had plenty of "second class" pianists of its own. Sir John Frederick Neville Cardus ( 2 April 1889 &ndash 28 February 1975) was an English writer and critic best known for his writing on music Following a July 18, 1961 concert, where Richter performed both of Franz Liszt's piano concertos, the critics reversed course. [15]

Later years

While he very much enjoyed performing for an audience, Richter hated planning concerts years in advance, and in later years took to playing on very short notice in small, most often darkened halls, with only a small lamp lighting the score. Richter claimed that this setting helped the audience focus on the music being performed, rather than on extraneous and irrelevant matters such as the performer's grimaces and gestures. [16]

In 1986, Richter embarked on a six-month tour of Siberia, possibly giving as many as 150 recitals, at times performing in small towns that did not even have a concert hall. It is said that after one such concert, the members of the audience who had never before heard classical music performed, gathered in the middle of the hall and started swaying from side to side to celebrate the performer. [17] In his last years, it is said that Richter contemplated giving concerts free of charge. [18]

An anecdote illustrates Richter's approach to performance in the last decade of his life. After reading a biography of Charlemagne (Richter was an avid reader), Richter had his secretary send a telegram to the director of the theater in Aachen, a town reputed to have been Charlemagne's birthplace, stating "The Maestro has read a biography of Charlemagne and would like to play at Aquisgrana". Charlemagne (ˈʃɑrlɨmeɪn Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus meaning Charles the Great) (747 – 28 January 814 was King of the Franks from 768 to his ( Ripuarian: Oche, Dutch: Aken, Spanish: Aquisgrán, Italian: Aquisgrana, French, The performance took place shortly thereafter. [19]

As late as 1995, Richter continued to perform some of the most demanding pieces in the pianistic repertoire, including Maurice Ravel's Miroirs cycle, Sergei Prokofiev's Second Sonata and Frederic Chopin's etudes and Fourth Ballade. Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Серге́й Серге́евич Проко́фьев Sergéj Sergéjevič Prokófjev) ( - 5 March 1953 was a Russian composer who [20][21]

Richter's last recorded orchestral performance was of three Mozart concerti in 1994 with Japan Shinsei Symphony Orchestra with his old friend, Rudolf Barshai, conducting. Rudolf Borisovich Barshai (Рудольф Борисович Баршай born on September 28, 1924) is a Soviet / Russian conductor [22]

Richter's last recital was a private gathering in Lübeck, Germany, on 30 March 1995. The program consisted of two Haydn sonatas and Max Reger's variations and fugue on a theme by Beethoven, a piece for two pianos, which Richter performed with pianist Andreas Lucewicz. Johann Baptist Joseph Maximilian Reger ( March 19 1873 &ndash May 11 1916) was a German Composer, conductor [23]

Richter died at Central Clinical Hospital in Moscow from a heart attack, after he suffered from a depressed state of mind caused by his inability to perform in public. The Central Clinical Hospital of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation (Центральная клиническая больница c поликлиникой Управления Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of At the time of his death, Richter was rehearsing Schubert's Fünf Klavierstucke, D. 459. [24]

Repertoire

As Richter once put it, "My repertory runs to around eighty different programs, not counting chamber works. "[25] Indeed, Richter's repertoire ranged from Handel and Bach to Karol Szymanowski, Alban Berg, Anton Webern, Igor Stravinsky, Béla Bartók, Paul Hindemith, Benjamin Britten, and George Gershwin, although with many omissions such as Bach's Goldberg Variations, Beethoven's Waldstein and Moonlight sonatas and Fourth and Fifth piano concertos, Schubert's A-major sonata D. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section.2 This article is written in British English including maximised use of "-ise" Karol Maciej Szymanowski (3 October 1882 in Tymoszówka (present-day Ukraine) – 28 March 1937 was a Polish Composer and Pianist Alban Maria Johannes Berg (February 9 1885 &ndash December 24 1935 was an Austrian Composer. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> Anton Webern (December 3 1883 &ndash September 15 1945 was an Austrian Composer Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (Игорь Фёдорович Стравинский) ( &ndash 6 April 1971 was a Russian born Composer, considered by many to Béla Viktor János Bartók (March 25 1881&ndashSeptember 26 1945 was a Hungarian Composer and Pianist, considered to be one of the greatest Paul Hindemith (16 November 1895 &ndash 28 December 1963 was a German Composer, Violist, violinist teacher music theorist and conductor. Edward Benjamin Britten Baron Britten, OM CH (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976 was an English Composer, conductor, George Gershwin (September 26 1898 &ndash July 11 1937 was an American Composer. The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 are a set of 30 variations for Harpsichord by Johann Sebastian Bach. The Piano Sonata No 21 in C major, Op53 nicknamed Waldstein, is considered to be one of Beethoven 's greatest piano sonatas, as Ludwig van Beethoven 's Piano Concerto No 4 in G major, op The Piano Concerto No 5 in E-flat major, op 73 by Ludwig van Beethoven, popularly known as the "Emperor Concerto", was his last Piano concerto 959, Prokofiev's Third piano concerto, and Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 3. Sergei Prokofiev wrote his Piano Concerto No 3 in C major in 1921 utilizing sketches first started in 1913 The Piano Concerto No 3 in D minor Op 30 by Sergei Rachmaninoff (colloquially known as the "Rach 3") is famous for its technical and musical demands [26]

Richter worked tirelessly to learn new pieces. For instance, in the late 1980s, Richter learned Brahms's Paganini and Handel variations and in the 1990s, he learned several of Debussy's etudes, piano concertos by Saint-Saëns, Gershwin, Mozart, as well as sonatas by Bach and Mozart which he had not previously included in his programs. Johannes Brahms ( pronounced ˈbʁaːms (May 7 1833 &ndash April 3 1897 was a German Composer Achille-Claude Debussy (aʃil klod dəbysi (August 22 1862 &ndash March 25 1918 was a French Composer. Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (/ʃaʁl kamij sɛ̃sɑ̃s/ (9 October 1835 &ndash 16 December 1921 was a French Composer, Organist, conductor, and George Gershwin (September 26 1898 &ndash July 11 1937 was an American Composer. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section.2 This article is written in British English including maximised use of "-ise"

Central to his repertoire were the works of Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Beethoven, J.S. Bach, Chopin, Liszt, Prokofiev, Claude Debussy and many others. Robert Schumann, sometimes given as Robert Alexander Schumann (June 8 1810 &ndash July 29 1856 was a German Composer, Aesthete and influential Music critic Ludwig van Beethoven ( English ˈlʊdvɪg væn ˈbeɪtoʊvən, 16 December 1770 &ndash 26 March 1827 was a German Composer and Pianist. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section.2 This article is written in British English including maximised use of "-ise" Achille-Claude Debussy (aʃil klod dəbysi (August 22 1862 &ndash March 25 1918 was a French Composer. [26] He is said to have learned the second book of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier by heart in one month. The Well-Tempered Clavier ( Das Wohltemperirte Clavier in the original old German spelling BWV 846–893 is a collection of solo keyboard music composed by [27]

He gave the premiere of Prokofiev's Sonata No. 7, which he learned in four days, and No. 9, which Prokofiev dedicated to Richter. Apart from his solo career, he also performed chamber music with partners such as Mstislav Rostropovich, Rudolf Barshai, David Oistrakh, Oleg Kagan, Yuri Bashmet, Natalia Gutman, Zoltan Kocsis, Elisabeth Leonskaya, Benjamin Britten and members of the Borodin String Quartet. Chamber music is a form of Classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich KBE ( Russian: Мстисла́в Rudolf Borisovich Barshai (Рудольф Борисович Баршай born on September 28, 1924) is a Soviet / Russian conductor David Fyodorovich Oistrakh (Russian Давид Фёдорович Ойстрах) David Fiodorovič Ojstrah; &ndash October 24, 1974 Oleg Kagan (Russian Оле́г Моисе́евич Кага́н Oleg Moiseyevich Kagan ( 22 November 1946 &ndash 15 July 1990) was a Russian Yuri Abramovich Bashmet ( Russian: Юрий Абрамович Башмет Ukrainian: Юрій Башмет born 24 January, 1953) is a leading Natalia Gutman (Наталья Гутман (born November 14 1942 in Kazan) is a Russian cellist WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> Zoltán Kocsis (born May 30, 1952) is a Hungarian Elisabeth Leonskaja (born November 23, 1945) is a Georgian Pianist. Edward Benjamin Britten Baron Britten, OM CH (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976 was an English Composer, conductor, The Borodin Quartet is a String quartet that was founded in 1945 in the former Soviet Union. Richter also often accompanied singers such as Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Peter Schreier, Galina Pisarenko and, of course, his long-time companion Nina Dorliak. The German Baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (born 28 May 1925 is a German singer and conductor of Classical music, one of the most famous Peter Schreier (born July 29, 1935) is a German Tenor and conductor. [28]

Richter also conducted once, in the premiere of Sergei Prokofiev's Symphony-Concerto. Conducting is the act of directing a Musical performance by way of visible gestures Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Серге́й Серге́евич Проко́фьев Sergéj Sergéjevič Prokófjev) ( - 5 March 1953 was a Russian composer who Sergei Prokofiev 's Symphony-Concerto in E minor (sometimes also called Sinfonia Concertante) is a large-scale work for Cello and Orchestra.

Approach to performance

Richter explained his approach to performance as follows: "The interpreter is really an executant, carrying out the composer's intentions to the letter. He doesn't add anything that isn't already in the work. If he is talented, he allows us to glimpse the truth of the work that is in itself a thing of genius and that is reflected in him. He shouldn't dominate the music, but should dissolve into it. "[29] Or, similarly: "I am not a complete idiot, but whether from weakness or laziness have no talent for thinking. I know only how to reflect: I am a mirror . . . Logic does not exist for me. I float on the waves of art and life and never really know how to distinguish what belongs to the one or the other or what is common to both. Life unfolds for me like a theatre presenting a sequence of somewhat unreal sentiments; while the things of art are real to me and go straight to my heart. "[30]

Richter's belief that musicians should "carry . . . out the composer's intentions to the letter," led him to be critical of others and, most often, himself. [31] After attending a recital of Murray Perahia, where Perahia performed Chopin's Third Piano Sonata without observing the first movement repeat, Richter asked him backstage to explain the omission. Murray Perahia KBE (b April 19 1947 is an American concert Pianist. Frédéric Chopin composed his Piano Sonata No 3 in B minor, Op [32] Similarly, after Richter realized that he had been playing a wrong note in Bach's Italian Concerto for decades, he insisted that the following disclaimer/apology be printed on a CD containing a performance thereof: "Just now Sviatoslav Richter realized, much to his regret, that he always made a mistake in the third measure before the end of the second part of the 'Italian Concerto'. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section.2 This article is written in British English including maximised use of "-ise" As a matter of fact, through forty years -- and no musician or technician ever pointed it out to him -- he played 'F-sharp' rather than 'F'. The same mistake can be found in the previous recording made by Maestro Richter in the fifties. " [33]

Recordings

Despite his large discography, Richter disliked the recording process,[34] and most of Richter's recordings originate from live performances. Thus, his live recitals from Moscow (1948), Warsaw (1954), Sofia (1958), New York (1960), Leipzig (1963), Warsaw (1972), Aldeburgh (multiple years), Prague (multiple years), Salzburg (1977) and Amsterdam (1986), are hailed as some of the finest documents of his playing, as are other myriad live recordings issued prior to and since his death on labels including Music & Arts, BBC Legends, Philips, Russian Revelation, and more recently Ankh productions. Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of Warsaw (Warszawa; also known by other names) is the Capital and Largest city of Poland. Sofia (София ˈsɔfija is the Capital and largest city of the Republic of Bulgaria, with a population of 1395568 in the Capital Municipality New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous This sort of fix restores section edit linkpoints to where they belong Warsaw (Warszawa; also known by other names) is the Capital and Largest city of Poland. Aldeburgh ( IPA /ˈɔlbrə/ is a town in Suffolk, East Anglia, England; it is located on the Alde river at 52° 9' North 1° 36' East Prague (ˈprɑːg Praha (ˈpraɦa see also other names) is the Capital and Largest city of the Czech Republic. is the fourth-largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. Amsterdam (pronounced) is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west

Other critically acclaimed live recordings by Richter include performances of Scriabin's selected etudes, preludes and sonatas (multiple performances, different years), Schumann's C-major Fantasy (multiple performances, different years), Beethoven's Appassionata sonata (Moscow, 1960), Schubert's B-flat sonata (multiple performances, different years), Ravel's Miroirs (Prague, 1965), Liszt's b-minor sonata (multiple performances, 1965-66), Beethoven's Hammerklavier sonata (multiple performances, 1975) and selected preludes by Rachmaninov (multiple performances, different years) and Debussy (multiple performances, different years). Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin (Алекса́ндр Никола́евич Скря́бин Aleksandr Nikolaevič Skrjabin; sometimes transliterated as Skriabin Robert Schumann, sometimes given as Robert Alexander Schumann (June 8 1810 &ndash July 29 1856 was a German Composer, Aesthete and influential Music critic Ludwig van Beethoven ( English ˈlʊdvɪg væn ˈbeɪtoʊvən, 16 December 1770 &ndash 26 March 1827 was a German Composer and Pianist. Ludwig van Beethoven ( English ˈlʊdvɪg væn ˈbeɪtoʊvən, 16 December 1770 &ndash 26 March 1827 was a German Composer and Pianist. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff (Сергей Васильевич Рахманинов Achille-Claude Debussy (aʃil klod dəbysi (August 22 1862 &ndash March 25 1918 was a French Composer. [35]

However, despite his professed hatred for the studio, Richter took the recording process quite seriously. [36] For instance, after a long recording session for Schubert's Wanderer Fantasy, for which he had used a Bösendorfer piano, Richter listened to the tapes and, dissatisfied with his performance, told the recording engineer "Well, I think we'll remake it on the Steinway after all". Bösendorfer (L Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH) is an Austrian Piano manufacturer now a Wholly owned subsidiary of Yamaha. [37] Similarly, during a recording session for Schumann's Toccata, Richter reportedly chose to play this piece (which Schumann himself considered "among the most difficult pieces ever written" [38]) several times in a row, without taking any breaks, in order to preserve the spontaneity of his interpretation. Robert Schumann, sometimes given as Robert Alexander Schumann (June 8 1810 &ndash July 29 1856 was a German Composer, Aesthete and influential Music critic

According to Falk Schwartz and John Berrie's 1983 article "Sviatoslav Richter -- A Discography",[39] in the 1970s Richter announced his intention of recording his complete solo repertoire "on some 50 discs". This "complete" Richter project did not come to fruition, however, although twelve LPs worth of recordings were pressed between 1970 and 1973, and were subsequently re-issued (in CD format) by Olympia (various composers, 10 CDs) and RCA (Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier). WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section.2 This article is written in British English including maximised use of "-ise" The Well-Tempered Clavier ( Das Wohltemperirte Clavier in the original old German spelling BWV 846–893 is a collection of solo keyboard music composed by

In 1961, Richter's recording with Erich Leinsdorf and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra of the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 won the Grammy Award for Best Classical Performance - Concerto or Instrumental Soloist. The third Grammy Awards were held in 1961. They recognized musical accomplishments by the performers for the year 1960. WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> Erich Leinsdorf ( Erich Landauer) ( February 4, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra ( CSO) is an American orchestra based in Chicago Illinois. Johannes Brahms ( pronounced ˈbʁaːms (May 7 1833 &ndash April 3 1897 was a German Composer Piano Concerto No 2 in B-flat major Op 83 by Johannes Brahms is separated by a gap of 22 years from his first piano concerto. The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences The Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist(s Performance (with orchestra has been awarded since 1959 That recording is still considered a landmark (despite Richter's claim he was dissatisfied with it)[40], as are his studio recordings of Schubert's Wanderer Fantasy, Liszt's two Piano Concertos, Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto and Schumann's Toccata, among many others. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff (Сергей Васильевич Рахманинов Robert Schumann, sometimes given as Robert Alexander Schumann (June 8 1810 &ndash July 29 1856 was a German Composer, Aesthete and influential Music critic [41]

Honours and awards

Quotations

Memorable statements about Richter

The Italian critic Piero Rattalino has asserted that the only pianists comparable to Richter in the history of piano performance were Franz Liszt and Ferruccio Busoni. The Léonie Sonning Music Prize, or Sonning Award, which is recognized as Denmark 's highest musical honor is given annually to an international Musician The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University" or simply "Oxford" located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England is the Ferruccio Dante Michelangiolo Benvenuto Busoni (April 1 1866 &ndash July 27 1924 was an Italian Composer, Pianist, musical educator and conductor. [43]

Glenn Gould called Richter one of "the most powerful musical communicators of our time". Glenn Herbert Gould At a young age he reportedly behaved differently from typical children at the piano he would strike single notes and listen to their long decay [44]

Van Cliburn attended a Richter recital in 1958 in the Soviet Union. Harvey Lavan "Van" Cliburn Jr (b July 12, 1934) is an American Pianist who achieved worldwide recognition in 1958 when at age 23 He reportedly cried during the recital and, upon returning to the United States, described Richter's playing as "the most powerful piano playing I have ever heard". [45]

Artur Rubinstein described his first exposure to Richter as follows: "It really wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Arthur Rubinstein KBE ( January 28 1887 &ndash December 20 1982) was a Polish - American pianist who is widely Then at some point I noticed my eyes growing moist: tears began rolling down my cheeks. " [46]

Heinrich Neuhaus described Richter as follows: "His singular ability to grasp the whole and at the same time miss none of the smallest details of a composition suggests a comparison with an eagle who from his great height can see as far as the horizon and yet single out the tiniest detail of the landscape. Heinrich Gustavovich Neuhaus (Генрих Густавович Нейгауз Genrikh Gustavovič Nejgauz; &ndash Moscow, October 10, 1964 " [47]

Dmitri Shostakovich wrote of Richter: "Richter is an extraordinary phenomenon. Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich ( Russian: ru Дмитрий Дмитриевич Шостакович ( &ndash 9 August 1975 was a Russian Composer The enormity of his talent staggers and enraptures. All the phenomena of musical art are accessible to him. " [48]

Vladimir Sofronitsky proclaimed that Richter was a "genius", prompting Richter to respond that Sofronitsky was a "god". Vladimir Vladimirovich Sofronitsky (or Sofronitzky, Russian: Владимир Владимирович Софроницкий Vladimir Sofronitskij; &ndash [49]

Vladimir Horowitz said: "Of the Russian pianists, I like only one, Richter" [50]

Pierre Boulez wrote of Richter: "His personality was greater than the possibilities offered to him by the piano, broader than the very concept of complete mastery of the instrument. Vladimir Samoylovich Horowitz (ולדימיר הורוביץ Владимир Самойлович Горовиц Vladimir Samojlovič Gorovits; Володимир Самійлович WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> Pierre Boulez (pjɛʁ buˈlɛz (b "[51]

Noted Gramophone critic Bryce Morrison described Richter as follows: "Idiosyncratic, plain-speaking, heroic, reserved, lyrical, virtuosic and perhaps above all, profoundly enigmatic, Sviatoslav Richter remains one of the greatest recreative artists of all time. " [52]

Memorable statements by Richter

On listening to Bach: "It does no harm to listen to Bach from time to time, even if only from a hygienic standpoint. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section.2 This article is written in British English including maximised use of "-ise" "[53]

On Scriabin: "Scriabin isn't the sort of composer whom you'd regard as your daily bread, but is a heady liqueur on which you can get drunk periodically, a poetical drug, a crystal that's easily broken. Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin (Алекса́ндр Никола́евич Скря́бин Aleksandr Nikolaevič Skrjabin; sometimes transliterated as Skriabin "[54]

On picking small venues for performance: "Put a small piano in a truck and drive out on country roads; take time to discover new scenery; stop in a pretty place where there is a good church; upload the piano and tell the residents; give a concert; offer flowers to the people who have been so kind as to attend; leave again. "[55]

On his plan to perform without a fee: "Music must be given to those who love it. I want to give free concerts; that's the answer. "[56]

Trivia

Richter was known for his extremely self-critical, self-demanding attitude, although he also could be quite straightforward in criticizing his colleagues. Richter had a prodigious memory, but following a couple of memory lapses in the late 1970s, he refused to perform without the score in front of him. [57]

Richter refused to play piano transcriptions in concert,[58] although on occasion he would perform opera transcriptions for his friends. In the 1940s, he apparently performed his own transcription of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde for a group of friends in one sitting. Tristan und Isolde ( Tristan and Isolde, or Tristan and Isolda) is an Opera, or Music drama, in three acts by Richard Wagner [59] Similarly, after being a witness at Riccardo Muti's wedding, Richter played from memory the entire first act of Puccini's Madam Butterfly for a small group of wedding guests. WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> Riccardo Muti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI (b WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini ( December 22, 1858 [60]

He owned two Hamburg-made Steinway pianos[61] and was also fond of Bechstein and Bösendorfer[62] pianos. Bechstein is a surname and may refer to Johann Matthäus Bechstein (1757 &ndash 1822 a German naturalist and forester Bösendorfer (L Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH) is an Austrian Piano manufacturer now a Wholly owned subsidiary of Yamaha. Starting at some point in the late 1970s, however, Richter began to perform on Yamaha pianos. [63]

Richter had unusually large hands, capable of taking a twelfth. [64] David Dubal wrote of them, "What amazing hands - they seemed to be made of marble; his fifth finger was fearsome in its physical strength. "[65]

Richter's favorite composers were Chopin, Debussy and Wagner. Achille-Claude Debussy (aʃil klod dəbysi (August 22 1862 &ndash March 25 1918 was a French Composer. [66] His favorite piano concertos were the first concerto of Beethoven and the A-minor concerto of Robert Schumann. Ludwig van Beethoven ( English ˈlʊdvɪg væn ˈbeɪtoʊvən, 16 December 1770 &ndash 26 March 1827 was a German Composer and Pianist. Robert Schumann, sometimes given as Robert Alexander Schumann (June 8 1810 &ndash July 29 1856 was a German Composer, Aesthete and influential Music critic [67]

During the interview contained in the documentary Richter – the Enigma (1998), he claimed never to have practiced more than 2 or 3 hours a day (except when he had to learn a piece on short notice). However, his wife also said that he could practice up to 10 hours a day, labouring over details, which may reflect Richter's exceedingly self-critical nature.

Richter hated the telephone and disliked flying.

Richter was a very generous person, and would often dedicate recitals to the memory of his friends (e. g. , Oleg Kagan, Heinrich Neuhaus, Artur Rubinstein, etc. Oleg Kagan (Russian Оле́г Моисе́евич Кага́н Oleg Moiseyevich Kagan ( 22 November 1946 &ndash 15 July 1990) was a Russian Heinrich Gustavovich Neuhaus (Генрих Густавович Нейгауз Genrikh Gustavovič Nejgauz; &ndash Moscow, October 10, 1964 Arthur Rubinstein KBE ( January 28 1887 &ndash December 20 1982) was a Polish - American pianist who is widely ). For instance, in 1992, upon learning of Marlene Dietrich's death, Richter dedicated a recital (for which he wrote the program by hand) to her memory, and sent 600 white and pink roses as sign of condolence. Marlene Dietrich maɐˈleːnə ˈdiːtrɪç (December 27 &ndashMay 6) was a German -born American Actress, Singer and Entertainer [68]

Richter was most often very courteous, although his notebooks published in 2001 (in edited form) reveal that he could be frankly disapproving of some musicians’ performances.

Richter battled depression throughout his life. He was known for his exceptionally self-critical, self-demanding and straightforward attitude, although he also could be rather blunt in critically assessing his colleagues’ performances. Richter describes a younger colleague as a person who is “happy with himself nearly all the time”, adding that “he would be even happier if he were more modest”. [69]

Born in 1915 to a father of German extraction and a Russian noble mother, Richter recounts how he told Herbert von Karajan that he (Richter) was "a German, too", and Karajan replied "then I am a Chinese". WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> Herbert von Karajan ( April 5 Richter commented Karajan’s reaction by saying "How do you like that?" [70] (Karajan was of part-Greek and Slovenian descent. )

During a 1986 press conference in Russia, the older Horowitz asked whether it was true that Richter used the score when performing.

Media

Notes

  1. ^ Famous Germans from Russia. Sherri Steele. Retrieved on 2007-09-08. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 70 - Roman forces under Titus sack Jerusalem. 1264 - The Statute of Kalisz
  2. ^ Monsaingeon, pp. 12-14
  3. ^ Monsaingeon, p. 20
  4. ^ Kevin Bazzana - Sviatoslav Richter (1915-1997), Notes to Richter in Leipzig, Music & Arts CD 1025.
  5. ^ Benjamin Ivry. "from Russia with (forbidden) love", salon, 5 January 2005. Retrieved on 2007-09-08. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 70 - Roman forces under Titus sack Jerusalem. 1264 - The Statute of Kalisz  
  6. ^ letter from Nicolas Nabokov to Igor Stravinsky, February 3, 1963, Stravinsky, selected correspondence, Vol II ISBN 0-394-52813-1 "We are writing to you from a concert by Sviatoslav Richter, who is playing Bach and Schubert brilliantly. He is a flaming fag. "
  7. ^ Sviatoslav Richter Chronology - 1950. trovar. com (22 February 2001). Retrieved on 2007-09-08. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 70 - Roman forces under Titus sack Jerusalem. 1264 - The Statute of Kalisz
  8. ^ Coleman, Alexander (October 1997). "Sviatoslav Richter, 1915-1997". The New Criterion 16 (2).  
  9. ^ Vadim Mogilnitsky, “Sviatoslav Richter” / Вадим Могильницкий, из книги "Святослав Рихтер", (see link: http://www.sviatoslavrichter.ru/chronograph.php)
  10. ^ a b Michael Kimmelman. "The Reputation Is Legendary, The Playing Unpredictable", The New York Times, 22 June 1997. Retrieved on 2007-08-28. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 475 - The Roman General Orestes forces western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos to flee his Capital  
  11. ^ Claudia Cassidy, Chicago Tribune, 1960.
  12. ^ http://www.trovar.com/str/dates/a1960.html.
  13. ^ "America is standardized. It's all the same. I don't like it" says Richer in Monsaingeon's documentary "Richter, The Enigma", op. cit.
  14. ^ Kevin Bazzana - Sviatoslav Richter (1915-1997), Notes to Richter in Leipzig, Music & Arts CD 1025
  15. ^ David Fanning, Notes to Sviatoslav Richter performs Chopin and Liszt, BBC Legends CD 2000.
  16. ^ Monsaingeon, p. 108, "That's why I now play in the dark, to empty my head of all non-essential thoughts and allow the listener to concentrate on the music rather than on the performer. What's the point of watching a pianist's hands or face, when they only express the efforts being expended on the piece?"
  17. ^ Transsiberian Express, Le Monde de la musique, May 1989.
  18. ^ Kevin Bazzana - Sviatoslav Richter (1915-1997); Bruno Monsaingeon: Introduction to Sviatoslav Richter -- Notebooks and Conversations p. XX.
  19. ^ Piero Rattalino, Sviatoslav Richter - Il Visionario.
  20. ^ Sviatoslav Richter Recital, Museo Del Prado, Madrid. Sviatoslav Richter Chronology. trovar. com (16 February 1995). Retrieved on 2007-09-08. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 70 - Roman forces under Titus sack Jerusalem. 1264 - The Statute of Kalisz
  21. ^ Sviatoslav Richter Recital, Santuario de la Bien Aparecida, Santander, Spain. Sviatoslav Richter Chronology. trovar. com (18 January 1995). Retrieved on 2007-09-08. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 70 - Roman forces under Titus sack Jerusalem. 1264 - The Statute of Kalisz
  22. ^ www. trovar. com/str/dates/a1994. html
  23. ^ Sviatoslav Richter Chronology - 1995
  24. ^ Richter International Piano Competition
  25. ^ Monsaingeon, p. 143.
  26. ^ a b Monsaingeon, pp. 383-406.
  27. ^ Monsaingeon, p. 48
  28. ^ Monsaingeon, p. 413.
  29. ^ Monsaingeon, p. 153.
  30. ^ Mervyn Horder (May 1994). A Richter Rehearsal at the Barbican,. Retrieved on 2007-09-08. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 70 - Roman forces under Titus sack Jerusalem. 1264 - The Statute of Kalisz
  31. ^ Monsaingeon, p. 153.
  32. ^ Monsaingeon, p. 313 ("When I asked him why he didn't do the repeat of the exposition in the B minor Sonata, he seemed surprised and exclaimed 'But no one does it'". ).
  33. ^ Richter's comment on inner sleeve of Stradivarius CD 33323.
  34. ^ Falk Schwartz & John Berrie, Sviatoslav Richter -- A Discogrpahy, Recorded Sound, July 1983 ("[Richter] repeated[ly] assert[s] that he dislikes the recording studio").
  35. ^ Review Digest for Performances by Sviatoslav Richter. ClassicsToday. Retrieved on 2007-09-08. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 70 - Roman forces under Titus sack Jerusalem. 1264 - The Statute of Kalisz
  36. ^ Falk Schwartz & John Berrie, Sviatoslav Richter -- A Discography, Recorded Sound, July 1983.
  37. ^ Guardian Unlimited | Archive Search
  38. ^ Robert Schumann's correpondence, about 1832
  39. ^ Recorded Sound, July 1983.
  40. ^ Bruno Monsaingeon, Sviatoslav Richter -- Notebooks and Conversations, p. 108 ("There was also the recording of Brahms's Second Concerto with Erich Leinsdorf, one of my words records, even though people still praise it to the skies. I can't bear it. ")
  41. ^ See, e. g. , www. classicstoday. com.
  42. ^ http://www.trovar.com/str/dates/OXFORD.htm.
  43. ^ See Piero Rattalino, Pianisti e Fortisti, Il terzo Uomo ("How many pianists can claim today to be at [Richter's] level? How many are his peers, in the whole history of piano playing? Although I may appear unduly selective, only two names come to mind: Franz Liszt and Feruccio Busoni. The first was born in 1811; the second in 1866, fifty-one years later. And Richter was born in 1915, forty-nine years after Busoni. ).
  44. ^ Bruno Monsaingeon, The Enigma (film biography of Richter).
  45. ^ http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1997/year.ender/obit/arts/index.html.
  46. ^ Bruno Monsaingeon, The Enigma (film biography of Richter).
  47. ^ Portrait of an Artist, by Heinrich Neuhaus, available at http://www.trovar.com/str/neuhaus.html.
  48. ^ Foreword to V. I. Delson, Sviatoslav Richter, Moscow 1961, partial translation available at www. sonybmgmasterworks. com/artists/sviatoslavrichter/.
  49. ^ Vladimir Sofronitsky
  50. ^ Harold C. Schonberg, Horowitz -- His Life and Music, Simon & Schuster, 1992.
  51. ^ Ðóññêèé Óçåë - Ôàéë íå íàéäåí
  52. ^ Bryce Morrison, Gramophone review of Sviatoslav Richter's Schumann EMI CD 62961.
  53. ^ Monsaingeon, p. 196.
  54. ^ Monsaingeon, p. 267.
  55. ^ Alain Lompech - A Free Spirit Among Artists, A Protean Pianist, Notes to Richter Performs Beethoven, Philips 438 624-2.
  56. ^ Bruno Monsaingeon: Introduction to Sviatoslav Richter -- Notebooks and Conversations p. XX.
  57. ^ Monsaingeon, p. 140; id. p. 142 ("Following an absolutely frightful concert that I gave at the Fetes Musicales de Touraine, when I played eight of Liszt's Transcendental Studies, and a recital in Japan, where I took fright even before launching into Beethoven's op. 106 Sonata, I made up my mind never again to play without a score. ").
  58. ^ Monsaingeon, p. 115.
  59. ^ Bruno Monsaingeon, Richter -- The Enigma.
  60. ^ See Piero Rattalino, Notes to Richter performs Weber, Brahms and Prokofiev, Ermitage CD ERM 113.
  61. ^ Ðóññêèé Óçåë - Ôàéë íå íàéäåí
  62. ^ Guardian Unlimited | Archive Search
  63. ^ http://www.yamaha.co.jp/english/product/piano/about/r_f_e/r_f_e.html; Bruno Monsaigeon, Sviatoslav Richter - The Enigma; Mervyn Horder, A Richter Rehearsal at the Barbican, Contemporary Review, May 1994, available at http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-16044498.html.
  64. ^ V. I. Delson, Sviatoslav Richter, Moscow 1961, p. 50
  65. ^ David Dubal, The Art of the Piano, Third Edition (2004), Amadeus Press
  66. ^ Alexander Melnikov, Notes to Sviatoslav Richter Performs Debussy and Chopin, BBC Legelds 4021-2.
  67. ^ Monsaingeon, p. 327.
  68. ^ Sviatoslav Richter. Live Classics. Retrieved on 2007-09-08. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 70 - Roman forces under Titus sack Jerusalem. 1264 - The Statute of Kalisz
  69. ^ Bruno Monsaingeon, Richter -- The Enigma.
  70. ^ Bruno Monsaingeon, Richter - The Enigma.

References

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