YouTube is dangerous because you can compare momentous performances, which great people have sweated over to prepare, with just a few mouseclicks. It's too easy, and probably is cheapening my perception of art. Nevertheless, this performance kills the others I have 'checked out'.
Your are right Richter is fantastic. He was the best pianist who we have been albe to listen because we were not able to listened Liszt in the XIX century.
Nobody will play as Richter did. In spite of fact I have to say there many wonderfol pianists with wonderful recors but Richter played everything wich excists in piano repertoar.
I have a recording on a "Talents of Russia" disk by another Neuhaus pupil, Alexei Lubimov, with David Oistrakh conducting! Do you know that one? I highly recommend it!
Richter's favorite Prokofiev's Concerto No.2 performance was by Jorge Bolet which is on YouTube. Richter sometimes didn't play the piece if he considered somebody's performance of it to be unimprovable :), like Prokofiev Sonata No. 3.
Neuhaus suggested to Richter that he play the most popular concerto of them all (the third one), but since Prokofiev himself had suggested to Richter that he should play no. 5, Richter decided that it was "fate".
I'm playing it too. It's TERRIFYING. It looks so easy, but it makes hardly any sense without the orchestra and that makes practicing it very tedious and difficult.
quel piano! quelle émotion! merci TC, la seule et unique version commerciale digne; le 2nd évènement essentiel de cette année 52, le 1er étant ma naissance...
This post brought tears to my eyes. This was the first and best recording I ever heard of the Prokofiev 1st Piano Concerto--the reason I learned it as a teenager in fact. I think Richter captures the youthful exuberance bittersweet character of this. Thanks so much for the post--wonderful!
No, that recording was made in 1953. I have it as well. I can't remember the exact year the recording with Kondrashin was made, but I'm sure it was in the '50s.
You are probably correct! The recording I have says "1948-1952"... and no precise date. I didn't research and just put "1948". Will fix it! Thank you!
This was composed in 1909, I think, the year Rachmaninoff his 3rd Piano Concerto. So those two works are exact contemporaries, if you can believe that!
@blahblahblahblah22 This was composed in 1911-1912! Believe it or not! Prokofiev wrote all 5 of his piano concerti while he was still living in France and before he returned to the USSR. Richter's performances were some of the best IMO... also check out Gary Graffman's with George Szell.
The orchestral sound is a "bit" shallow (even on the LP), but the piano sounds amazingly clear and sharp for a recording made in 1952. It could hardly be bettered.
yes.. this is my favorite recording of this piece too. about the sound quality, when you upload to youtube the sound quality goes down considerably so that youtube doesn't have to deal with huge sound files. I don't think it has to do with analog being superior.
you won't believe it, but it's a copy from the latest (and supposedly restored)CD! I think I also have the same concerto recorded couple years later in Prague. I would post it side by side, but don't want to be accused in "richterism" again! ;)
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>Prokofiev wrote all 5 of his piano concerti while he was still living in France
No, he wrote the first two concertos in Russia.
Quue7n 1 month ago
YouTube is dangerous because you can compare momentous performances, which great people have sweated over to prepare, with just a few mouseclicks. It's too easy, and probably is cheapening my perception of art. Nevertheless, this performance kills the others I have 'checked out'.
musoderelict 1 year ago 5
My gosh... What HASN'T Richter played? His repertoire was enormous!
OrangeSodaKing 1 year ago
Comment removed
1927edith 1 year ago
Your are right Richter is fantastic. He was the best pianist who we have been albe to listen because we were not able to listened Liszt in the XIX century.
Nobody will play as Richter did. In spite of fact I have to say there many wonderfol pianists with wonderful recors but Richter played everything wich excists in piano repertoar.
1927edith 1 year ago
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Como decia el maestro Richter!!!
Yo solo hago lo que está en la partitura pero aveces, hasta los genios como él se le escapan pequeños detalles de la partitura.
Maestro de maestros!!! (pura música)
henryrodriguez77 1 year ago
Como decia el maestro Richter!!!
Yo solo hago lo que está pero aveces, hasta los genios como él se le escapan pequeños detalles de la partitura.
Maestro de maestros!!! (pura música)
henryrodriguez77 1 year ago
the BEST!
TheXeniastar 1 year ago
R I C H T E R...ya!!!
berlinzerberus 2 years ago
haha the first three chords are not very good from the orchestra but boy does ricther deliver
skryabyn 2 years ago
This is great, Truecrypt, thanks!
I have a recording on a "Talents of Russia" disk by another Neuhaus pupil, Alexei Lubimov, with David Oistrakh conducting! Do you know that one? I highly recommend it!
Thanks again.
EdmundMorrow 3 years ago 2
I didn't hear it, but Lubimov is very good in this repertoire!
truecrypt 3 years ago
My youth orchestra is playing this! We are performing on Sunday if anyone here lives in South Carolina and wants to see it!
blahblahblahblah22 3 years ago 2
Very colourful conducting..BRAVO!
And Richter SHINES as usual...
aldebussy 3 years ago 2
Did Richter ever play Prokofiev's concerto 2,3and 4? I love his interpretation of Prokofiev.
pjioayncoe 3 years ago
No, no, and no.
Richter's favorite Prokofiev's Concerto No.2 performance was by Jorge Bolet which is on YouTube. Richter sometimes didn't play the piece if he considered somebody's performance of it to be unimprovable :), like Prokofiev Sonata No. 3.
RabidCh 3 years ago
Thank you! Bolet's performance is definitely one of the best. I also like Bronfman's version, which I think Richter would also appreciate.
Another quick question-who played the unimprovable sonata no.3 according to Richter?
pjioayncoe 3 years ago
Emil Gilels!
RabidCh 3 years ago
Neuhaus suggested to Richter that he play the most popular concerto of them all (the third one), but since Prokofiev himself had suggested to Richter that he should play no. 5, Richter decided that it was "fate".
weikko79 3 years ago
Gilels
bbbworship 3 years ago
Amazing! My teachers just assigned this piece to me, and it's kind of intimidating. =P
Apoyaturas 3 years ago
I'm playing it too. It's TERRIFYING. It looks so easy, but it makes hardly any sense without the orchestra and that makes practicing it very tedious and difficult.
aldebussy 3 years ago
Ah, I'm learning it as well. It's great.
JimiHendrixANDVADER 2 years ago
just stumbled on this...wow.
may be definitive.
slothvader 3 years ago
such precision!!
and to think, he's not even looking at the piano.
(kidding)
N8Shokr 3 years ago
wow.....
wuk89 3 years ago
quel piano! quelle émotion! merci TC, la seule et unique version commerciale digne; le 2nd évènement essentiel de cette année 52, le 1er étant ma naissance...
cartophon 3 years ago
Thank you very much!!
Darklord12356 3 years ago
I've had this recording since the early '60s. It's been my benchmark ever since.
Besides, where else could you find the Glazunov and Rimsky-Korsakov Concertos on the flip side of an LP?
snaaptaker 3 years ago
Actually, Rimsky-Korsakov concerto is here - just search YT or go to my Playlists -> Richter...
truecrypt 3 years ago
Thanks, I will.
snaaptaker 3 years ago
This post brought tears to my eyes. This was the first and best recording I ever heard of the Prokofiev 1st Piano Concerto--the reason I learned it as a teenager in fact. I think Richter captures the youthful exuberance bittersweet character of this. Thanks so much for the post--wonderful!
music4cisum 3 years ago 2
Nice post! Thanks TC
theoshow2 3 years ago
I'm pretty sure this wasn't recorded in 1948, though. 1952 would be more like it.
weikko79 3 years ago
Please read truecrypt's reply to chad410 below. That may be the recording you describe.
RabidCh 3 years ago
No, that recording was made in 1953. I have it as well. I can't remember the exact year the recording with Kondrashin was made, but I'm sure it was in the '50s.
weikko79 3 years ago
You are probably correct! The recording I have says "1948-1952"... and no precise date. I didn't research and just put "1948". Will fix it! Thank you!
truecrypt 3 years ago
I just checked the Sviatoslav Richter website and found that this recording was indeed made in 1952. The live recording with Ancerl is from 1954.
weikko79 3 years ago
Great! thank you! I remembered that Czech recording has been made later. I also recall that this one (with Kondrashin) was somewhat lovelier...
truecrypt 3 years ago
I wonder when this was composed?? It actually sounds very modern, but if this was recorded in 1948, I don't know!!
blahblahblahblah22 3 years ago 2
This was composed in 1909, I think, the year Rachmaninoff his 3rd Piano Concerto. So those two works are exact contemporaries, if you can believe that!
weikko79 3 years ago 2
Also, this wasn't recorded in 1948, but in 1952.
weikko79 3 years ago
The date on the full score by Jurgensen is 1911.
morakeo 3 years ago
It was composed in 1911/12. In 1914 Prokoviev won a piano competition (as soloist of his own concert) in St. Petersburg.
It sounds modern, because many lesser composers "borrow" from the modern classics.
flippert0 2 years ago
@blahblahblahblah22 This was composed in 1911-1912! Believe it or not! Prokofiev wrote all 5 of his piano concerti while he was still living in France and before he returned to the USSR. Richter's performances were some of the best IMO... also check out Gary Graffman's with George Szell.
Westcoasttony 1 year ago
Easily the best recording ever made of this concerto. The sound on my LP is better than in this version, though.
weikko79 3 years ago
I agree with you completely, there is no better recording - even Richter himself was proud of it! :)
The sound of the LP is indeed more pleasant and clear. Again we see (and here) that analogue sound is superior.
pianopera 3 years ago
The orchestral sound is a "bit" shallow (even on the LP), but the piano sounds amazingly clear and sharp for a recording made in 1952. It could hardly be bettered.
weikko79 3 years ago
yes.. this is my favorite recording of this piece too. about the sound quality, when you upload to youtube the sound quality goes down considerably so that youtube doesn't have to deal with huge sound files. I don't think it has to do with analog being superior.
Pianomeister94 3 years ago
always reminds me of the circus
chad410 3 years ago
this brings back memories. i have to say the beginning made me think that i was on drugs. perhaps you slipped and knocked the gramaphone recorder.;)
chad410 3 years ago
you won't believe it, but it's a copy from the latest (and supposedly restored)CD! I think I also have the same concerto recorded couple years later in Prague. I would post it side by side, but don't want to be accused in "richterism" again! ;)
truecrypt 3 years ago
In your comments it says
"Part II"... Just something I noticed.
RabidCh 3 years ago
Thank you! Of course it should be - Part I
truecrypt 3 years ago