Sviatoslav Richter:Beethoven Sonata Pathetique 1st mov.

[ivanoschen]

And take this Pathetique for example. Surely Richter has impeccable technique. The problem is that he couldn't express the taste that Backhaus or Schnabel express.

[ivanoschen]

Richter is a great pianist yes. And surely he's the best interpreter of Russian music. But he is not the best at Beethoven, Bach, or Chopin. There are better pianists out there to interpret the three composers' works.

[Danamaria68]

I've played this when I was 15 years old...

[hellboyreloaded]

@Danamaria68 mmm.... so??

[AngelaKikuchiKneale]

;-)

[samsonno]

What mistakes?

[turpinaime]

At first I didnt like Richters interpretation that much. But now I must admit that I listen to him more and more. But his mistakes are sometime really... irritating!

[AkaMouTinn]

I respect your opinion :) You can disagree with Aristotle ofcourse but dont forget that the only way you see further today is because you stand on the backs of giants. And one them is him. And there will always be a "best" until a better comes around. And hopefully it keeps coming always. Thats the rule of life. Keith Jarrett said "If I can't fly someone else will do it in my place". cheers

[twgirl1]

Everybody good this wonderful music really pleasant to hear performance's attagirl

[adelfiano]

The fact that he recorded lots of music doesn't mean that he excelled in whatever he did. Even a deaf person can notice that his Beethoven or Mozart wasn't as outstanding as his Bach. The fact is that his personality was more suited to Bach's music. Listening to Gould's performances without understanding that is ignorant.

[adelfiano]

the mind of a german, the heart of a russian, that was Richter

[aeon2805]

Why great pianists exept Horowitz never smile?

[DadoD999]

Richter is my favourite pianist.

[iniminimni]

one can argue ad nauseam about great pianist and performances - until you actually start listening to Richter - and then you can't help it, you get swept, overwhelmed, taken over. The hypnotic quality of his play is unrivaled

[newFranzFerencLiszt]

RIchter rules!

[chiaxroscuro]

i'm certainly not talented or learned enough to judge which interpretation of this song would be the best...but this is my favorite to listen to.

[Machumarochan]

I'm playing this piece. It's difficuld but it's nice. Richter is awesome!!

[whateveryo69]

Is he smoking 2 cigarettes at the same time? That's awesome.

[ReturnOfTheStienway]

3:30 Nice non-piano related photo lol

[christophleipzig]

This is finally a tempo that works for the movement!

Those, how have played this already, know that the phrasing of the theme just works in this speed.

And the second and third movement... he just interprets the score into music, so I can understand every moment!

[Nevanix]

I don't think anyone here is allowed to criticize Richter's playing in any way, because then they wouldn't be on YouTube, they would be practicing. Richter is a genius.

[Akee1990]

Yes!!!!!beat the damn piano

[grebrim]

awesome.

[maxreger100]

@frogmanpiano

How can you say that Richter had a photographic memory when he suffered from memory slips?

Now Gould I can believe had one.

But how do you come to believe it true of Richter?

[chrish12345]

Is photographic memory a comment on the type of memory not just the quality of it? (seeing the score in your mind as you play) He at one stage played all by memory, and later used the score to play from - due to natural old age decline or because he wanted to play more pieces in a shorter period of time. At one stage in his life he may have had a phenomenal memory and then things could have changed. What is being said here doesn't take this possible change into account.

[mrmonkeybuns]

@maxreger100 is there even such a thing as a photographic memory.... the term was coined by some quack ... who married his test subject who was supposedly photographic memory .... and convinetly was never be tested agian by someone else then her husband/unbiased scientist

[sushidudeiscool]

At this speed it sounds like it loses a lot of clarity. I'm not a pianist so I don't have much of an idea what I'm talking about, but to me it sounds like his speed is clouding up the melody.

[nextren]

@sushidudeiscool Listen faster.

[svjatazarov]

слава шикарен....мой пед говорил о нём много хорошего....

[Pianoman1400]

brilliant, awesome i do not know what i should write :-)

[thelma2391948]

Sviatoslav Richter the genius.

[TheYunetta1]

I never write any comments, because usualy I agree with others people opinions. I mean with the opinions expressed here.

I like Richter's version very much, but I like the others too. How do you compare greatness with greatness?

[frogmanpiano]

Richter like most great (legendary) pianists was an original.... he was a friend of Rubinstein and admired his playing. Horowitz was essentially a miniaturist despite his incredible virtuosity. Horowitz did not have a public repertory that was the equal of Richter or Rubinstein both of whom really did have a huge range of music that they played b4 the public. Both Rubinstein and Richter had photographic memories. Horowitz 's Rach 3 and Tch 1st & some Schumann recordings were legendary 4 sure.

[TheSwordsweeper]

I think this tempo is fine :p this way the whole mvt is kind of sparkling; Richter was a genius, picking unusual tempos yet making them work better than ever.

[sam0xin]

3:30 WOW ! RICHTER  SMOKING !?!? Didn't affected on talent of genius anyway.

Brilliant , Powerful, Stunning, Theatrical, Magnificent ,Unparalleled, Classy Master .. as usual !

[AmitMusicalTaste]

I think that this tempo is too fast. I prefer Rubinstien's but Richater has interesting dinamics. In addition, i agree with some people here who said that loving a performance is very idividual thing.

[Isaacooper28]

Not my favourite interpretation of this piece, although i normally prefer Richter's interpretations more than anyone else's. Zimerman's version of this sonata is just sublime.

[plasticeric]

Richter plays this work very characteristically. Wonder why Maria Yudina criticized: Richter? The one only knows to play Rachmanninov...

[plasticeric]

Richter plays this work very characteristically. Wonder why Maria Yudina criticized: Richter? The one only knows to play Rachmanninov...

[TheSwordsweeper]

@plasticeric And in return he played Rachmaninoff at her funeral ahahahah

[quinto34]

Richter and Gould where two totally different pianists, comparing them is kind of useless

[bratupir]

The shock when hearing these tresaury recordings of richter produced some envy because all musical values was broken. I think that gould's bach was superior to any other pianist but even if you considere vulgar you have to say that is a little to small to compare to richter.

[bratupir]

I like Gould. But to say that he is on the level to richter ist unfair to richter. Only looking on repertoire, while gould repertoire was a small one, richter's was huge and so different. I think for the history of music youtube made justice for richter. West thought that gould, horowitz, arrau hofman and others were the superior instance.

[albertacristie99]

Richter is a pure musical sensation and I think that goes straight into the kind of person he was. His autehnticity is obvious in his playing and that is wihtout any question what gives his interpretation the true character that we hear.

[talonboy5432]

Richter treats the piano as a piano and does not change it to sound like anything else...

Exactly what I like about his playing.

[phsycadelicanimal]

Well what else are you supposed to treat it as?

[talonboy5432]

Some pianists try to make it sound something it is not.

[PrickStanda]

richter is arguably the most accomplished piano player of the last century. he can play bach, beethoven, chopin and also rachmaninov and shostakovich. i haven't listened to anyone who can play all of them properly and with such a brilliance.

[gurold]

Никто, по-моему, мощнее и настолько пронзительно по эмоции не играет/не играл эту сонату. Вообще Бетховена)))) Рихтер уникален.

[Heightofhate]

В определённый момент истории русские стали лучшими классическими музыкантами на планете.

Русские и до сих пор ими остаются.

[aomf58]

Может быть и так, но что же вы все бъете себя в грудь и криччте, что вы самые-самые. Каждый второй пост русского здесь об этом. Это, кстати, показетль нездоровой национальной психики. Самые закомлексованные вы, поэтому и тащитесь только от самих себя.

[Heightofhate]

В определённый момент истории австрийцы были лучшими классическими музыкантами.А до этого - итальянцы

Я просто называю факты.

И я не знаю народа,которая так любила бы заниматься самоедством и самокритикой,часто безпочвенной,как русские.

И твои слова - тому пример.

[aomf58]

Togda izbegai fraz tipa "na planete", "vo vsem mire"...

Samokritiki net davno v Rossii, ischezla vmeste s sovetskoi intelligentsiei. Est' odna obida i zhelanie "dognat' i peregnat' ves' mir".

[Heightofhate]

Это тебя давно нет в России, а не самокритики.

Желание обогнать и перегнать весь мир родилось в СССР и вместе с ним и умерло.

Почему нельзя сказать, что кому-то в чём-то когда-то принадлежало первенство во всём мире? Или пинадлежит?

Видно, тебе очень завидно.

[aomf58]

Хахаха... Чему же?

[Heightofhate]

Завидуют всегда одному - успеху.

Кстати, вот любопытно, почему-то люди, когда их поймают на зависти и им это в лицо скажут, сразу начинают изображаь смех?

Причём даже в письменном виде!

[sam0xin]

@Heightofhate Это рефлекс , который покрывает рыдания...от сознания "КАК ДАЛЁК же я ... от этого..."

[francescaemc2]

@Heightofhate

da e niet....

[Heightofhate]

Niet e da...

[iguarni]

I repeat!!! We're in front of one of the best five pianists ever!!!!

[samsonno]

@iguarni I totally agree. Benjamin Britten called him 'the best pianist ever'!

[dalecampbl5]

@samsonno Richter is the greatest there ever was, and ever will be...greater than Horowitz...i think there are some pieces Horowitz plays better, but Richter's repertoire is immense compared to Horowitz's or Rubenstein's

[mf4251]

@samsonno .....because he wanted him to play his new piano concerto.

[ciliaspippi]

Do you mean Russia? Or England? or what?

[francescaemc2]

@iguarni

Chi sono gli altri tre? Secono a Lei?

[iguarni]

@francescaemc2: in my opinion ( count out Listz and Chopin) they were: Ferruccio Busoni, Dinu Lipatti, Horowitz e Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli. There are many other great pianists but for me they are the best!

[francescaemc2]

Thank you. I agree about Michelangeli. (Horowitz was implied, when I asked "who are the other 3?")

I only know Busoni from his Bach transcriptions and never heard Lipatti. Are there recordings?

obviously none of Chopin or Liszt... If we go there then we have to add Mozart. Thanks for your reply.

I'm fond of Claudio Arrau and Glenn Gould...

[iguarni]

Ho capito che sei italiana o che parli benissimo italiano. Arrau è strepitoso per la 111 di Beethoven e non solo e Gould è l'interprete che preferisco per Bach; comunque, per quanto non ortodosso, Gulda ha eseguito alcuni pezzi di Bach in maniera impeccabile. Lipatti invece era un genio puro. La sua timbrica è irripetibile; purtroppo è scomparso a 33 anni. Ascolta la Corale Ich Ruf' Zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ è fantastica. Complimenti sei una grande intenditrice!

[francescaemc2]

grazie! Sono nata a Milano,Arrau mi pare ha studiato con un alunno di Beethoven--o uno in linea diretta.Lipatti e' una vera rivelazione! Ti sono molto grata. Per Bach amo Richter

Per Mozart , Michelangeli.

Per Beethoven, Backhaus ed Arthur Schnabel. Se trovi qualcosa di bello, ti prego di segnalarmelo, se non rompo troppo.

. Mi fa un piacere enorme il nostro colloquio. francesca.

ps. ti piace Josef Hoffmann?

[iguarni]

Lazar Berman: Rach 3 Cadenza Ossia e gli Studi di Esecuzione Trascendentale di Listz assolutamente sconvolgenti!

[francescaemc2]

Grazie. vado subito a cercare su you tube.

a presto.

francesca

[chiaxroscuro]

hey, just wondering...what is this whole richter/gould thing about? my piano level is kind of too low to critique masters such as them...so could anybody give me the brief story? :3

[DroitCommun]

What about it ? Gould made two categories of pianists / musicians during an interview. Just google for the video to see his point. Gould says he find Schubert way too repetitive but he loves when Sviatoslav Richter plays Schubert. For Gould, Sviatoslav belongs to a category of musicians who play for themselves because they enjoy playing good music. Sorry for my bad english btw, I couldn't really entirely express what I think about it.

[ciliaspippi]

Your english is excellent

[DroitCommun]

Thanks :D

[aweitzer1]

I like the resemblences to the third movement of this sonata. Richter's playing is incomparable - just perfect. He seems to just know how to play Beethoven. Brilliant!

[bratupir]

I agree with you. We can't compare Richter with Gould. They are in other sphere.

[quinto34]

Comparing great pianist isn't very useful and a kind of silly if you ask me..

They all have their own uniqueness

To say Gould did Bach and some Beethoven is ignorant, the man recorded works from lots of composers..

[AkaMouTinn]

@quinto34 comparing is very usefull to be honest. Its the only way to better yourself and to accept reality when it is uncovered before you. As Nietsze said to fool ourselves is not an illusion its a weakness. Richter when compared with ANY pianist of the 20th century is simply better in all aspects. And this can be analyzed and justified. And theres nothing more silly than mediocracy, the home of those who simply can't.

[quinto34]

@AkaMouTinn

I think it is obvious for everybody who listens to classical piano, Richter is a genius, I wouldn't argue that.

You can analyse all you want though, music is art, not math.. and certainly not a contest.

So it's useless to argue so&so is the best, taste has no objective value

My point is, different geniuses have different qualities, the one you're attracted to is not 'the best' (don't fool yourself!), but the one most compatible with how you're brain has developed musically..



[AkaMouTinn]

@quinto34 my friend art and science is CERTAINLY a contest :) As Aristotle said 2500 years ago in the greek word "Agon". Only through the feeling of contest and interaction between different personalities one can develop and discover his inner self. And do you think our world is based on "relative" values? :) Ofcourse there are objective values. Beauty is one of them. And to achieve beauty you must be richter. Dont fool yourself with relativity or you ll become mainstream cul de sac.

[quinto34]

@AkaMouTinn

I respectfully disagree with you and Aristotle (overrated in many ways) and relativity is certainly not a part of me...(no i'm not fooling myself, trust me)

Richter was his own man and did not listen much to other pianists, certainly not in his younger days.

Richter is the best in your mind and you are free to say so. There is no best for me, although Gould comes close :)

I guess we have a different mind set regarding art and music. One not better then the other, again :))..

[AkaMouTinn]

@quinto34 for you info "In its broader sense of a struggle or contest, agon referred to a contest in athletics, chariot or horse racing, music or literature at a public festival in ancient Greece." Richter made a titanic struggle to play like this and ofcourse listened to a lot of his fellow pianists. But to state that art is not a contest between people is like stating that there could be a beethoven without bach. Richter is the best and we are free to say so. Find whats best for you and say so

[AkaMouTinn]

@quinto34 and finally the pyramids are unique and so is the parthenon. But which of them do you find best? Which of them gives you a hint as to how much beauty and harmony has been involved in each of this project? Being out of this just places you in chaos. Who cares about uniqueness. What we need is progress. And progress comes when someone BETTERS others. So dont be afraid to "dance" and develop your own opinion. But dont say to people they are silly when they have their own.

[quinto34]

@AkaMouTinn two more things..

first, don't get me wrong..I looooove Richter's piano play

second, music is to me the highest art form, architecture, paintings etc are inferior art forms, again, for me..

I share Schopenhauers vision on music, i guess :)

cheers.

[AkaMouTinn]

@quinto34 and finally "Harold Bloom in The Western Canon uses the term agon to refer to the attempt by a writer to resolve an intellectual conflict between his ideas and the ideas of an influential predecessor in which "the larger swallows the smaller", such as in chapter 18, Joyce's Agon with Shakespeare." I hope you understand now that art is an everlasting contest fought in two fronts. One inner and one outwards facing other artists.

[AkaMouTinn]

@quinto34 if you want to see why I call Richter the best pianist - especially on beethoven - check my only upload on youtube with his performance on appassionata 3rd mvmnt in 1961 in new york. Another classical pianist that I believe is amongst the top living is Katsaris. Check his performance on 4th mvmnt 3rd sonata chopin.

[calloffthedogs]

his shading is breathtaking. I know he is a techincal beast, but the subtlety of phrasing is exquisite.

[ORGANISTABAROCCO]

beautiful!

[niko34g]

Beethoven a dit : ils jouent tellement vite que je ne reconnait plus ma musique.

richter est parmis les meilleurs mais la il joue un peu trop vite.... dommage...

[tuxedomoon]

Richter is out of reach unpredictable ,passion ,catched the soul of every piece,unique man

[iguarni]

Speechless!!! We are in front of a pure genius!!!!

[bratupir]

I can't think that somebody compare Richter with Gould . They are in different categories. Eventually in the final only matters his vast repertoire vs. Bach and some Beethoven. When I see Gould with Chopin, Rach, Scriabin i can talk about him.

[pedroprokofiev]

Gould has recorded Chopin and Scriabin 3rd sonatas. I must say his Chopin is awful, but his Scriabin is great!

[Barbapippo]

Yes, they are in different categories: Richtere is incommensurably better a pianist than the nutty canadian

[kpirooz92]

I have a feeling one of his producers forced him to do Chopin.

[nero1684]

C'est incroyable la paix qu' il inspire... parsemée d' une tristesse si profonde... Exactement comme Beethoven l'aurait jouée...

[baristotsirab]

ah oui?

[scottpiano75]

i think richter is great. but he's a little too fast. brendel has better timing in my opinion but richter plays the notes more clearly.

[riinu00]

I absolutley love this interpretation!

[orleomarty]

i love richters playing but in that special case ... some parts like the beginning are too fast

[quinto34]

This is really wonderful!!! (and screw the tempi fetish BS)

[itsepiru1]

this is brilliant.... good job richter...

[peephole2008]

I prefer Arrau or even better: Brendel. But Richter is terrific.

[2ndAveLine]

Richter puts all his energy and drive to serve the music- he does it brilliantly here.

[alexilmagnifico]

listen also to Horowitz....

They are both such great interpretors... :D

As long as Oxana Yablonskaya, Martha Argerich, Gould... etc

[concerto35]

This speed is ideal.

[Tiszt]

Brillant!

[zorroundmanni]

my opinion: it´s too fast

[samsonno]

If you think this is fast, just listen to Glenn Gould´s version - also here on YT.

[zorroundmanni]

i would say, that the tempi of Richter and Gould are equal - and both too fast. But I must confess, that this is a question of individual liking and also of private challenge. At the moment I prefer Barenboim´s version. :-)))

[samsonno]

have measured, the first rep in Allegro Richter playes at 1.28 and Gould at 1.19 approx.

In my opinion Richter´s tempo is ideal, and it is so much better played. But it would be a dreary world if everyone agreed.

[zorroundmanni]

Gould is a brilliant technician, he is a metronom. Richter* piano is singing, his playing is music.

[samsonno]

I completely agree!

[Shumeshi]

I'm not sure Richter's technical ability was any less than that of Gould... Gould is known to sometimes take a faster pace so is Richter, and they both did it with amazing clarity and accuracy.

[albertinocala]

you can not compare Richter with Gould...by the way...you can not compare any pianist with another pianist. Art is ...the differences..

[lsd240]

I cannot add better comments than all of you had posted. Thank you. Marvellous music and pianist...!

[miguelacp83]

What to me, personally, Richter brings forth, is an impeccably clean and brilliant fire, which is what Beethoven epitomizes to me.

[raulrolonguitar]

Wonderful like the heaven!!

[samsonno]

Annie Fischer is a great pianist and her version of Pathetique is very good. I think however that Richter´s is even better, his power and rythmic energy is incomparable. That´s my opinion, others are entitled to their own of course.

[slickric25]

I second that! There is Richter and then there is the rest...

[bernardocarmopiano]

That´s a great performance of this Sonata. I think that Richter is one of the greatest pianist I´ve ever heard. However, the best interpreter of this sonata is ANNIE FISCHER. Thanks for posting.

[curiousspectator]

I dont know any other pianist with such a rythmic energy; so strict and yet with exact rubatos and fiery intensity. I also have the live recording with Richter but I think the studio recording (this one) is better balanced.

[Darklord12356]

How could no one have commented on this masterful interpretation yet?

[samsonno]

I felt that you piano enthusiasts deserve a proper recording of this well known sonata, so you can compare with Goulds´s version etc. Feel free to comment!

In my wiew the best version recorded, right tempo, excellent balance right/left hand (as always with Richter) etc.