George Gershwin, concerto in F, Sviatoslav Richter 1993-1/5

[JohnsonPollock]

A grim-mouthed Soviet Russian strolls the streets of Manhattan. A wonderful, unique interpretation. Different but interesting and fun to listen to.

[Deepwatermusic]

1 person doesn't like this??? Is this person deaf???

[artsondra]

I have seen documentation that Rachmaninoff was indeed in the audience at the world premier of the Rhapsody in Blue but I have never read anything about Rachmaninoff attending any other Gershwin premier. Was your statement in error or can you share your source of information? I have wondered if they ever met or had any direct interaction with each other.

[artsondra]

I found the performance interesting except that the video clip ended well before the movement did. Richter played with a clarity that showed me things I've never heard before in a piece I thought I knew pretty well. That same clarity is also what makes the performance sound not as "American" to me as some. I love clarity in Bach and Mozart but not so much in Debussy or Gershwin.

[stibgo]

More than any other piece of music, there is a duality to this concerto. It is both a product of the jazz age and a classical piano concerto. Parts or this remind the listener of Rachmaninoff and he was, in fact, in the audience at the premier.

[TheTucsonJeff]

Naw, this just doesn't do it for me. Much too stiff - doesn't have an "American feel". Oscar Levant still owns this.

[gatomjp]

This music is based on the Charleston rhythm, a wild popular dance of the time. As much as I love Richter only a German could take the swing out of it. Richter and Eschenbach don't "get" this music. They are playing it like it's Grieg.

[harpiyon]

@gatomjp damn, you´re right. i grew up with another recording, that was groovy & exciting, unfortunately i don´t have the record any more & don´t know which orchestra played it, damn. it was surely an American orchestra, they "got it" very well.

nothing against Richter & Eschenbach though, they´re great musicians, but i think they´re doing better at European classic music.

[shabanasks]

i heard Tzimon Barto and the Nat. Phil conducted by Eschenbach play it live at the Kennedy center last month ...AMAZING!

[stackedaktor]

Oh my God. the way he took that little part from 3:00 to 3:15 was hilarious! I have never heard it played so mechanically. Great post!

THis is awesome (and I love this piece), but this is just an epic fail.

[xultradragonslayerx]

@stackedaktor I can only imagine how hard Richter worked to perfect this piece. To call this an epic fail is really mean.

[not2tees]

Much appreciation, Giovanni, for posting this most pleasing though unusual interpretation. Richter and Eschenbach bring out sounds I'd not heard in any other Concerto in F performance.

When I long ago started to listen to classical music, I much disliked any other interpretations than the first one that introduced a given work to me. Now a listening veteran, I've learned to value the eccentric or novel interpretations as well.

[rvn10rvn17]

richter is an outstanding pianist but he is simply not born to play gershwin.

[madlovba2]

@rvn10rvn17 I've just uploaded this, played by Marc-André Hamelin. He's born to play this (among others)!

[rvn10rvn17]

@madlovba2 i know, his version stands out even to bersntein..

i actually have downloaded all the 3 movs before the video was taken down..

but thanks.. :)

[blueslystone]

Piano passage 6:04 - 6:09 = pain in the ass

Although he plays it much slower here, which would make it easier.

[madlutist]

This is like the Horowitz take on "Stars and Stripes." Beautiful, and yet... SO Russian.

Nice, though. Certainly a different take. It's rare to hear any real famous pianist do this.

[RabidCh]

Sounds like "A Russian in America" if I may say so...

Really interesting take because of that :)

[Sinfoniette]

I am definitely buying this. A Russian in America!

[Sinfoniette]

If there is one...there are too many great performances that fade away at the last note of the performance. This may be one of them.

[RabidCh]

There is one. It's just a very hard to find recording.

[Sinfoniette]

Could you make a link to Amazon or something? I am dying to get a great rendition of it. I am not satisfied of Previn's un-jazzy orchestra and Entremont's pretty lame recording.

[RabidCh]

Bernstein...

[RabidCh]

Oh sorry... he never recorded it. Try Katchen.

[RabidCh]

Or Oscar Levant.

[snaaptaker]

Check out Oscar Levant's recording. It includes the Concerto, the Rhapsody in Blue, the 2nd Rhapsody, and the Three Preludes.

My personal favorites.

[salexlindsay]

I've been wanting to hear this for years!

[papaia5487]

ringrazio per la spiegazione. In quegli anni anche io inseguivo Richter dovunque era possibile. L'hoconosciuto personalemnte e non credevo avesse affrontato anche Gershwin. Sa anche dove lo ha suonato?

[GiovanniEMB]

Nel castello di Schwetzingen, a nord-ovest della regione del Baden-Würtenberg.

[papaia5487]

per me non è richter.

[GiovanniEMB]

è un disco senza diffusione commerciale che i fortunati uditori si sono presi come ricordo. L'ho ricevuto da cari amici e non c'è dubbio che sia Richter. A dire il vero lo si riconosce dalla sonirità, inoltre soltanto lui poteva permettersi di fare letture così "rilassate" e proporre in una sola sera due concerti per pianoforte e orchestra leggendo dallo spartito!