Sviatoslav Richter in Salzburg, 1972 - Bach WTC I (1/4)

[55253ya]

I had to work 4 days to purchase this Richter´s WTC book1, taking student´s summer job in Japan in 1972. It cost 6,000 yen then. Now you can get it for only 2,000 yen, which means only 2 student-working hours. Lucky you, you can even listen to this for nothing.

[liostroramiro]

Beyond beautiful and heart braking to listen to.

[quinto34]

Gould's WTC version is engraved in my brain, I'm having a hard time getting used to this, even though I'm a huge Richter fan, I'm thinking maybe this is not for me.

Thanks for posting though!

[christophleipzig]

@quinto34 I know exactly, what you talking about. Same happened to me. It has taken some time. But Richter got me with the fugues at the end. For example the IV. The polyphony is somehow even 3 dimensional.

Gould and Richter are not comparible with Bach - but both are somehow very right and very good.

[pazdziochowaty]

@christophleipzig I love the IV, too. This manifests the pure genius of Bach to write such a perfect piece where two subjects are driven through all the voices to blend in such soul-touching harmonies. The complement of this picture is Richter's interpretative genius that extracts all those nuances to the listener's ears in a way that no other mortal will ever be able to reach.

And interestingly, I similarly fill number IV of Schostakovich's op. 87 in Richter's interpretation

[iguarni]

It is so sad to think that such genius like him wouldn't be born ever!

[Alexjr1543]

I think this might be the best piano recording of these pieces.

[galapz]

he recorded this on Bosendorfer

[42BassMaster42]

BVW 846, in this recording, feels as if i am walking through a snowy dream. I awake from the dream only to relize that it had snowed the night before. I walk outside and am more happy with the world then i could ever imagine.

[pcoffey1]

caljack 09 er - contar contar kind person- Bach and Richter PROVE the existence of a God= [ call Him what you'd like ] - something much greater than mere mortal - and the fact that we CAN enjoy ' it'- separately on a level that surpasses description and understanding speaks volumes to our having an innate share of the God likeness within us - i'm surprised one can appreciate Bach or verdi or whomever as GG and SR and you do and yet write as you do ? curious ....

[0blacone]

@pcoffey1 How wonderful to see such a civilized discussion.

[Alexjr1543]

@0blacone It's more civilized than the ones I've seen that have a similar nature, actually.

[pcoffey1]

caljack 09 - assuming we agree they , Bach, Richter has great talent which was finely developed thru their own effort, where do you suppose the original talent, the ability to connect notes in the correct key for the correct instrument or the ability to interpret those notations into an absolute feast for the ear, mind and heart. Where do you suppose that talent originated? - Is it not a glimpse, a peek, at the grandeur that is beholding the face of God? - or no - how do you see it?

[caljack09]

@pcoffey1 You've committed a logical fallacy known as begging the question. Why should the genius of Bach and Richter imply the existence of God? Why not Quetzalcoatl, Shiva, Thor, or Zeus or any deity at all? You are able to reach that conclusion only because you've implicitly assumed that God exists.

I have nothing against your religious beliefs, just the reasoning you employed. Nonetheless, I think we can both enjoy the genius of Bach and Richter, so let's just enjoy the music.

[pcoffey1]

more reassurance that there is a God and He is Great!!

[caljack09]

@pcoffey1 No, just reassurance that Bach and Richter were great.

[zugschwangelist]

Richter's clarity and ability to out the different voices in the fugues exceeds even Gould's. Absolutely amazing.

[str3123]

Wow! Thanks!

[demirelrobert]

fantastic

[fenderbender92]

Man, Richter was the whole package.

[galkinblinnax]

I find BWV 847 a bit too fast in the beginning, I wouldn't make sense in that tempo on a clavichord

[juan78980]

What are the bottles on the table?? Who knows, may be it is the Gods' drinks

[MusicPredominates]

@juan78980 : Sviatoslav Richter was no God.

[veeerooniicaaa]

Hermosa composiciòn e interpretaciòn

[binkymagnus]

it's so subtle. no neurotic melodrama. wonderful.

[bonsema1]

actually there is no melody at all but all these articulated cords would work very well as left hand accompaniment ( 1st part )

[Panzerino02]

All these are recorded on Boesendorfer piano at the Schloss Klessheim near Salzburg.

Definitively, the greatest recording of the WTC in the history of the piano music.

[pianist007]

@Panzerino02 Thanks for this info. I always loved the sound of this piano, it has an unusual beautiful "ring" and singing tone ! The acoustics and the spaciousness give the music a mysterious air too :)

[Uffculme1711]

Is this the same as the commercial recording issued by RCA/BMG Classics? 

[FirstPublicChannel]

@Uffculme1711 it's the only recorded studio version, the only recorded in that date and place

[juan78980]

Thats one of the bests recordings ever

[FirstPublicChannel]

@juan78980 i think it's the top

[barrtok]

thanks!



[FirstPublicChannel]

@barrtok you're welcome