Sviatoslav Richter plays Tchaikovsky Concerto No. 1 (1/4)

[gkollias14]

I know it is not correct to compare... but in order to compliment Richter, never mind.

I listened to all the versions of Emil Gilels playing this concerto in youtube and to my account none reached this phaenomenal, monstrous, really deep and powerfull interpretation of this piece. Orchestra also does its job spectacurlarly.

[dazzlingbydesigncdd]

This is so beautiful.

[Liszt1886]

what do you think of Kissin-Karajan in this Concerto?

[uhartchristian]

yes people are right when they say that the recording with With Karajan this piece was not a big success. I don t know why but Karajan missed the piece. Probably did not take a close look and did it quick as he had other things more important for him to prepare. Richter for sur must have done it in a spectacular way in russia with a good orchestra. Would like to hear the Mavrinsky version....

[pincheruso]

Did Michelangeli record it?Where can I find it?

[suzanneramdane]

the best version,

[Sinfoniette]

Ah. Did anyone hear the Horowitz/Toscanini version of this concerto? I am about to buy it and I was wondering if it is a great recording or a horrible one.

[RabidCh]

It should be on YouTube. I highly recommend it for the outer movements since I don't really like his 2nd movement.

[Sinfoniette]

You know, I bought the Cliburn/Kondrashin recently. The brass at the beginning sounds a little 'wimpy' (Remember that I'm just 12!) at the beginning. The brass should be playing out!

[RabidCh]

I like Richter/Mravinsky, maybe because I love the tempi there and Mravinsky's conducting, though Richter bangs the opening a little stronger than usual :)

[Sinfoniette]

As a child who listened to the Karajan-Richter version so often, the intro seems insanely fast for my ears. Truecrypt, could you post of picture (by link) of this recording? I would very appreciate it if you would.

[prdyvody]

I Love Tchaikovsky

[BoratBrother]

the best rendition of this concerto ever from 1953 with Czech Philharmonics--perfect tempo, perfect expression and interpretation and the sonorities Richter produces is just majestic..need I say more..thank you truecrypt for uploading this magnificient performance...I don't think any other pianist can equal this --they can only astound in wonderment!!!!Why do modern orchestras play the intro so slow????

[truecrypt]

It was a time (about 30-40 years ago) when this tempo was popular. It was abused by "virtuoso students" and later more "musical" approach prevailed. Don't forget we also have super-slow version played by Richter/Karajan later! ;)

[BoratBrother]

do you have a link to later slow version Richter/Karajan?

[truecrypt]

nope, I didn't post it... may be I should and it would be a good and interesting comparison.

[BoratBrother]

Please could you upload the slow Karajan/Richter version for posterity? It would be interesting because these two did not get on with each other--I wonder who prevailed ( Karajan had always done the slow version as far as I'm aware)--I would like to see how Richter plays the intro!!!

[RabidCh]

It's known as a bad recording. Just too many moments of emotional divergance.

[Sinfoniette]

I recently bought the Karajan/Richter version and I should post it by tomorrow... the intro is pretty slow compared to this.

[ArturoAlejandroS]

It's a great version,like this one.

[Sinfoniette]

Alrighty, I just posted the Karajan-Richter. Look at the video responses; I should be there.

[willistara]

Finally, here's the piece I would love being performed by the great master, Sviatoslav Richter! Thanks, Truecrypt...:-)

[0OoFACUoO0]

I love this piano concerto... I've never heard it played by Richter.

Thank you very much!

[charlottevk]

Thank you for sending this very beautiful performance.

[aewanko300]

Thank you truecrypt for posting this concerto played by Richter. I've been looking for it for a long time.

[GetMeThere1]

I have a question for the resident Russian musicologists:

On YT there is a vid showing Evgenia Rubinova playing this QUITE slowly. One comment claims that the CORRECT tempo was written as Andante non troppo, and that many scores are INCORRECTLY labelled as Allegro non troppo.

SURELY, the Russians must know...but Richter here is the FASTEST by far I've heard it, and almost everyone else is faster than Evgenia Rubinova.

Expert Russian opinions?

[pianopera]

I'm certainly not a Russian expert...

But I think that the recording of Vassily Sapellnikoff of 1926 that is posted on YT comes as close as we can get to the original intentions of Tchaikovsky regarding tempo. It is played only a fraction slower than this!

[truecrypt]

I have 3 pre-war (WWII) editions and all of them marked as Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso. I did see new editions with "Andante" though!

AFAIK, "traditions" came straight from Siloti- Taneev-Rachmaninoff. All of them played this concerto quite fast. The same time there is a score marked by P.T. himself when he rehearsed

this concerto with German woman-pianist (don't remember her name). Lot of them were: "DO NOT RUSH", but it can be also attributed to performer's technical abilities.

[truecrypt]

May be the key words should be "non troppo e molto maestoso". Richter's speed is close to maximum allowed, but there is *no rush*! don't forget - there is a completely different recording with Karajan - truly Andante ma non troppo - also "maestoso-majestic"! So, if we take tempo marks literally - this might be a bit too fast, if we consider them as an indication of *character* - this tempo is very much acceptable (as long as *no rush* is there...)

[pianopera]

Exactly, I also think it's more about character!

My favourite remains Horowitz/Toscanini, for me the most MAJESTIC (a little slower than Richter here).

So the Sapellnikoff didn't really belong to the big tradition?

[truecrypt]

I think Sapellnikoff was a good pianist and knew Tchaikovsky's intentions, but he was not even close to Rachmaninoff-Siloti-Horowitz-R­ichter class. Taneev was the one who dedicated his life to this piece. There are many outstanding recordings - may be the one we should also honor is Cliburn-Kondrashin... simply outstanding!

[GetMeThere1]

Thanks pianopera and truecrypt, for your informed and insightful elaborations.

[GetMeThere1]

As an American youngster, Cliburn-Kondrashin is what I grew up on--and so it always seems "just right" to me. Certainly, there's no denying that it captures much of what P.T. intends.

[roka1729]

Hi!

Just heard the one with Karajan, well... for me it was a clash of egos :)

But I have the version Richter-Mravinski 1957, Leningrad. Fantastic! Similar to this one, but the orchestra is much better I think and Richter doesn't need to command in such a characteristic way as it can be heard here that he needs to, which of course I am delighted of, because I like Richter, but still... (Uhm... yeah, it did kind of made sense what I just wrote :D )

[rigel48]

According to Edition Eukenburg, the original marking was "Andante non troppo". It is in the third edition of the Concerto (in consultation with Ziloti) that the tempo was changed in "Allegro non troppo" by Tchaikovsky.

[truecrypt]

This (relatively unknown) recording was made in late 50s. Unlike later (much slower) rendition with Von Karajan, this one is very "youthful", fresh and exceptionally *natural*. Enjoy!