Richter plays Bach: WTC1 No. 10 in e minor BWV 855

[onlymusiciansallowed]

a perfect example of the way you don"t play note's, richter NEVER understoode the meaning of music, for him only the "form" was interesting, never emotion or creativity. he is togheter with pollini the greatest mistake in music history. Every one who likes this kind of piano playing does not know what real music making is. very very sad.

[vahagnvardanyan]

@onlymusiciansallowed Bach must be played exact tempo, Richter does it, that is why he is so popular. The musical schools on the other side of Atlantic haven't kept the strict traditions of Viennese Classical School, so grow to his level, and then criticize him.

BTW Richter and Gilels have the same teacher.

[onlymusiciansallowed]

@vahagnvardanyan there is just one way to play music: with the heart, all other methods are a lie. Strict traditions... the word "tradition" explains itself: no creativity, only reproducing what others already did. Richter and pollini are perfect examples of non-creative pianists (and I do not use the word "musician"). They have no clue that music must come from the heart and not the mind.

[Pianoplayer002]

@onlymusiciansallowed If I truly in my heart wanted to play Bach holding down the pedal from beginning to end and using enormous amounts of rubato, it would sound ugly and extemely tasteless. The mind is necessary to funnel heart in the right direction. Cortot is a perfect example of this, which is why I love him so much. He has made some of the most passionate and heartfelt recordings I know, but his interpretations still rest on a rock solid foundation of the intellect.

[onlymusiciansallowed]

@Pianoplayer002 intellect has nothing to do with the heard mr spock. Cortot is indeed a very good interpret, but horowitz, fiorentino, pogorolich, katchen, keene, volondat, cziffra, francois and so many others also, and they did not came from that "strict school". Just one way to play music: with your heart. all the other ways are a lie. Richter and pollini are lies. they never produced a honest note of music. only mathematics

[RolfParkerHoughton]

To my ear, Richter genius is that he infuses the music with more emotion, even when playing faster than others. For example, Gould usually sounds precise and dry, in comparison.

[yronwyatt49b]

This vid is popular on Sarajevo

[indseytate718l]

This video went viral on Macedonia

[StreetPerforming]

everytime i hear someone play the piano on the radio and think that the pianist is playing the piece fast, it´s always richter ^^

[Petrokwstas]

Richter is the best on well tempered clavier!!!!!!

[Polydactyl13]

A tad too fast for my taste...

[krokigrygg]

What a super genius Bach was, the prelude is epic..

[yumeybaconcutout]

you play pretty good man, but a little too fast for my taste. you're still great!

[hellboyreloaded]

@yumeybaconcutout hmmm, is Richter playing.

[tatre111]

absolutely fascinating!!!!!!

[LaKritika]

it is not in E minor, it sounds like F minor, it sounds like a tone up.

[piann00b]

a bit too fast....

[vshagoyan]

The bass here is the Melody in the (Bach/Siloti) prelude in B minor.

[carlosLor]

sublime... qué recuerdos

[MKawarada]

音は空気の振動。

響きは空気を長く振わせること。

すなわち響きは音の空気化だろう。

響きを援用した音楽は何をしているかといえば死の力を借りて音楽­をしている。このリヒテルなんかの場合がそう。逆に意識的に響き­を抑制する音楽というものがあるものだ。それは何をしたいのかと­いえば、音の粒子やら情報やらを矢継ぎ早に流し続けようとする意­志なのだ。音をひたすら流れさすこと。そこでは響きは邪魔なのだ­。その良い例がグールドのバッハピアノ曲に出てると思う。スタッ­カート奏法はこの場合実に有効な技法。これに近似する意思はさか­もっさんの「音楽図鑑」に聴くことができる。

[Oscarbrash]

the best version :D

[DBroeders]

Ah! Finally a recording of the Fugue that doesn't try to be faster than the speed of light ;) Beautiful version!

[MarjanJanczyk]

bach .....

[EvanWaggerman]

The presto and from there on is fantastic.

[dasklavierleben]

Here we observe richter flossing his teeth

[LversusKira]

For some Bach i prefer the slower interpretations but for this piece Richter works the best for me. I also love the Gilels Siloti B minor video on YT.

[brenonion]

bach stupefies me on a daily basis

his output is truly a staggering feat of the human imagination

[hoodloom22]

@brenonion

I agree. Bach is simply mind blowing...It's not just Bach's output.

Afterall Telemann wrote much more than him...it's that every one of his

pieces is a masterpiece. It's his output of masterpieces. Even if he wrote

the 15 inventions he would (to me) be a brilliant composer.

[RedWasabii]

Bach, the greatest genius in music.

[jerbiebarb]

He must've been out of position at 2:34. I doubt he meant to sound so disjointed there.

from the D7 to the G7

3rd to last measure on that page..

[LversusKira]

This treatment really jumps out, depending on what mood i'm in i might like this, or a slower performance.

[Sofoclaudio]

Perfection exists!

[Fr00Luna]

Glenn Gould plays this way better, and he sings as well. Doesn't get much better than that.

[jojobruin]

A matter of preference, perhaps? I didn't enjoy the staccato treatment of the left hand by Gould as much.

[Fr00Luna]

You are absolutely right, it's a matter of preference. And I think Richters plays this too fast, I love the tempo Gould have on it. Especially the pelude. Another plus for Gould on the prelude is that he ends it in E-minor, instead of E-major, as normally done on pieces in a minor key.

[Aereliz]

+1

it is right

[zarevic]

Che cosa vuoi sapere, è meglio non sapere... che cosa vuoi aggiungere, nulla si può aggiungere... e ancora dicono che la perfezione non esiste? E' rara... estremamente rara ma, come la mosca bianca, esiste!

[musiccritic1910]

Eternal wisdon, everlasting beauty, timeless harmony

[iguarni]

The fuge is the proof that Bach was really a mankind's genius!!!!!

[musiccritic1910]

I think that prelude bears more philosophical meaning then fuga. It sounds like the creation of the world..as everything in bach according to Goethe

[beautyguys]

ah, non avevo precisato che sono 25 anni che studio pianoforte

[beautyguys]

sono tre anni che la studio insieme agli altri pezzi dell'esame e ancora non riesco a suonarla bene, che debba smettere di studiare il pianoforte?

[frederickfrederikfre]

Il Bach di Richter mi piace davvero molto

[iguarni]

AWESOME!

[werq34ac]

The fugue almost sounds like it's two pianos playing.. but of course, it's just Bach's genius...

[TwelfthRoot2]

Ahhh the beauty of the fugue :-)

[simonsmatthew]

It is actually very good piano playing that makes that possible. You need to have a contrapuntal ear to play like this. I cannot think of anyone around today who really plays like this.

[kira456love]

@werq34ac i concur he is very smart

[GoodNamesWereUsed]

sure piano sounds great. but i just love that old crappy harpichord's sound. but it's just a taste matter.

nice version indeed.

[Iain0408]

One of the great advantages of the piano is that you can have dynamic contrast. I wish Richter would have done more in the fugue. Also, it seems incredibly RH heavy which is not really the right style for a fugue. Try playing on a harpsichord just to see what Bach would have heard and you will hear that the bass is very strong and by no means is the treble dominant. I still prefer playing on the piano however, for the possible range of sound is limitless.

[yimack]

is it just me or is this really romantic in style?

[laureanobruno]

why in the fugue he gives more importance to the subtheme than the theme (sorry for my english)

[art4ever1]

wenn das nicht göttliche musik ist.....

Richter ist der beste ever !

[laureanobruno]

Fantástico! Realmente esta es la mejor interpretacion que he escuchado

[lwnf360]

wasn't this meant for harpsichord?

[alexkonow]

All Baroque pieces and many classical pieces are but that doesn't mean pianists aren't allowed to play these kinds of pieces does it?

[lwnf360]

It sounds messy on the piano. I would prefer a harpsichord version.

[alexkonow]

That's your opinion but people have been playing "harpsichord pieces" on the piano for centuries.

[Sshelly34213]

I'd rather listen to it on a piano, harpsichord is just annoying.

[revorrah]

i see what you are saying. harpsichord is alright in very small doses.

[Sshelly34213]

Yea I can take it in small doses, plus enjoy the sound of a piano much more.

[Mahlercougar]

I agree.. Small doses

[pianowink]

The Prelude in C minor is awesome on harpsichord.. try it

[davymc91]

When can we expect the b flat minor bwv 867? I am in love with that piece!

[framaulo]

Inhuman.

Astonishing.

[MarquezSouza]

I'm agree with 'beryllium2'.

my favorite preludes are this and nº1 in C major

[MarquezSouza]

IT'S BEAUTIFUL!

Ritcher is amazing!

Thank you for upload :)

[beryllium2]

This prelude is one of the most beautiful.

[dzeljpiano]

This is a fantastic composition !!!!!

[Chopianist3]

Lol "Isn't Glen Gouldish enough"! PAH!! Guess what THIS IS RICHTER!!!!!!!

[PoopShitMario]

This recording isn't Glenn Gouldish enough.

[Pianoplayer002]

Hmm, I have to say, if I want it to be Glenn Gouldish I listen to Glenn Gould.

[PhillipFawcettPiano]

@Pianoplayer002 I agree! I can never quite understand how Gould gets that ,semi-staccato' in the left hand, and such character in the melody.

[animumaurarium]

@PoopShitMario

So we call this Richter

[Bassoonater]

@PoopShitMario HAH you should listen to my man Richter's WTC Book 1 Prelude and Fugue 1 and compare it to Glenn's performance. You don't even need to reply back mate.

[vshagoyan]

@Bassoonater ain't that the truth?! It's like the soul of the music has been removed.

[hornuser]

Fugue starts at 1:54.

[pyroprince78]

His lucidity is astounding. Every note exactly where it should be.

[dizygotegemini]

Listen to Glenn Gould play this.

[3NUNS]

mmmm .... didn't know it was played thus !

[waeman]

very nice performance but i think it needs more expression, specially the fugue needs some changes in tempo

[moonybg]

In dynamics also.

[KeithWhalen11]

What a pianist Richter was!

[sam0xin]

I Love this to see THE WORK & hear at ones THE MASTER ! Thank you Pianoplayer002!

[Mirkitarrista]

Bach is an incredible composer,pheraps the best i think.His music is very beautiful and perfect in each aspect.

I love it!:)great post

[indigoblue555]

Grateful to you for sharing -

[thegoddescomposer]

great post thank you so much