Sergei Rachmaninov Piano concerto n°1 op.1 I. Vivace 0:00 II. Andante 12:31 III. Allegro vivace 18:53 Sviatoslav Richter Symphony Orchestra of the Radio of the USSR Kurt Sanderling Studio recording, Moscow, 18.II.1955
Here is the relatively young Richter, full of fire and volatility not to mention awesome mastery. This legendary performer played virtually all Russian piano repertoire with an authority and empathy unmatched by his contemporaries. Having said this I also admire the Ashkenazy/Previn account of this concerto from 1972 which has a similar intensity. I have always thought this to be a Finely constructed work deserving greater recognition from many of todays players.
Wunderschöne Interpretation dieser spätromantischen Meisterwerks mit klarem Klang des Soloklaviers und perfekt synchronisierten Töne anderer Instrumente. Der erfahrene Maestro dirigiert das perfekt trainierte Orchester im gut phraiserten Tempo mit perfekt kontrollierer Dynamik. Einfach wunderbar!
I thought that the Concert No. 2 and No. 3 were insurmountable until I heard this from magnificent Richter. There is much here that is exquisite, a rhythmic perfection almost defying belief.
Outstanding. I like it more than the Second. Richter captures all the romantic and decadent spirit of this concerto. Very beautiful. And Sanderling is equally good. I liked this performance a lot. I even downloaded it. I will hear it many times from now. Thank you very much!
It is a source of continued fascination for me that the strict objectivity Richter brought to Rachmaninoff's shorter works fits them so perfectly as to exclude all others, but he never managed to own the glory of the larger works. His playing often feels calculated and remote in these larger works, even, strangely, in the grandest gestures. For all that Byron Janis' Moscow performance is more free than I normally approve, it manages to sneak all its excesses into just the right nooks and crannies. Its phrasing and overall unity are perfection.
