For many years now I have been a huge fan of music performed by Russian pianist Sviatoslav Richter. Now a new recording has just been issued of additional interpretations by this great artist. The title of this recording is:
“Sviatoslav Richter in the 1940’s” It features the following music:
Bach, J S:
Keyboard Sonata in D major, BWV963
Capriccio sopra la lontananza del suo fratello dilettissimo, BWV992
English Suite No. 3 in G minor, BWV808: Sarabande
Beethoven:
Piano Sonata No. 22 in F major, Op. 54
Piano Sonata No. 3 in C major, Op. 2 No. 3
Piano Sonata No. 9 in E major, Op. 14 No. 1
Kreisler:
Liebesfreud
Schumann:
Fantasie in C major, Op. 17
All performed by Sviatoslav Richter (piano)
You might ask how is it possible that recordings from these years have been preserved in such good sound quality? As the war ended, the victorious Russians commandeered German recording equipment and microphones. Russian engineers quickly learned to use this equipment, so that high quality tape recordings were being produced in Russia even before the Western recording and broadcasting companies started using tape.
Here is Sviatoslav Richter playing Bach:
