Pianist Sviatoslav Richter was reserved yet unflinching in his pursuit of musical excellence, and in later years capable of imposing idiosyncratic conditions for his eagerly anticipated performances.
He was already a legend behind the Iron Curtain by the time he made his belated first appearances in the West. Endowed with a consummate technique and devoted to utter fidelity to the musical composition, he brought a vivid characterization to each composer he performed, from Bach, whose piano music he actively promoted, to the grand virtuoso works of Franz Liszt.
Here is Sviatoslav Richter in the Prelude and Fugue BWV 853 by Bach:
