Sviatoslav Richter. Greatest pianist of the last century?

Horowitz Rachmaninoff Third

That's not transcendental. THIS is transcendental.

Das Wunder Trifonov

* cultural reference

Please no flamewar. Enjoy all three.

Thinking outside the box.

Round Midnite

There is the score. Then there is the soul of music. We have all heard literal renderings where the notes are all correct but the soul of the music is missing. Horowitz said every time he played a piece it came out different because he was constantly searching for the soul of the piece. What makes Richter great? More often than not he goes deepest into the soul of the piece. People have said that Richter owned Pictures, but then Horowitz in his 1951 recording has a Great Gates that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

Horowitz Pictures

But this is the exception that proves the rule.

Sorry to be convoluted but that's life.

Affinity for Mozart.

Mozart Piano Concerto Number 21

Mahler123: Did NOT say greatest ev- ah. Greatest of the last century is what I wrote in the original post.

Why ridiculous? You don't listen to every pianist isn't it so? You pick and choose which means you find some are better than others. Interesting is the reasons for our preferences illustrated by musical examples. The span of Richter's repertory and the depth is what sets him apart.  

Pollini Mozart Piano Concerto Number 23

And his mentor Michelangeli . Conducting is the wonderful Guilini.

Michelangeli Beethoven Piano Concerto Number Three

Gilels Beethoven Opus 101

Responding to praise, Gilels once said Wait'll you hear Richter. Gould was another Richter fan. 

At 83 Argerich maintains a vigorous concert schedule. She will play Beethoven's First Concerto in Berlin 24 thru 26 October 2024 accompanied by the Berliners and fellow Argentine Barenboim. After the break, it'll be Brahms Fourth. It will be fascinating to hear how each of the three performances differ.

Pollini is increasingly frail. 

To those throwing shade, I say Would you prefer we talk about which crappy audiophile recordings best demo the wonders of your system? Yes learning from colleagues about great new musical resources is a welcome refuge from which recording of Cantate Domino is best. Or Jazz at the Pawnshop. 

Correction. Pollini has passed.

Late Beethoven

Straw man argument. His complete Decca DG Phillips recordings are available in one box set and all the HMV recordings in another box set. His reputation rests on this discography of major label records. Not some obscure records from Provence.

All pianists can be reliably identified from brief snippets. That you think otherwise explains much.

Kissin Lang Lang