This disc has two strikes against it. It's a reissue and it's a mash-up of excerpts from various collections of short pieces, which means that the composer's original intentions are violated. But those two strikes hardly matter when the performer hits a home run with every piece. Russian pianist Sviatoslav Richter, through the sheer strength of his virtuosity, sensitivity, intensity, and poetry transforms this disparate collection of Rachmaninov's Études-tableaux, Opp. 33 and 39, and his Preludes, Opp. 23 and 32, into a ...
Read More
This disc has two strikes against it. It's a reissue and it's a mash-up of excerpts from various collections of short pieces, which means that the composer's original intentions are violated. But those two strikes hardly matter when the performer hits a home run with every piece. Russian pianist Sviatoslav Richter, through the sheer strength of his virtuosity, sensitivity, intensity, and poetry transforms this disparate collection of Rachmaninov's Études-tableaux, Opp. 33 and 39, and his Preludes, Opp. 23 and 32, into a cogent and compelling artistic statement. Though the works are out of order -- the opening three Études-tableaux from Op. 33, for example, are performed first (No. 9, No. 5, and then No. 6) -- Richter lets each one shine individually, and joins them together to make a whole greater than the sum of the parts. The same could be said for all the performances here; both separately and collectively, they are worlds ahead of those by virtually any other pianist who has ever taken on these...
Read Less
Portions of content provided by Rovi Corporation. © 2024 Rovi Corporation.