The Sofia Recital 1958 | Frederic Chopin, Franz Liszt, ...

The Sofia Recital 1958 | Frederic Chopin, Franz Liszt, ... | A Slice of History, Recorded for the Ages

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The Sofia Recital ...

	The Sofia Recital 1958 Frederic Chopin, Franz Liszt, ... Philips, 2001 average customer review:based on 18 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Definitive recording, greatly improved sound

This legendary recording captures Sviatoslav Richter in a live recital in Sofia in 1958. I first heard it on the DG "Panorama" double CD of selections of Mussorgsky's works. The sound was quite poor: the piano was tinny, there was noticeable surface noise that came and went, and the dynamic range was compressed and lacked depth. Still, the performance was so compelling that I found myself listening to it over and over again. Even after buying the Byron Janis recording on Mercury with much better sound, I missed the intensity and power of Richter's performance.

So when this newly remastered version became available, I immediately bought it, hoping that it would be an improvement. The sound of this new remastering is what this performance has deserved all along. The surface noise is almost totally gone, and the sound of the piano is much more natural, without the dry, compressed sound of the previous version. The audience is still noisy, with coughs throughout, but you get used to it after a couple listenings. The same is true of the infamous fluffed note in the opening; it's there, it's grating the first few times, then it almost takes on a certain charm all its own.

But the real power of this recording is the incredible performance by one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century. Some have said that this is the greatest piano recording ever made of anything, period. While that is perhaps an overstatement, it's certainly not far from the truth. This is an essential recording, not just because it's the definitive recording of "Pictures", but because of the power and beauty of Richter's artistry. I still enjoy the Janis recording with its clean sound and accomplished playing, but Richter's total involvement with the music surpasses Janis and all others.

My only complaint is that while the notes include a short biography of Richter, there's nothing about the recital itself, nor are there any comments about the process used in this latest remastering. This is an unfortunate oversight, especially when Philips could have justifiably used this as a stunning example of their newest remastering techniques.

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A Slice of History, Recorded for the Ages

Sofia, Bulgaria. February, 1958. There's a nasty cold going round. Communism's grayness is everywhere. People can barely afford to attend a concert, even at Warsaw Pact prices. But they come to hear a Ukrainian pianist of German extraction play a demanding program. And someone sets up a monophonic tape recorder. The microphone isn't as close to the piano as it ought to be.

Western civilization has lived now for forty-odd years with this recording of Moussorgsky's "Pictures." Some of us have auditioned seemingly countless other performances. But this is the one we always come back to. This is the ultimate, warts and all.

The first time it was released on CD, I was happy to see that the remainder of the concert had been added (the old Columbia LP contained only the "Pictures"). It's now chock full of shorter pieces, many thrice-familiar and a couple less so, all well done. Now we have 73 minutes of music.

Why do we all so cheerfully tolerate the below-par sound, the coughing, and the gaffs? Because the overall conception of the work, as realized by Richter, is so compelling. If you only know the "Pictures" from the orchestrated version, it's time for you to buy and get to know the original piano version. And this is the best one out there. Allow yourself to be swept away.

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Look for hidden gem

This performance is remarkable, so I will not even bother to repeat the other reviewers' praise. But I will point out that the "Pictures" is not the only reason to buy the CD. I keep going back to an absolutely haunting rendition of Chopin's Etude in E, op. 10 no. 3. Really, the 4:21 minutes worth of that one piece is reason enough to give this a listen. Richter makes the almost schmaltzy Chopin become the emotional force that he truly is when played appropriately (i.e., with restraint). Also, some people seem to mind the recording quality of the performance: I actually prefer the tension it creates. It also gives it a more human and potentially fragile quality, as if you have to savor it that much more because it may fall apart at any moment. If you're one of those people who actually likes the fact that you can hear Glenn Gould humming while he's playing, then you'll appreciate this recording as well. Enjoy.

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Despite minor flaws, you'll be moved

The first time I heard this CD, I was a little disappointed. After all, the sound is only as good as the little tape recorder that was recording the concert could produce back then. And on top of that, the audience was suffering from a flu epidemic and were therefore coughing fairly often. Did I mention the obvious finger slip in the opening of the "Pictures"? Well, after discovering all of these things for the first time, I was not counting on this record doing anything for me. Much less being one of my all time favorites. But that's what happened after the last note was struck...the performance made up for any minor setbacks and then some. There's a way an artist can affect you to where you not only don't mind any negatives (sound, noise, missed notes, etc.), but you almost enjoy them, realizing that that is part of the art. Horowitz could do it and so could Richter.