Brahms: Concerto No.2/Beethoven: Sonata No.23 | Sviatoslav Richter, Erich Leinsdorf, ... |...

Brahms: Concerto No.2/Beethoven: Sonata No.23 | Sviatoslav Richter, Erich Leinsdorf, ... | Merciless.Perfect.Incredible.Superhuman.Electric.Volcanic.

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Brahms: Concerto N...

	Brahms: Concerto No.2/Beethoven: Sonata No.23 Sviatoslav Richter, Erich Leinsdorf, ... RCA, 1993 average customer review:based on 29 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Ageless, profound, organic

It is hard to imagine not being deeply moved by the concerto, especially the slow movement. There is something beyond sound itself that maintains the architecture of this movement. The consonance between conductor and soloist is obvious. This recording was a rare appearance at the time of a Soviet artist in the west, perhaps this adds some emotional edge to it. Whatever the reason, this recording (which I listened to for years on vinyl) is beyond comparison.

Merciless.Perfect.Incredible.Superhuman.Electric.Volcanic.

When I first heard this disc, I just couldn't believe it contained a fellow mortal's performance. I concluded that the pianist Sviatoslav Richter was some Olympian Deity, at least when he gave this performance of Appassionata in 1960.

Of course the Brahms Second Concerto is excellent, but the Beethoven Appassionata is simply incredible, especially in the finale's coda. There have been many idiosyncratic interpreters of this monumental work, but nobody else has ever played it with such merciless conviction -- I almost smell the smoke in the keyboard.

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Essential recordings

There are other great recordings of this concerto (e.g., Gilels with Jochum conducting), but this is one of the best concerto recordings Richter made. The sound (the recording dates from 1960) is excellent. The Appassionata is nothing if not impassioned, but I would call attention to the wonderful slow movement, a fine example of Richter's power to draw the listener into a piece of music with rapt concentration and superb fingerwork and voicing. After the hushed revery of the Andante, though, hold on to your hat as Richter gallops to the finish!

Amazing, absolutely fabulous

I don't have sufficient words to praise this recording. It's just my favorite CD of all times.

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Simply stunnng

For a long time, I was never quite satisfied with recordings of the second Brahms, but this one left me stunned. His exceptional pianism aside, his feeling for tone and rhythmic accuracy make for what sounds like a new work. I urge all to obtain this wonderful CD; the Beethoven is also worthy of similar praise.

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, page 5, 6

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