GREAT RECORDINGS phase 10

GRIEG & SCHUMANN: PIANO CONCERTOS*
SCHUMANN: PAPILLONS
Sviatoslav Richter
*Orchestre National de l'Opéra
de Monte Carlo/Lovro von Matacˇic´

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'Richter's Schumann seems to me unequalled by any other pianist; the slow movement of the concerto is really exquisite and the way he plays the main theme of Papillons should make you buy the disc if nothing else does. In the Grieg also, there is some splendid playing and the Adagio is most beautifully done.' (Gramophone)

Unquestionably one of the greatest re-creative artists of the 20th century, the Russian pianist Sviatoslav Richter (1915-1997) astonished the world with his extraordinary pianism and interpretative genius. Though there is, fortunately, a huge discography of his recordings (both live and in the studio), EMI was able to record the enigmatic Richter only rarely.

However, those few EMI recordings are some of Richter's very best, including this superb account of Papillons (taken live in Florence during an Italian tour in 1962) and Richter's own very individual takes on two of the best-loved of all piano concertos, those by Schumann (which was the pianist's own favourite concerto) and Grieg.

Writing in his Notebooks in 1975, just after receiving a copy of the original LP, Richter commented: 'I consider this recording of the Grieg concerto with Matacˇic´ one of my genuine successes. It has my full approval.'