Sviatoslav Richter

Parnassus's ongoing documentation of the little-known early period of Sviatoslav Richter's career continues with a monumental, mostly unpublished Beethoven recital from 1951. While there are well-known recordings of Richter playing the "Diabelli" Variations from 1971 and 1986, this is the earliest documented performance of him playing the music. Of the material in this concert, only the "Diabelli" Variations have ever been published before. The remaining material from this concert has never been published in any form.

"This is a performance of high quality. Sviatoslav Richter in particular precisely catches the cheerful mood of the music and the underlying shadows of which one should sometimes be conscious, and he plays those simple tunes in octaves so freshly that you’d think he’d only just discovered their charms." Gramophone Magazine

EMI MASTERS celebrates the full glory of the greatest performances from the world's greatest catalogue of recorded music. Digitally remastered at Abbey Road Studios direct from the original master tapes, these classic recordings emerge with unparalleled immediacy. You will be left in no doubt that you are in the presence of legendary musicians and ageless interpretations.