Richter In Hungary (14 CD box set, FLAC)

Orchestra: Hungarian State Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: János Ferencsik, Nina Dorliac
Performer: Sviatoslav Richter
Audio CD
Number of Discs: 14 CD box set
Format: FLAC (tracks+cue)
Label: Budapest Music Group Records
Size: 3.01 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

CD 1 Richter in Hungary (1954)
Schumann: Piano concerto in A minor, op. 54
01. I. Allegro affettuoso
02. II. Intermezzo (Andantino grazioso)
03. III. Allegro vivace
04. Brahms: Intermezzo in A minor, op. 118/1
05. Brahms: Intermezzo in E-flat minor, op. 118/6
Academy of Music (Budapest, 8 March, 1954)

Bach: Das Wohltemperierte Klavier, Book I (selection)
06. Prelude in C minor
07. Fugue in C minor
08. Prelude in F major
09. Fugue in F major
10. Prelude in F minor
11. Fugue in F minor
12. Prelude in A major
13. Fugue in A major
14. Prelude in A minor
15. Fugue in A minor

Bach: French Suite in C minor, BWV 813
16. I. Allemande
17. II. Courante
18. III. Sarabande
19. IV. Air
20. V. Menuet I – II
21. VI. Gigue
Academy of Music (Budapest, 10 March, 1954)

CD 2 Richter in Hungary (1954)
Prokofiev: Sonata No. 8 in B-flat major, op. 84
01. I. Andante dolce – Allegro moderato – Andante dolce
02. II. Andante sognando
03. III. Finale (Vivace)
04. Ravel: Pavane pour une infante défunte
05. Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit No. 2 – Le gibet

Ravel: Valses nobles et sentimentales
06. I. Modéré très franc
07. II. Assez lent – avec une expression intense
08. III. Modéré
09. IV. Assez animé
10. V. Presque lent – dans un sentiment intime
11. VI. Vif
12. VII. Moins vif
13. VIII. Épilogue. Lent
14. Ravel: Jeux d’eau
15. Ravel: Alborada del gracioso
Academy of Music (Budapest, 26 March, 1954)

CD 3 Richter in Hungary (1958)
Schubert: Sonata in C minor, D. 958
01. I. Allegro
02. II. Adagio
03. III. Menuetto (Allegro)
04. IV. Allegro
05. 5. Schumann: Toccata, op. 7
Academy of Music (Budapest, 9 February, 1958)

06. Schubert: Moment musical in C major, D. 780/1

07. Liszt: Gnomenreigen

Liszt: Liebesträume
08. No. 2 in E major
09. No. 3 in A flat major

Liszt: Valses oubliées
10. No. 1
11. No. 2
12. No. 3
13. Liszt: Sonetto 123 del Petrarca
Academy of Music (Budapest, 11 February, 1958)

Debussy: Ariettes oubliées
14. No. 1 C’est l’extase langoureuse
15. No. 5 (Aquarelles I.) – Green
Bartók Hall (Budapest, 12 February, 1958)

CD 4 Richter in Hungary (1963)
Beethoven: Sonata in B-flat major, op. 22.
01. I. Allegro con brio
02. II. Adagio con molto espressione
03. III. Menuetto
04. IV. Rondo (Allegretto)

Schubert: Drei Klavierstücke, D. 946
05. 1. Allegro assai – Andante – Tempo I.
06. 2. Allegretto
07. 3. Allegro

Schubert: Wanderer fantasy in C major, D. 760
08. I. Allegro con fuoco ma non troppo
09. II. Adagio
10. III. Presto
11. IV. Allegro
Academy of Music (Budapest, 27 April, 1963)

CD 5 Richter in Hungary (1963)
Händel: Suite No. 5 in E major
01. I. Prelude
02. II. Allemande
03. III. Courante
04. IV. Air and Five Variations

Shostakovich: Six preludes and fugues, op. 87
Prelude and fugue No. 4 in E minor
05. Prelude: Andante
06. Fugue: Adagio
Prelude and fugue No. 12 in G-sharp minor
07. Prelude: Andante
08. Fugue: Allegro
Prelude and fugue No. 23 in F major
09. Prelude: Adagio
10. Fugue: Moderato con moto
Prelude and fugue No. 14 in E-flat minor
11. 11. Prelude: Adagio
12. Fugue: Allegro non troppo
Prelude and fugue No. 17 in A-flat major
13. Prelude: Allegretto
14. Fugue: Allegretto
Prelude and fugue No. 15 in D-flat major
15. Prelude: Allegretto
16. Fugue: Allegro molto

Prokofiev: Visions fugitives, op. 22
17. No. 3 Allegretto
18. No. 4 Animato
19. No. 5 Molto giocoso
20. No. 6 Con eleganza
21. No. 8 Commodo
22. No. 9 Allegretto tranquillo
23. No. 11 Con vivacità
24. No. 14 Feroce
25. No. 15 Inquieto
26. No. 18 Con una dolce lentezza
Erkel Theatre (Budapest, 29 April, 1963)

CD 6 Richter in Hungary (1965)
Mozart: Piano sonata in F major, K. 280
01. I. Allegro assai
02. II. Adagio
03. III. Presto

Beethoven: Piano sonata in A major, op. 101
04. I. Etwas lebhaft und mit der innigsten Empfindung
– Allegretto ma non troppo
05. II. Lebhaft. Marschmässig
– Vivace alla marcia
06. III. Langsam und sehnsuchtsvoll
– Adagio, ma non troppo, con affetto
07. IV. Geschwinde, doch nicht zu sehr, und mit Entschlossenheit
– Allegro

Chopin: Four scherzos
08. No. 1 in B minor, op. 20
09. No. 2 in B flat minor, op. 31
10. No. 3 in C sharp minor, op. 39
11. No. 4 in E major, op. 54
Erkel Theatre (Budapest, 17 July, 1965)

CD 7 Richter in Hungary (1967)
01. Schumann: Novellette in F major, op. 21/1
02. Schumann: Novellette in D major, op. 21/2
Erkel Theatre (Budapest, 27 August, 1967)

Haydn: Piano sonata in C major, Hob. XVI:35
03. I. Allegro con brio
04. II. Adagio
05. III. Finale. Allegro
06. Chopin: Rondo à la mazur

Debussy: Préludes for piano, Book II
07. I. Brouillards
08. II. Feuilles mortes
09. III. La puerta del Vino
10. IV. “Les fées sont d’exquises danseuses”
11. V. Bruyères
12. VI. “General Lavine” – excentric
13. VII. La terrasse des audiences du clair de lune
14. VIII. Ondine
15. IX. Hommage à S. Pickwick Esq.P.P.M.P.C.
16. X. Canope
17. XI. Les tierces alternées
18. XII. Feux d’artifice
Erkel Theatre (Budapest, 28 August, 1967)

CD 8 Richter in Hungary (1969)
01. Schubert: Thirteen Variations on a Theme by Anselm Hüttenbrenner, D. 576

Schumann: Fantasiestücke, op. 12 (selection)
02. No. 1 Des Abends – Sehr innig zu spielen
03. No. 2 Aufschwung – Sehr rasch
04. No. 3 Warum? – Langsam und zart
05. No. 5 In der Nacht – Mit Leidenschaft
06. No. 7 Traumes-Wirren – Äusserst lebhaft
07. No. 8 Ende vom Lied – Mit gutem Humor

Rachmaninov: Préludes (selection)
08. F-sharp minor, op. 23/1
09. A major, op. 32/9
10. B minor, op. 32/10
11. G-sharp minor, op. 32/12
12. A-flat major, op. 23/8
13. E major, op. 32/3
14. B-flat minor, op. 32/2
15. F minor, op. 32/6
16. F major, op. 32/7
17. B-flat major, op. 23/2
18. D major, op. 23/4
19. G minor, op. 23/5

20. Prokofiev: War and Peace – Waltz, op. 96/1
Academy of Music (Budapest, 18 November, 1969)

CD 9 Richter in Hungary (1973)
Bach: Das Wohltemperierte Klavier, Book II (selection)
01. Prelude in C major
02. Fugue in C major
03. Prelude in C minor
04. Fugue in C minor
05. Prelude in C-sharp major
06. Fugue in C-sharp major
07. Prelude in C-sharp minor
08. Fugue in C-sharp minor
09. Prelude in E-flat major
10. Fugue in E-flat major
11. Prelude in D-sharp minor
12. Fugue in D-sharp minor
Academy of Music (Budapest, 16 March, 1973)

13. Prelude in G major
14. Fugue in G major
15. Prelude in A-flat major
16. Fugue in A-flat major
17. Prelude in A major
18. Fugue in A major
19. Prelude in A minor
20. Fugue in A minor
21. Prelude in B major
22. Fugue in B major
23. Prelude in B-flat minor
24. Fugue in B-flat minor

Encores:
25. Prelude in B major
26. Prelude in B minor
27. Fugue in B minor
Academy of Music (Budapest, 18 March, 1973)

CD 10 Richter in Hungary (1972-78)
Mendelssohn: Lieder ohne Worte, op. 19
01. No. 1 Andante con moto
02. No. 2 Andante
03. No. 3 Molto allegro e vivace
04. No. 5 Moderato
05. No. 6 Andante sostenuto

06. Chopin: Nocturne in B-flat minor, op. 9/1

Debussy: Images, Book I
07. No. 1 Reflets dans l’eau
08. No. 2 Hommage à Rameau
09. No. 3 Mouvement
10. Debussy: Hommage à Haydn
Szeged (16 February, 1972)

Chopin: Two waltzes
11. F major, op. 34/3
12. G-flat major, op. 70/1

Chopin: Four mazurkas
13. C-sharp minor, op. 63/3
14. C major, op. 67/3
15. F major, op. 68/3
16. A minor, op. post.
Academy of Music (Budapest, 10 December, 1976)

Schubert: Piano sonata in A major, D. 664
17. I. Allegro moderato
18. II. Andante
19. III. Allegro
Academy of Music (Budapest, 10 August, 1978)

CD 11 Richter in Hungary (1976)
Beethoven: Sonata in F minor, op. 2/1
01. I. Allegro
02. II. Adagio
03. III. Menuetto (Allegretto)
04. IV. Prestissimo

Beethoven: Sonata in D major, op. 10/3
05. I. Presto
06. II. Largo e mesto
07. III. Menuetto (Allegro)
08. IV. Rondo (Allegro)

Beethoven: Sonata in E major, op. 14/1
09. I. Allegro
10. II. Allegretto
11. III. Rondo (Allegro commodo)

Beethoven: Sonata in A-flat major, op. 26
12. I. Andante con variazioni
13. II. Scherzo (Allegro molto)
14. III. Marcia funebre sulla morte d’un Eroe
15. IV. Allegro
Academy of Music (Budapest, 9 December, 1976)

CD 12 Richter in Hungary (1982-85)
01. Liszt: Harmonies poétiques et religieuses (excerpt)
No. 9 Andante lagrimoso

02. Franck: Prélude, choral et fugue

Szymanowski: Mazurkas
03. op. 50/1
04. op. 50/17
05. op. 50/18
06. op. 50/3
Pesti Vigadó (Budapest, 11 September, 1982)

Debussy: Préludes, Book I (selection)
07. No. 1 Danseuses de Delphes
08. No. 2 Voiles
09. No. 3 Le vent dans la plaine
10. No. 4 “Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l’air du soir”
11. No. 5 Les collines d’Anacapri
12. No. 6 Des pas sur la neige
13. No. 7 Ce qu’a a vu le Vent d’Ouest
14. No. 9 La sérénade interrompue
15. No. 10 La Cathédrale engloutie
16. No. 11 La danse de Puck
Opera House (Budapest, 14 January, 1985)

CD 13 Richter in Hungary (1983)
Tchaikovsky: The Seasons, op. 37/b (selection)
01. May: White Nights
02. June: Barcarolle
03. November: On the Troika
04. January: By the Hearth

Tchaikovsky: Piano pieces
05. Nocturne in F major, op. 10/1
06. Valse-scherzo in A major, op. 7
07. Humoresque in E minor, op. 10/2
08. Capriccioso in B-flat major, op. 19/5
09. Valse in A-flat major, op. 40/8
10. Romance in F minor, op. 5

Rachmaninov: Études-Tableaux (selection)
11. C-sharp minor, op. 33/9
12. D minor, op. 33/5
13. E-flat minor, op. 33/6
14. C minor, op. 39/1
15. A minor, op. 39/2
16. F-sharp minor, op. 39/3
17. B minor, op. 39/4
18. D major, op. 39/9
Academy of Music (Budapest, 3 August, 1983)

CD 14 Richter in Hungary (1993)
Grieg: Lyric pieces
01. Arietta, op. 12/1
02. Vals (Waltz), op. 12/2
03. Vektersang (Watchman’s Song), op. 12/3
04. Alfedans (Elves’ Dance), op. 12/4
05. Springdans (Spring Dance), op. 38/5
06. Kanon (Canon), op. 38/8
07. Sommerfugl (Butterfly), op. 43/1
08. Til Foråret (To the Spring), op. 43/6
09. Valse-Impromptu, op. 47/1
10. Gangar (Norwegian march), op. 54/2
11. Scherzo, op. 54/5
12. Klokkeklang (Bell ringing), op. 54/6
13. Hemmelighed (Secret), op. 57/4
14. Hun danser (She Dances), op. 57/5
15. Hjemve (Homesickness), op. 57/6
16. Drømmesyn (Phantom), op. 62/5
17. Bryllupsdag på Troldhaugen (Wedding day in Troldhaugen), op. 65/6
18. Aften på højfjellet (Evening in the Mountains), op. 68/4
19. Småtroll (Puck), op. 71/3
20. Skovstilhed (Peace in the Woods), op. 71/4
21. Forbi (Gone), op. 71/6
22. Efterklang (Remembrances), op. 71/7
Budapest Congress Center (9 November, 1993)

beyond category

Where to begin? First, if you are looking to acquire just one set that’s representative of the art of Sviatoslav Richter, this new 14 cd collection, “Richter in Hungary” is it. If you are considering purchasing the Richter EMI Icon set which also includes 14 cds, forget about it; there is simply no comparison between the two. The recordings in the EMI set are virtually all studio sessions, including many with orchestra, whereas this set finds Richter in consistently inspired form performing live and solo (only one concerto recording is included in the box, the Schumann). The recitals span 1954 to 1993, are recorded in surprisingly good sound by Hungarian Radio, and cover immense Richterian territory from Haydn to Shostakovich with an assortment of Bach, Prokofiev, Debussy, Handel, Liszt, Haydn, Mozart, Grieg, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Schubert, Schumann, Franck, Rachmaninoff and Szymanowski in between.

There are many performances here that deserve comment, however, by citing only a few I don’t want to appear to cast doubt on the others. The fact is, I’ve never heard an anthology of Richter performances that matches this – the producers did a brilliant job assembling these programs which capture the pianist’s creative imagination and keyboard authority at its best. Here, then, are a few observations:

Richter was an unlikely Schubertian, yet his performances demonstrate an unusual affinity for this composer. His staggering traversal of the “Wanderer Fantasy,” one of his greatest recordings for EMI, is perhaps even more impressive in the 1963 Academy of Music recital included here by virtue of the fact that it’s live and unedited. The thrill of the moment is palpable. The D958 sonata is another case in point; here Richter brings incredible virtuosity to this music, but he doesn’t turn it into a showpiece. Instead, what you get is architectural structure and forward momentum that makes this one of the best readings of this late sonata I’ve heard. The D664 sonata, taken from a 1978 recital, is outstanding as well – although the footprint is generally the same as the pianist’s somewhat dreamy 1961 account on EMI, the playing is tighter and the conception slightly more cohesive.

That Richter was a great interpretor of Debussy is reaffirmed by his traversal of the second book of preludes that shimmer with a magic that is unequalled – and my basis for comparison is Richter himself. His spellbinding 1967 Spoleto Festival set, finally available on cd (Richter in Spoleto), is among the greatest Debussy playing I’ve ever heard; and this newly issued set, recorded two months after Spoleto in Budapest’s Erkel Theater, is on the same exalted level. Richter, who often played only the pieces in cycles that he identified with (e.g. he didn’t play the first book of Debussy’s preludes in its entirety, played selections from Chopin’s preludes, Schumann’s Fantasiestucke etc) seemed to have an almost mystical understanding of each prelude from the second book. The only negative in the Budapest run-through is the spontaneous applause after the sixth prelude, a minor distraction that the producers should have edited out. A selection of ten preludes from the first book, taken from a 1985 recital, suffer from several interruptions from audience applause although from reading the liner notes it appears that Richter may have played them in three groups. There’s also the first book of Images which has fine moments, although the opening of Reflets dans l’eau is unnaturally fussy and the pace of Hommage a Rameau is funereal. Liszt’s Sonetto 123 del Petrarca, an early impressionistic work, is gorgeous, rivaling Arrau’s transcendant reading on Philips.

There are some good Ravel readings here from a 1954 recital, the one disc that suffers from acoustic distortion: a beautiful Pavanne and powerful Jeux d’eau, though less driven than the pianist’s 1960 whitewater reading from Carnegie Hall: Richter Rediscovered. The Valses Nobles et Sentimentales start out too aggressively, but calm down nicely; Alborada del gracioso which follows, however, is a tour de force. Among other wonders is an assortment of Prokofiev’s Visions fugitives, which Richter played regularly from the late 1950’s through the mid ’60’s; some distinctive Chopin including a pair of waltzes and a beautifully rendered nocturne (op 9, no. 1) from a 1972 recital as well as a somewhat uneven set of scherzi from 1965. The first scherzo is a prime example of Richter in his manic phase, traversing the slow sections at an impossibly deliberate pace and then breaking out in the exposition and finale; no. 2 is reasonably well-balanced; no. 3 is blistering; no. 4, which Richter featured in his 1960 Carnegie Hall debut, is the best of the lot. There’s also an enchanting assortment of ten Tchaikovsky pieces from a 1983 recital, including selections from “The Seasons,” followed by a series of Rachmaninoff etudes tableaux, concluding with an absolutely riveting op 39 no. 9 which rivals Horowitz’s famous concert reading on Columbia. Mention must be made of the twelve (!) Rachmaninoff preludes from a 1969 recital, long term staples of the pianist’s repertory, which showcase the unique blend of Richter the poet and virtuoso.

Naturally, not everything here is the best that Richter had to offer. The clutch of non-named Beethoven sonatas from a 1976 recital, including op. 2 no. 1, op. 10 no. 3, op. 14 no. 1 and op. 26, are less consistently played, with some metronomic-type movements followed by rushing. (The op. 22 sonata, a Richter favorite, fares much better in a 1963 recital.) The first two movements of the early Mozart sonata K280 shows the pianist at his worst, with very deliberate pacing that’s completely unidiomatic – something I’ve noticed in his Mozart concerto recordings on DG and EMI. Interestingly, the writer of the liner notes states that “on [Richter’s] own admittance, Mozart remained unapproachable for him” – this was one composer he didn’t have a real affinity for. It’s hard to reconcile this with his brilliant executions of Haydn, but there it is.

There’s an eight year gap between the material taken from the last two recitals presented on these discs (1985-1993); and while it’s interesting to hear 22 of Grieg’s Lyric Pieces, ranging from the familiar “Norwegian March,” “Bell Ringing,” and “Wedding Day in Troldhaugen” to many lesser known works, by the time of the 1993 recital from which these were taken Richter was beginning to show his age. His playing had hardened to a degree and his magical touch had been replaced by a more straightforward playing of notes. This is something that’s noticeable in the recitals from the 1980’s as well – Richter’s selection from the first book of Debussy’s preludes, while very fine, are not quite what they would have been had they been recorded twenty years before. I would say that his tone was similar to that of Horowitz as he aged, which is to say that there was a gradual flattening out and a loss of color that was a process of age and time. Still, as mentioned above, there are some real gems from the 80’s – the Tchaikovsky pieces and Rachmaninoff etudes-tableaux from 1983 are wonderful stuff.

The treasures here are practically inexhaustable; and, most importantly, the variety of the music is consistently interesting – nothing is repeated anywhere over the fourteen discs. The extensive and insightful liner notes round out a premier set.

For those building a Richter collection, this set makes an excellent companion to the pianist’s complete DG recordings: Pianist of the Century (Box). And don’t let the price put you off – I bought a set for a hundred bucks from a European-based amazon reseller that arrived in California in five days.

Highest recommendation!!