Sviatoslav Richter plays Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No.5

[@botvinnik64]

Richter is the best - no matter the composer, he always seems to find the right way to interpret. Magnifico!

[@stonefireice6058]

You are expressing YOUR opinion, subjective as it is. There would be many agreeing and many disagreeing. It’s impossible to judge objectively, except we all agree Richter belong to Olympus of piano gods, presiding over the rest of them. The verdict on the XX century pianists is in with Schnabel, Horowitz, Richter, Arrau, Gilels, Sokolov, to name a few.

[@botvinnik64]

Yes; I suppose I got a little overboard - the artists you mentioned are also my favorites!

[@Juliana_Luneva]

А я полностью с Вами согласна, и пусть мне никто не пеняет на объективность или что угодно, и я не претендую на неё! Для меня Рихтер лучший!

[@LeondeLure]

@@stonefireice6058 Stop lecturing everyone, asshole.

[@brkahn]

Not forgetting Kondrashin, a little too underrated!

[@ЕленаБелякова-ю3у]

Господи! Счастье - то какое!!!! Рихтер ,Сен Санс,,,,

[@RidwanDarkaoui]

J'ai découvert ce concerto tard dans ma vie, après ' 50 ans. Quelle merveille ! Surtout avec cette interprétation Richter- Kondrashin. Comment ai-je pu si longtemps passer à côté ? Ça ne passe jamais sur les chaînes musicales comme France-Musique ou Radio-Classique. Pourquoi ?

[@ljiljanastanic9076]

Richter and Kondrashin...Splendour💗💗💗

[@Juliana_Luneva]

Это гениально! Превосходно, просто какое-то счастье - это слышать!!! В который раз уже слушаю запись, не только здесь, и просто истинное наслаждение! Рихтер лучший пианист для меня на все времена! А здесь ещё и такая музыка, если представить изысканный калейдоскоп, из венецианских зеркал и муранских цветных стекол! Какое богатство красок и оттенков! И настоящий драйв!

[@shosha1878]

I have two others versions of this concerto but...This is absolutely amazing. It seems other piece in his hands...His tempos, great energy and crystal sounds, creates another world in this beautiful piece...

[@peterlunow]

#5 has always been my favorite ,and this is one of the best interpretations I ever heard.Elegance ,esprit,beautiful phrasing,subtle and natural vibrato.....impressive!

[@MrAam1964]

The greatest interpretation of this marvellous concerto, full of dramatism, intensity and colorness by the best russian orchestra ever assembled by another great artist in the name of Mravinsky as its permanent conductor from 1938 to 1988. Richter is immense in his ability to think in advance every notes he creates. His performance aasociated with Kondrashin this time during this concert performance is just fantastic.

[@shosha1878]

I love your review. Absolutely. Like the greatest opera Singers of the past. Always thinking in advance before sing a note or a phrase.

[@stonefireice6058]

Mravinsky almost destroyed the orchestra of Leningrad Philharmonic at the end of his conducting carrier with ruthless micro- management, stale performances and unyielding grip on the musicians. Thanks god, Yuri Temirkanov finally replaced him, reviving the Orchestra and its performances.

[@brkahn]

@@stonefireice6058 Evidence?

[@mehrdadmanavi6408]

Excellent techniques and musical expression and performance.Richter is the best interpreter.

[@polskapianist]

what a great rendition by Richter

[@jghancockjr]

Radiant with overarching sense of structure and fabulous balance between soloist and orchestra. Soooo good and inspiring!

[@montaigne1944]

Oh, the control of the crescendi and decrescendi at and after 5:00! But above all, the sense that the entire concerto was firmly in Richter's mind from the first minute, as though it (and he) had a singularly important message for us. We are drawn into the music AT ONCE and allowed to disembark only when Richter is good and ready to let us go! I heard him in Canada when I was 19 and he was 48 years old. Among other things he gave us an unforgettable Schubert A-, This recording reminds...

[@IanSutton-gl1fi]

Richter is regarded as one the greatest pianists ever. He is naturally superb here. He was a singularity. I also heard him perform a solo recital in Toronto in the early 1960s. I also heard Emil Gilels there. Both were absolutely stunning artists.

[@trinibass]

Impeccable blend of technique and sensitivity.

[@marcmitchel25]

Describing this pianist completely.

[@carloslijoicarcano]

My favorite pianist....and a beautiful concert

[@CarborundumKid]

These people make the concerto sound better than it really is, they sound like they believe in it more than the composer ever did.

[@nataliac1650]

Рихтер, конечно, величайший пианист 20 века, и один из величайших всех времен. Гениальное исполнение гениального концерта. Слушаешь такое и понимаешь - у нас, человечества, еще не все потеряно, если мы спосоны создавать такое...

[@RaineriHakkarainen]

The Greatest pianists are Really=Emil Gilels Grigory Sokolov Sviatoslav Richter Artur Rubinstein Wihelm Kempff Radu Lupu Maurizio Pollini!

[@yesisc6553]

Siempre Glenn... Gould.

[@jules0659]

One of Richter's many exceptional qualities was his intellectual clarity. You always know exactly why he played it the way he did.

[@Varese13]

While I have long owned an old disc of this performance, the surfaces of which were so bad that it was difficult to make out details, it is such a revelation to hear it in this format which highlights both the supreme artistry of Richter at the height of his powers and the subtlety of Kondrashin's accompaniment. Thanks so much for posting.

[@johnvarney3750]

I have this version on vinyl - bought it about 40 years ago!

[@jennyjang5894]

So sublime..Marvelously ~ Richter is great. Bravo Richter ~ forever~

[@cosmincoco6983]

That s why l am listening him playing again after 40 years. But Saint Sean's piano concerts are magnificent.

[@JefRoberts]

Magnificent work from Richter, and also splendid accompaniment from Kondrashin and the orchestra. Both soloist and orchestra play with character and conviction. A wonderful performance.

[@jennyjang5894]

What a Splendid rendition..! Pure genius..

[@catherinejones9396]

This was one of those "Where have I heard that before?" moments for me. Saint Saens is so versatile and delightful. Thanks Mr Richter- Cathy

[@catherinejones9396]

Lucas Jussen did a really great job of this recently too. Well worth listening to=his approach is more delicate, lighter, more closely suiting the Saint Saens spirit.

[@Allergie66]

he's brilliant! Even my cat loves this version

[@gerardbegni2806]

Cats were sacred in the ancient Aegypt.

[@C720L]

my cat loves it too !

[@lsmart]

Tell your cat she knows her music!

[@flossie1961]

Why do I feel like I must meet your cat?

[@yoelganor3240]

Richter’s phenomenal performance this concerto makes it stand out

[@chystokletov]

I listened many different great recordnings of this concerto....and always go back to Richter...

[@jennyjang5894]

Absolutely agreed..so do I..Richter is my preferred pianist :)

[@xenonlit]

Me too!

[@gerardbegni2806]

A perfect rendering of this famous concerto. Richter and the orchestra are both very clear and powerful. A masterwork of rendering of a masterwork of music.

[@petersimon5231]

Of course this is a phenomenal, absolutely superb interpretation. Richter was and always will be the greatest pianist of all the time we have recordings, only matched by Glenn Gould at times, but not always. And almost all his recordings were made in the times without stereo technology and anything like it that makes recordings sound rounded-off, complete and palpable today. Thanks for sharing!

[@platypusguy]

Gould would thoroughly disagree. His often-repeated and oft-explained philosophy was to make the pianist as small a presence as possible. He was thoroughly opposed to all kinds of virtuosic techniques--and hated Horowitz precisely for his showmanship. In an interview, Gould credits Richter with being one of the finest interpreters, b/c as you say he go out of the way of the music. Gould felt he was doing that too. And his interpretations were, in his view, true expressions of the composer's intent. And when I listen to his Bach, I think he might well be right---perhaps everyone else had it wrong playing Bach far too fast. Anyway, mostly wanted to point out that Gould was not idiosyncratic for the sake of it but b/c he considered what he was doing to be a faithful interpretation. One more point worthy of consideration: in Richter's notebooks, the only complaints he ever makes about Gould is that he's frustrated that Gould does not play all the repeats.

[@evgenylauck4893]

ГЕНИАЛЬНО В КАЖДОМ ЗВУКЕ!!! НАИЛУЧШЕЕ ИСПОЛНЕНИЕ!!!!

[@JohnEBPiano]

Every moment is wonderful! God bless Saint-Saens and especially Richter.

[@dariodangelo8938]

Richter....!!!!❤️

[@baltoman24]

Thank you for posting this phenomenal performance of this singular concerto. Richter was certainly one of the very greatest pianists and his sense of rubato in this beautiful work is astonishing. Happily there are more and more recordings of Saint-Saens superb set of the 5 piano concerti and this performance of the fifth will always be among the best of this work.

[@ВиталийРябчук-м7с]

Прекрасный концерт в таком же прекрасном исполнении!

[@pclibre]

sublime rien a dire de mieux

[@葉子石原-h6c]

何度聴いてもリヒテルの音は身体が喜びに満ちている♪ありがとう

[@ceciliadurieux5917]

Compser is recognized well enough in the world, so little clouds passing by with absurd litle remarks are rather funny! Thank you for this great gift! Namaste

[@alvarogarciabarbosa3199]

Saint-Saëns le plus grand de tous les compositeurs françaises!!!

[@PaulJones-oj4kr]

C'est domage que vous pencez ca. Pauvre mec.

[@murrayaronson3753]

Saint-Saens c'est vraiment un grand composite, mais le plus grand de tous francais!

[@LeondeLure]

@@PaulJones-oj4kr Alvaro est libre de ses opinions et votre réponse nous dit qui est le pauvre mec.

[@301250]

Richter was gifted with the Midas touch!

[@stonefireice6058]

Yess! That’s why Soviets let him perform in the West- he made them rich!

[@steveegallo3384]

Breathtaking.....like his Rakh II.....BRAVO from Acapulco!

[@iansutton872]

This a phenomenal performance. I had the Lp of this when I was 17. Also heard Richter in Toronto in 1960. Saint-Seans is often under-rated. Nobody was the 'greatest pianist of all time.' There's no such thing as the greatest anything. Comparing Richter to Gould is ridiculous, even though they both played some of the same repertoire - Bach, Beethoven, Scriabin, etc. Richter was simply a great pianist. Leave it at that. So were Rubinstein, Gilels, Horowitz, Michelangeli, Cziffra, etc etc etc etc.

[@matthewcoldicutt5951]

Ian Sutton Couldn't agree with you more,Ian.We all have those composers and interpretations that are firmly in our minds and hearts,but as i become older (and hopefully wiser...?) I try more now to keep a completely open mind. I remember listening to one recital Richter gave where he was distinctly below form,then learned afterwards that he had a stinking cold but went ahead anyway,so as not to disappoint. that said as much about the man as ever one of his finest performances could

[@PeterLunowPL]

+Matthew Coldicutt yes, you are also wiser:-) kind regards,,Peter

[@matthewcoldicutt5951]

Thank you Peter,for your kind words. I have been running down the list of your musical interests and it seems we have much in common.However,there are evidently areas where you have far more experience ( such as lieder) and I shall be paying much attention to the pieces you know and love. Hope that's okay?! Matt

[@PeterLunowPL]

+Matthew Coldicutt Thank you! I am flattered:-). I am a professional pianist and over the last 30 years I am a composer also. Since I started composing I have a totally different approach to music and one of the most important aspects is ,that you realise that there is no "best performer". As a young man I was very opiniated:-) Now I am 61 and still learning new music ,new composers and an open mind makes music more more interesting, I can assure you! kind regards, Peter

[@matthewcoldicutt5951]

Hello Peter I have just spent coffee time watching you play and sing- I'm entranced! Running down some of the composers and and performers that interest you I can see that there is a whole new world out there. I'm so pleased you like the great (but compact!) pianist Shura .One of my close friends from school went to work for his uncles who ran (and I believe still do) the Nimbus recording business near Ross on Wye. As you doubtless know, Nimbus were one of the pioneers of the CD,recording music in a very natural ambience. Back in the eighties they had Shura on their books and Martin worked closely with him. You are quite correct,he was a magical pianist and a real character. Part of his preparation for a recording was to go through the piece at about a quarter of the tempo it would be played,as if mapping out every nuance. When I next speak to Martin we can have an in depth discussion about the pianist and if anything of note crops up (which it surely will ) I shall pass it on. Matt

[@Credenza1925]

What a Wonderful concerto and interpretation. Why they play all the time number two...This one is a major work of his madure pieces...

[@bmukherjee2516]

Everything is perfect. The best rendering of this great work

[@robertcohn8858]

A beautiful and complex performance, evoking at times an oriental motif and powerful dexterity.

[@andrewgrundy744]

This guy was a bit of an enigma, brilliant but very particular in his repertoire. I think his best recording was rachmaninov piano concerto no 2 and probably the best recording of all time of this work.This is a great performance too ,powerful, clear and some great moments of drama in this underrated work.Great upload

[@benjaminkalb8335]

Magic.

[@hekaton70]

Splendid !!! H.Strengers, Delft.

[@b1i2l336]

Fabulous on every level!

[@akikoyanagisawa3916]

I worship Richter.

[@JohnEBPiano]

@newFranzFerencLiszt I agree! It's hard to explain, but there's just something you get in a Richter recording that other pianists cannot give you.

[@milacherepovskaya1214]

Одной любви музЫка уступает... --- А. С. Пушкин.

[@TheModicaLiszt]

19:44 The imitation of stops on an organ is phenomenally played!!!!

[@Liszthesis]

Indeed

[@Mohabpiano]

He is in fact imitating a famous middle eastern instrument frequently used in egyptian music, it's called Kanun: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rn2UgoWQZtOZqNE

[@TheModicaLiszt]

@@Mohabpiano Saint-Saens was an organist. My piano professor indeed demonstrated the stops on an organ. It doesn’t sound to me like the Kanun sound you shared.

[@Mohabpiano]

@@TheModicaLiszt Remember it is the Egyptian concerto, he resided there often in winters and he must have heard this instrument. I cannot confirm as surely as your teacher did but it sounds much more like a Kanun. Maybe listen a second time ;)

[@geuros]

​@@Mohabpiano it doesn't matter, you're probably both right as what's truly happening Saint Saëns was making use of harmonic series and laws of physics, namely interference. And that you can be sure he learned by his experience as an organiser far before he heard any Egyptian instrument. But afaik he composed this whole concerto while staying in Luxor and he incorporated in it many Egyptian themes, motives and atmosphere

[@shosha1878]

So touching Cantabile at 15:31 😭 ❤️

[@mariavelazquezdeangulo1640]

Great performance, thanks for sharing .

[@aliefradilbaz]

Magnificent!

[@Freemusicscene]

Me encanta mucho esta versión! Es la ideal!

[@magdycomics]

one of the privileges of being an Egyptian is finding such an ever joyful piece under the name of my fellow people..

[@luizfernandg]

Many, many thanks for a precious posting! Perhaps the best version of this piece. It is amazing to hear how well these russian musicians were playing in those days! Nothing to compare to...Richter, Rostropovitch, Oistrakh...I heard Richter a few occasions in the eighties but contrary to Horowitz, that was much older and frail at that time, the lights were not shinning very bright for Richter...necertheless his Schubert Sonatas still enchanted. But back in the fifies he was just great..THANKS

[@The_Guy_Who_Asked_06]

2:24-3:00 is so gorgeous

[@katyharries2526]

Beautiful

[@evamalchiodi8956]

Grazie Maestro Richter....

[@inraid]

amazing fluidity, color palette and articulation, phenomenal articulation and sound production at all intensity levels from ppppp to ffffffff!

[@NatoViolin]

In moments, I don't even hear a keyboard. I only Richter.

[@pinocesi8402]

The best❤️❤️🎹🎹

[@0202beny]

Bravo ♥

[@choheekwon5205]

I don't enjoy Saint-Saëns much but do enjoy this version. Richter is the best!

[@laurencejames8108]

respectfully, one should take another look at Saint Saens - he’s very special - A wonderful item from Gramophone Really Great Composer series ( back in the early to mid 2000’s- Stephen Isserlis on Saint Saens - priceless and illuminating

[@choheekwon5205]

@@laurencejames8108 I'm gonna definitely try that version, thank you for your recommendation!

[@sergiogerardovicogimena6605]

¡ DE LOS MAS GRANDES !!! TREMENDA VERSIÓN. IMPECABLE EL SONIDO A PESAR DE LA ANTIGÜEDAD. DE EXCELENCIA TODO... ÉSTE DIRECTOR, UNO DE MIS FAVORITOS, ¡ BRAVO !!!...

[@Muminblues]

Una joyita. Gracias!!!

[@MrCinemuso]

Never really listened to this before. Last couple of mins of the second movement is greatly inspired.

[@derisleybrittain]

Superb 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

[@Highinsight7]

I LOVE this piece very much Gerard...!!! and I use to play it...

[@Highinsight7]

Totally my thoughts as well... I player this work in my undergrad years... all the other pianists kind of "blew it off" as trite... but my piano teach, who taught everything... only taught this work one other time before me... feel in LOVE with it...

[@inraid]

beyond imagination!

[@dorondiamant8353]

great concerto

[@RobertoMiguelArevalo-yg6ys]

The best! ❤🎉❤🎉

[@БогданТерлецький-у2ы]

Маестро!!!браво!!!

[@marcoantonioguerra4402]

Fantastic and marvelous as always.Second only to Magda Tagliaferro . This concert was a the trade mark of her career recorded twice. LIsten her version too

[@Ratzfourtyfour]

I never really cared about Saint-Saëns, I have to re-think.

[@laurencejames8108]

+Ratzfourtyfour SaintSaens is worthy, absolutely,of a reexamination. So many great advocates of him. Could they be mistaken ? And this performance alone. Check out Gramophone Real GReat Composers issue on Saint Saens with Stephen Isserlis. Illiminating. And of course, there is the Hough set. kind regards

[@lsmart]

+Ratzfourtyfour I think one can certainly make a strong argument for classifying all of his piano concerti (except perhaps the 3rd) as truly first rate masterpieces.

[@lsmart]

Absolutely. I only mentioned the piano concerti because the original awe he expressed was regarding this piano concerto, but the cello concerto is certainly a masterpiece as well (though Dvorak's is No. 1 in my book), as are a ton of other pieces of all different musical types, forms, and instrumental arrangements.

[@lsmart]

BTW, on a KZbin technical note, how does one make the name of the person I'm replying to appear at the start of my comments (e.g., the "+Ratzfourtyfour" in your last reply).

[@craigresnianky6909]

On the whole, I dislike almost all of Saint-Saens' solo piano output, but his contributions to the concerto repertoire is first-rate. Heck, even the admittedly frothy 'Wedding Cake' piece for piano and orchestra is just a lot of fun.

[@raymondcarter2129]

Sviatoslav Richter was ; ans still is !

[@ABigDoggy]

what a FREZAKIN G!!!!!!!!! i love how unsuspecting it beings. but there are hints of brilliance already! eeeee :)

[@ijustretired]

@luizfernandg - such a waste I never got to hear him live but thank goodness all these recordings are there for us to listen to- I think he is the most enchanting pianist ever born on this earth.

[@charlesbickford5167]

The only performer who could even touch Darre... Here, he may even exceed her. The orchestra is beyond compare. So French!

[@012jsd]

amazing

[@rudbeckie1]

BRAVO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DÍKY !

[@zinam5795]

На фото-репетиция со 2 составом Ленинградской Филармонии. Такое и было, с Кондрашиным! Исполнение, как всегда, непревзойдённое!!!

[@allasabejinski7848]

совсем не всегда,далеко не всегда...

[@zinam5795]

...По РИТМУ , мощи и контрастах звуковедения и главное, форме никого еще с тех пор в этом концерте ЛУЧШЕ не знаю!

[@zinam5795]

....Сейчас Дебарга слушала--молодец,что сыграл,но....Где мощь ....финала ,в частности...? "Каверзный" Сен-Санс и гениальный! Не всем французам под силу...

[@ЕленаБелякова-ю3у]

@@zinam5795 так и Чайковского концерты не всякий русский пианист одолеет...Но дело - то не в этом.Рихтер, он и в Африке - Рихтер....

[@joeltheivalnec3671]

Version légendaire... Venant de Richter, cela soulève évidemment des montagnes... Pour un style moins colossal, on se tournera vers Chamayou et Thibaudet.

[@ericboussageon2931]

Super endroit!!!

[@pazdziochowaty]

I wonder if this is Richter's magic or something about the harmony but the piano sounds like a xylophone at some points. Very colourful and interesting piece, some Spanish motives (2nd movement), parts resemble Debussy's harmonies and sometimes it feels Rachmaninov's "thickness"

[@adrianyaguar7666]

To magia Richtera. Mój ulubiony jedyny pianista, od czasów dziecka. Dziękuję Maestro za lata wspaniałej interpretacji.

[@c.g.marseille4510]

so fabelhaft !

[@sebastianrc]

18:13 ... wow

[@marianabarbu7088]

L am văzut destul pe mezzo!

[@evamezzo]

На фото - неистовый ! Сколько экспрессии

[@MALGORZATAWAJDA]

Szkoda, że ten koncert jest bardzo rzadko grany. Jeszcze nigdy nie udało mi się go wysłuchać w filharmonii.

[@spmoran4703]

A piano playing god

[@rosenamdensuden]

L'afrique exerça une fascination constant sur Saint-Saëns (il mourut en vacances à Alger en 1921

[@eminbayly6077]

after R. performance the "case of S-S #5" is closed - nothing could be better then original idea.

[@gojewla]

The difference between most modern pianists and this is that they sacrifice clarity of idea for clarity of texture. Who cares if you have a great interpretation, so long as you know the competition judges can hear every note?

[@gerardarnaud3264]

Richter propulsé tout ce qu'il joue à une hauteur vertigineuse.c'est un dèmiurge. Tous les autres pianistes paraissent petits à côté de ce promèthé de la musique .avec lui c'est une question de vie ou de mort. Mais c'est la vie qui l'emporte.pour l,'éternité.

[@7TheMrSeven7]

2:45 ❤

[@gerardbegni2806]

To my knowledge, Richter never played the fourth concerto of Saint-Saens (please correct me if I am wrong). I think that in this kind of immense chorale variation he would have been very great.

[@ОлександрКрестін]

Never. Only N2 and N5

[@gerardbegni2806]

@@ОлександрКрестін Thannks. Indeed it is a pity that he did not but he had his reasons, it is a decision of his own.