COMPOSERS: Schumann
LABELS: EMI Studio Plus
WORKS: Fantasie in C; Faschingsschwank aus Wien; Papillons
PERFORMER: Sviatoslav Richter (piano)
CATALOGUE NO: COM 7 64625 2 ADD (1961/63)
Papillons and Faschingsschwank not only suffer from die usual vagaries of recorded concert performances but also offer obtrusive breathing from Richter; Papillons even includes die pealing of church bells. Sometimes the sound resembles a crackly LP. The Fantasie comes from Abbey Road die previous year. But while admiring Richter's typical, if here intermittent, majesty and magic, I find the playing in both 'live' and studio performances occasionally strident and even perfunctory, as well as being too closely recorded. Keith Potter
Schumann: Fantasie in C; Faschingsschwank aus Wien; Papillons
Papillons and Faschingsschwank not only suffer from die usual vagaries of recorded concert performances but also offer obtrusive breathing from Richter; Papillons even includes die pealing of church bells. Sometimes the sound resembles a crackly LP. The Fantasie comes from Abbey Road die previous year. But while admiring Richter's typical, if here intermittent, majesty and magic, I find the playing in both 'live' and studio performances occasionally strident and even perfunctory, as well as being too closely recorded. Keith Potter
Our rating
3
Published: January 20, 2012 at 3:47 pm