Sviatoslav Richter The Lost Tapes (Beethoven: Sonatas Nos. 18, 27, 28 & 31)

For 60 years, Sviatoslav Richter's discography, which were made by Deutsche Grammophon at the Tours and Lucerne Festivals in 1965, have slumbered in the Yellow Label's archives. Carefully restored by Emil Berliner Studios, they are now being released for the first time. These tremendous recordings reveal the pianist at the pinnacle of his powers as a pianist. Indeed, they evoke Van Cliburn's comment, "That is the most powerful piano playing I have ever heard." The performances of the Sonatas Nos. 18, 27, 28 & 31 show a strikingly modern approach that never shies away from taking risks to express the music in its furthest extreme. This 2 LP set includes a recent interview with Elisabeth Leonskaja, an essay by Jed Distler and editorial notes by Markus Kettner. Numerous photographs, some previously unpublished, complete the edition.