Richter The Poet

Often named the supreme pianist of his era, Sviatoslav Richter (1915-1997) was a poet of the keyboard and an enigmatic, sometimes eccentric figure. These 24 CDs span three centuries of music – repertoire for solo piano and piano duo, chamber music, song and concerto – and bring Richter together with other great artists of his time. As the New York Times wrote, his pianism “combined astonishing technical mastery with bold, wide-ranging musical imagination. His control over the colorings of piano tone was incomparable.”

All of Rachmaninov’s music - from his earliest student compositions to his final masterpieces – has been collected together for the first time on 32 CDs, in what is definitively the most complete and comprehensive edition of Rachmaninov’s works ever released.

A collection of 18 original piano works which takes us through the award-winning composer's eclectic output, embracing his work with the London Philharmonic (Memoryhouse), The Blue Notebooks, Royal Ballet-commissioned Infra and some of his film scores (Departure from The Leftovers, Miss Sloane). The album is recorded using an avant-garde conception instrument thus creating a completely new sound.

Introducing a revolutionary new CD that challenges the stereotypes and prejudices against the double bass. This tribute album showcases the full potential and versatility of the instrument, featuring compositions by renowned composers such as Myroslav Skoryks, John Rutter, Peteris Vasks, and Sergei Rachmaninov. Experience the warm, soft, and welcoming tone of the double bass as it takes center stage in this diverse collection of music. From the spiritual anthem of Ukraine, Melodie by Myroslav Skoryks, to the familiar choral sounds of John Rutter's The Lord Bless You and Keep You, this album is a love letter to the double bass and an invitation to embrace its songful and tuneful credentials.

A tribute to Philip Glass for his 80° birthday: a collection of 11 piano works recorded using an avant-garde contemporary instrument thus creating a completely new sounds. The full album released on December 15th 2017.

Nobody played Schumann better than Richter, who, throughout his long career made several magesterial recordings, including the great C-major Fantasy and the Symphonic Etudes. The Waldszenen, a series of forest sketches in the romantic-as-nature-poet vein, are beautifully played here, ending with a profound reading of "Abschied" in which one has not only a sense of farewell, but of declining light as night falls. Schumann's Toccata is, as Richter freely admitted, one of the toughest piano pieces to perform. The version here is amazing, particularly the final section's chords, played at a dazzling clip.

This set brings together for the first time Britten's complete Decca recordings as pianist and conductor in which he performs music by other composers - an astonishing variety of music that ranges from large-scale choral works by Bach and Purcell to Schumann and Elgar, as well as orchestral works by Mozart, Haydn and Schubert. Solo vocal repertory is generously represented with important works by Schubert and Schumann and early twentieth-century English song. Chamber music features Britten the pianist in partnership with two of Britten's closest collaborators: Mstislav Rostropovich and Sviatoslav Richter.

This set brings together for the first time Britten's complete Decca recordings as pianist and conductor in which he performs music by other composers - an astonishing variety of music that ranges from large-scale choral works by Bach and Purcell to Schumann and Elgar, as well as orchestral works by Mozart, Haydn and Schubert. Solo vocal repertory is generously represented with important works by Schubert and Schumann and early twentieth-century English song. Chamber music features Britten the pianist in partnership with two of Britten's closest collaborators: Mstislav Rostropovich and Sviatoslav Richter.