Sviatoslav Teofilovich Richter was born on 20 March 1915 (Julian: 7 March) in Zhitomir in present-day Ukraine. His father Teofil (Theophilus) came from a German commercial family. The famous Russian piano teacher Heinrich Neuhaus (of German origin) recognised his huge talent and enrolled him in his piano masterclass at the Moscow Conservatory in 1937.

Profil Edition Gunter Hänssler is progressively releasing all the recordings that the great Soviet virtuoso made between 1945 and 1963. Most of them were largely unknown in the West during the Cold War, as Richter could only perform till 1960 behind the "Iron Curtain", that is to say, in the Soviet Union and the satellite states of Eastern Europe.

The present 13-CD set is devoted to all the works by Russian composers that Sviatoslav Richter recorded live or in the studio between 1946 and 1963. The recordings which the famous pianist made with his wife and musical partner of many years, soprano Nina Dorliak, are a true rarity. Supplemented by some forgotten, unknown or neglected gems of Russian piano music this small compendium reveals the incredible wealth of this repertoire and simultaneously showcases yet again the unique performer that was Sviatoslav Richter.

Contents:

CD 1
Tchaikovsky - Piano Concerto no.1

CD 2
Tchaikovsky - Grand Piano Sonata

CD 3
Russian Piano Miniatures (Borodin, Liadov, Glazunov, Tchaikovsky)

CD 4
Mussorgsky - Pictures at an Exhibition, The Nursery

CD 5
Piano Concertos by Glazunov & Rimsky-Korsakov

CD 6
Rachamniniv - Piano Concertos nos. 1 & 2

CD 7
Rachmaninov - 13 Preludes from op.23 & op.32, 3 Études-Tableaux

CD 8
Scriabin - Piano Sonatas nos. 2, 5 & 6

CD 9
Scriabin - 12 Etudes from opp. 2, 8, 42 & 65, 12 Preludes from op.11, Vers la flamme

CD 10
Prokofiev - 3 War Piano Sonatas nos. 6, 7 & 8

CD 11
Prokofiev - Piano Concerto no.5, 11 Visions fugitives op.22, 5 Pieces from Cinderella, Suggestion diabolique op.4 no.4

CD 12
Shostakovich - 12 Preludes and Fugues

CD 13
Glinka & Dargomizhsky - Songs for Voice & Piano