What made
Sviatoslav Richter's Mozart performances great wasn't his effortless phrasing, balanced tone, poised tempos, and flawless technique. As integral as all those qualities were to
Richter's Mozart performances, what made them truly great was the depth of humanity and the heights of spirituality that suffuse his interpretations. In this two-disc Decca set recorded in 1966 and 1991 -- the same disc set released as part of Philips' Richter Edition in 1994 --
Richter takes on five sonatas -- the F major K. 280, the B flat major K. 333, the G major K. 283, the F major K. 533, and the C minor K. 457, plus the Fantasia in C minor, K. 475 -- and turns in performances of pure gold every time. Although his choices are typically eclectic -- why did he choose the two early K. 280 and 283 sonatas instead of two later sonatas is unknown -- and his interpretive decisions are typically challenging -- why he chose to take the repeats in the B flat major Sonata's Andante cantabile and thereby turn it into an unprecedented 12-and-a-half-minute slow movement is unguessable --
Richter's elevated lyricism, heightened drama, and exalted intensity make every performance seem not only right but utterly inevitable. The earlier live from Salzburg stereo sound is distant but vivid, while the later live from Como digital sound is closer and even more vivid.