A Hi-Q Records é especializada em reedições de alta qualidade das gravações Clássicas da EMI, masterizadas a partir das Fitas Master Analógicas Originais da EMI, corte nos Abbey Road Studios e prensagem nas prensas originais da EMI agora em plena produção na The Vinyl Factory em Hayes, Inglaterra. Performances históricas e grandes gravações da EMI prensadas em Vinil 180 Gramas.

• Hi-Q Records Supercuts
• Vinil Audiófilo 180 Gramas
• Corte a partir das Master Tapes Originais Analógicas da EMI
• Masterizado nos Estúdios Abbey Road
• Arte e grafismo da capa original

"Corte nos Estúdios Abbey Road a partir das Master Tapes Originais Analógicas num lathe Neumann VMS82 alimentado com um sinal prévio através de um deck Studer A80 especialmente modificado com uma cabeça de avanço especial, permitindo realizar um corte num processo completamente analógico. Prensagem realizada com as máquinas originais da EMI pela The Vinyl Factory em Hayes, Inglaterra."

Gramophone critic Bryce Morrison described Richter as follows: "Idiosyncratic, plain-speaking, heroic, reserved, lyrical, virtuosic and perhaps above all, profoundly enigmatic, Sviatoslav Richter remains one of the greatest recreative artists of all time." Richter, largely self-taught, was an eccentric genius who often performed in darkened halls so the public were not distracted by any of his mannerisms: "...I don't play for the audience, I play for myself, and if I derive any satisfaction from it, then the audience, too, is content." He disliked recording and many of his recordings are live but once engaged, took the process very seriously and teamed with Maazel and the Paris Orchestra, these 1969 studio sessions for EMI were magic. Curiously, he never recorded Brahm’s first piano concerto.

In the original October 1970 review Trevor Harvey of the GRAMOPHONE wrote:
“This is a magnificent performance. As sheer piano playing, for a start – however much you may think other aspects of the work matter more, you can hardly help enjoying the extraordinary range of the pianism, for there is scarcely a passage that doesn’t bring new delights... There is everything here; the power, the darting delicacy and, above all, the most beautifully expressive soft playing... I have a list as long as my arm of splendid things about this performance, from Maazel as well as from Richter. And not least is the piano tone, which is superbly caught in every way from brilliance to the most lovely quiet warmth...”

Músicos:

Sviatoslav Richter, piano
Albert Tetard, violoncelo
Orchestre de Paris
Lorin Maazel, condutor

Lista de Faixas:

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Piano Concerto No.2 in B Flat, op.83

Lado A
1. Band 1. 1st Movement: Allegro non troppo
2. Band 2. 2nd Movement: Allegro appassionato

Lado B
1. Band 1. 3rd Movement: Andante (cello solo)
2. Band 2. 4th Movement: Allegretto grazioso

Recorded on 24-28 October 1969 at the Salle Wagram, Paris. Produced by Christfried Bickenbach and Eric Macleod and Engineered by Allan Stagg.