Sviatoslav Richter is universally acknowledged to be one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century, renowned for his virtuoso technique and the depth of his interpretations. Dmitri Shostakovich said about him: “Richter is an extraordinary phenomenon. The enormity of his talent staggers and enraptures. All the phenomena of musical art are accessible to him.” He trained at the Moscow Conservatory under Heinrich Neuhaus, who considered Richter “already a complete artist”, who had the ability to build a piece “so that it seemed to lie before him like an immense landscape, revealed to the eye at a single glance”.

The Borodin Quartet was founded in 1945 at the Moscow Conservatoire – the first cellist a certain Mstislav Rostropovich was replaced after few weeks by Valentin Berlinsky – was also close to Shostakovich, who personally consulted them on each of his quartets. The Borodin Quartet, celebrated for penetrating phrase and warm sound, was Richter favourite chamber music partner. Georg Hörtnagel is a German double bassist who used to play with Bayerische Staatsoper during the Georg Solti era.

Sviatoslav Richter piano
Members of the Borodin Quartet:
Mikhail Kopelman violin
Dmitri Shebalin viola
Valentin Berlinsky cello
With Georg Hörtnagel double bass

Recording Producer: John Mordler
Balance Engineer: Johann-Nikolaus Matthes
Recorded at a public performance at Schloss Hohenems, Austria
Mastered at Abbey Road Studios, London