- Hardcover: 316 pages
- Publisher: Northeastern University Press (April 13 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1555537103
- ISBN-13: 978-1555537104
- Product Dimensions: 24.1 x 16.4 x 2.6 cm
- Shipping Weight: 658 g
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #401,364 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
Review
"Rasmussen's book is satisfyingly rich in illuminating details. And being a composer, he brings welcome musical expertise."--Bloomington Herald Times
"The book demystifies one of the most mysterious figures of modern music-makers, right down to his practice methods."--The Well-Tempered Ear
"In this first-ever biography of Richter, Rasmussen paints a portrait not only of the famous Soviet pianist, but also of Russian, European, and American cultural life over the course of the 20th century . . . . The book is written in a readable, conversational tone that makes it accessible to a wide range of readers. . . . Recommended."--Choice
"The book demystifies one of the most mysterious figures of modern music-makers, right down to his practice methods."--The Well-Tempered Ear
"In this first-ever biography of Richter, Rasmussen paints a portrait not only of the famous Soviet pianist, but also of Russian, European, and American cultural life over the course of the 20th century . . . . The book is written in a readable, conversational tone that makes it accessible to a wide range of readers. . . . Recommended."--Choice
Book Description
Sviatoslav Richter (1915-1997) is widely recognized as one of the greatest pianists of the twentieth century. In this translation of the first full-scale biography of Richter, Danish composer Karl Aage Rasmussen combines his artistic appreciation of Richter's career with a sympathetic telling of the pianist's life based on family archives and interviews with people who worked and lived with him. Richter enjoyed early success in the Soviet Union, winning the Stalin Prize in 1949. He traveled and performed throughout Russia and Eastern Europe, and earned notice in the West via his recordings. In 1960 he toured in the West to great acclaim, including a run of successful performances at Carnegie Hall. He would remain an active performer throughout his life.
Richter was an intensely private and withdrawn individual who disliked the glare and trappings of celebrity, even preferring to play small halls where the audience could concentrate on the details of his performance. The book also details his chronic depression and homosexuality, and the impact that this may have had in curbing his political activities. Rasmussen celebrates one of the giants of twentieth-century music while painting a realistic portrait of the often troubled double life that many Soviet citizens, especially public artists, were forced to lead.
Richter was an intensely private and withdrawn individual who disliked the glare and trappings of celebrity, even preferring to play small halls where the audience could concentrate on the details of his performance. The book also details his chronic depression and homosexuality, and the impact that this may have had in curbing his political activities. Rasmussen celebrates one of the giants of twentieth-century music while painting a realistic portrait of the often troubled double life that many Soviet citizens, especially public artists, were forced to lead.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.2 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
still an enigma, April 21 2010
By vesta2016 - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Sviatoslav Richter: Pianist (Hardcover)
This is a very thoughtful biography of the enigmatic Richter. It is written for the musical layperson and goes a long way to filling some of the many gaps left by Monsaingeon's frustrating/fascinating "Notebooks and Conversations." Rasmussen discusses elements of Richter's personal life, such as his homosexuality, in the context of what it meant to be a gay man under the repressive Soviet regime. The author also successfully avoids too much psychologizing and conjecture - this is a well-told biography of one of the most interesting musical personalities of the 20th century.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
great subject, lackluster biography, Aug 8 2010
By D. Gollaher "Pianist" - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Sviatoslav Richter: Pianist (Hardcover)
Richter is among the most compelling pianists ever. At his best, playing Schubert, Beethoven, Schumann, Scriabin and Debussy, he created worlds of sound so textured and rich that one never tires of revisiting them. At the same time, he was a complicated, self-absorbed individual whose talent was so great that he lived much of his life being indulged, and taken care of, by those around him. For example, he never learned to drive a car; he had drivers prepared to ferry him to Finland or Siberia at his whim. Rasmussen assembles the facts of Richter's long life, which are astonishing, given his 4000 concerts and acquaintance with the who's who of Russian and European musical culture. But his writing (translated from Danish) is wooden, and many of the best passages are quotations from his sources, from Gould to Dieskau. A composer should have shown more explanatory power in unriddling the elements of Richter's unique voice. A biographer should have provided more insight into the contradictions and angst that underlay his art. Worth reading, yet ultimately unsatisfying
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Richter - The Legend in Detail, Jun 20 2010
By Andrew Grainger - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Sviatoslav Richter: Pianist (Hardcover)
A very detailed and thorough biography of Sviatoslav Richter, undoubtedly one of the greatest pianists of all time. Essential reading for the Richter fanatic. If you know the Bruno Monsaingeon film about Richter, it will compliment it well, although after having had the film on VHS, I could only recently get the DVD in a region 2 format. Why it is not available in region 1 is crazy. This book is a wonderful and interesting story of one of the greatest musical communicators ever. Super!
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