Sviatoslav Richter's Boston Debut

Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch (1 Nov. 1960)

CD 1
Beethoven
The Creatures of Prometheus, Op. 43 / Piano Concerto No.1 in C major, Op.15
CD 2
Brahms
Piano Concerto No.2 in B flat major, Op.83. Complete with all broadcast announcements. Audio restoration, Kit Higginson (2011)

Munch met and heard Richter in 1958 during the Boston Symphony's tour of Russia. Immensely impressed by the Soviet pianist, he invited him to appear with the BSO. More than two years later, during Richter's first American tour, the pianist made his Boston debut, presentedhere from the original stereo tapes for the first time (the versions previously issued were from ofthe-air mono tapes). Cyrus Durgin, music critic of the Boston Globe, raved: "What he achieved were perhaps the two most perfect performances of these concertos that this chronicler ever had heard. What is more, he fired the orchestra and Dr. Munch - especially in the Brahms - to outdo themselves. The result took your breath away." (Boston Globe, 2 Nov. 1960)
First release of the entire concert from the original mono hi-fi tapes.