6/20 Listening to Music

One of the most unique (and rewarding) things about Beethoven (and classical music in general) is that it functions as music to be listened to. I mean listened to in the same way that most people read a book, or watch a movie (in a theater). Much of popular music today is really designed for dancing or as "mood" music - that's why there's so much repetition in the drum and bass line, and the song usually doesn't modulate in any kind of way to draw attention to the fact that "it's modulating". The dynamic level is arranged in a way so that it starts loud..and stays that way. This makes it easier to listen while at the gym, or driving in traffic. However classical music was never intended to be listened to as an attention-dividing experience. It's meant to be listened to and followed like a dramatic Russian war epic ("War & Peace"?). In a single piano sonata movement there is often a variety of mood swings and jokey witticisms littered throughout the exposition and development sections. And very often Beethoven will not just repeat the notes in the recapitulation, but add some new, poignant/funny element to keep it unpredictable.

Of course it's perfectly fine to just listen to a Beethoven symphony for the "vibe" - I do it all the time, especially since I have music playing every waking hour. But it's always worth mentioning that Beethoven is not just giving us "notes" - there's human drama and comedy splashed all over those string textures.

Here's a few ideas that have helped me to "read" classical music:

Listen for how each instrumental group (winds, horns, strings, percussion) enters
the piece. Then follow how B. uses each of these groups. In general, the strings are the lead instrument and the horns are used for extra "oomph".

Listen for the main motif or melody and break it up into it's "parts". By parts I mean the antecedent/consequent (call/response) nature of a theme melody. It's fun to listen to a melody and see how it gets echoed by other instruments and altered in different ways. My research on my blog post on homophonic forms was pretty handy to learn about theme structures.

Listen for the larger structure of the work - notice when the exposition repeats, how the development develops, and how the recap retransitions into the original theme. These are all signposts saying things like "You are now entering the State of Lyrical Theme in Dominant Harmony". If the work is in variation form, compare how Beethoven develops and twists the original theme.

These all may sound like school homework assignments I suppose, but after awhile this kind of "active listening" becomes as easy as recognizing when a commercial comes on during a TV show and it all just adds to the experience.  When an action movie slows down for some "romance", you don't have to think "oh it's the lyrical part".  But you do recognize it as a change in the mood and pace and this is exactly the kind of thing Beethoven wants us to feel during one of his symphonies.

The idea for today's post on "listening" came from an article about how reading and doing crosswords can block your ability to hear.

Piano Sonata #31 In Ab, Op.110 (1822)
Sviatoslav Richter

Link

2/28 A Turkish March for 16 Hands

Keyboards piled up at the Pearl River Piano factory (BBC)

Marches are good fun, at least musically.  Beethoven hated war of course, and his feelings about Napoleon are no secret, but he still composed quite a few marches, and one of them I covered here before.   While writing about the Liszt piano transcriptions last week, I was reminded of Beethoven's own variations of the Turkish March from his "Ruins of Athens" stage work. 

6 Variations in D major op.76 "Turkish March" (1809)
Sviatoslav Richter (Live 50's)

Sviatoslav Richter plays Beethoven Six Variations, Op. 76

But wait, what if Beethoven had 8 pianists at his house one day, all wanting to show him their performance of the Turkish March, but Ludwig only had 5 minutes?  Maybe it would sound something like this:
Turkish March from "Die Ruinen von Athen" (arr. for 8 pianos, Richard Blackford)
Piano: Gina Bachauer
Piano: Jorge Bolet
Piano: Jeanne-Marie Darré
Piano: Alicia De Larrocha
Piano: John Lill
Piano: Radu Lupu
Piano: Garrick Ohlsson
Piano: Bàlint Vàzsonzyi
Live recording, London - 1974
It gets interesting after the 2:24 mark...(note that I tagged this post with the "avant-garde" label)

Beethoven Turkish March (arranged for eight pianos)

There also happens to be a Turkish March in the finale of the 9th Symphony and probably some other works I can't recall right now... Robert Greenberg claims that "Turkish Marches" had more to do with exotic harmonies and melodies in any form, rather than melodies of a specifically Turkish nature. Frankly I don't know enough about the music of Hungary in the 1800's to agree with Prof. Greenberg or not, but I can see that easily being the case. It doesn't sound anything like Bartok tho...or does it?

Béla Bartók - Allegro Barbaro

2/5 Violin Sonata 1 & 3 (Oistrakh & Richter) / String Qrtt No.6 at Summerfest 99

(David Oistrakh)

I've been looking for some good performances of Beethoven's early Violin Sonatas and recently alexcello1981 shared some archival footage of David Oistrakh and Sviatoslav Richter performing the 1st and 3rd Violin Sonatas (from Russian TV it looks like).  Wonderful performances await...

Beethoven, Violin Sonata No.1 in D, Op.12, No.1


Beethoven, Violin Sonata No.3 in E-Flat, Op.12, No.3


Secondly, here's a more recent concert of some students at SummerFest 99 performing Beethoven's 6th String Quartet, as well as the Grosse Fuge and some Schubert, Brahms and Stravinsky.  The first quartet performance is the best...

"Summerfest99 presents an evening of performances by some of the most promising young artists active in chamber music today. This concert is the culmination of the young ensembles' coaching during SummerFest and features works by Beethoven, Schubert, Stravinsky and Brahms."

01:10:: Beethoven - String Qrtt Op18.No 6  (Xando Qrtt)
(AV goes out of sync a little from here - just use your ears..)
27:57:: Schubert Qrtt D703  (Coolidge Qrtt)
38:27:: Stravinsky 3 Pcs for String qrtt
45:57:: Beethoven - Grosse Fuge Op.133 (not exactly the Guarneri Qrtt interpretation but nice to see)
1:03.00:: Brahms Pno Trio Op.101 Cm (Gofriller Trio)

1/29 Triple Concertos on Historical Instruments, Historical Masters

Here's a great concert featuring conductor Frans Brüggen and the Orchestra of the 18th Century (Orkest van de Achttiende Eeuw). Maestro Brüggen and the O.18thC. are one of the most most famous of the "early music groups" - that is, they play period instruments in the "historically-informed" style in search of the most authentic music performance practice possible. This usually means a "grittier" sound and less orchestra members. Personally, I'm a big fan of some of these groups...

Amsterdam Cellobiennale, 10.11.6, with Frans Brüggen and the Orchestra of the 18th Century, All Beethoven Program

Part 1: 12 Minuets, WoO.7 (1795)


Part 2: Triple Concerto in C, Opus 56

Jean-Guihen Queyras: Cello
Isabelle Faust: Violin
Kristian Bezuidenhout: Piano


I also just came across a performance of the Triple Concerto by some old masters by the names of Richter, Oistrakh, Rostropovich and Kirill Kondrashin.  The first 3 of course are no strangers to the Daily Beethoven.  So you KNOW this will be good (despite the 'archival' nature of the sound fidelity...).  There exists a studio recording of this group with Kondrashin switched out for "Herb" von Karajan (which Richter later said he hated) so maybe this is the one to own...
Mstislav Rostropovich: Cello
David Oistrakh: Violin
Sviatoslav Richter: Piano
Kirill Kondrashin: Conductor

Linklist

1/8 Early Piano Sonatas Pt. 1

(Courtesy "Frederick Johnson's Used Pianos")

This past week's theme seemed to be "piano sonatas" - so I might as well follow up with a weekend playlist of piano sonata performances....Looking over my "Index of Works", it appears there are a few gaps among the early sonatas - forthwith be filled!

Piano Sonatas 1, 3, and 4
Sonata 1: #1-3 (Sviatoslav Richter, October 1976, Grand Hall of the Moscow)
Sonata 3: #4-8 (Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, CBC Broadcast 1970) (deleted)

Sonata 3: #4-6 (Vestard Shimkus,recital at Stockholm Konserthuset, 2008) 
Sonata 4: #7-10 (Nuccio Trotta)
Linklist (78 min)


Piano Sonata 2 with Murray Perahia can be found here.
I'll do another playlist of Sonatas 5 thru 7 tomorrow...

12/18 Alpha/Omega: The Pathetique...and the Last Sonata

(Kandinsky)

Here are a couple of Beethoven's most important and engrossing piano sonatas, the first "titanic" sonata Beethoven ever wrote, followed by his solo sonata "swan song", Opus 111.  It's fascinating to see what a wide span of musical landscape lies in between these 2 harmonically profound obelisks....

Sonata No.8 Op.13 Pathetique (1798) (by Annie Fischer, with score - one of my favorite interpreters...)   (18 Min )

Linklist

And here's Richter's Opus 111, two versions, since one can never get enough of Opus 111!
Sonata No.32 Opus 111 (1822) (47 min)
Sviatoslav Richter (2 performances)
1st time (Tokyo, early 1974, pt 1-2)
2nd time (Moscow, 1975, pt 3-5)

Linklist

And finally, here's Opus 13 AND Opus 111 both performed by Eric Heidsieck (there's some minor audio glitches - sadly that's the way it is...):

12/8 The Appassionata Sonata

Beethoven's most powerful piano sonata may be the "Appassionata", Sonata #23, Opus 57.  It has a couple of interesting stories attached to it (though the "Appassionata" name was given by the publisher and not Beethoven himself).

Ferdinand Ries on a walk with Beethoven:

Beethoven took a pleasure in wandering along lonely, often pathless ways through the forests, valleys and mountains. (One day) we set out happily together and soon found ourselves in a lonely woods on the beautiful mountain slopes of Baden. I observed that Beethoven was much absorbed in private meditation and that he was humming to himself; I knew from experience that at such moments he was in the most powerful throes of creation and so I took good care not to disturb him, but walked along with him in silence...After having walked for about an hour, we sat down to rest in the grass. 

Suddenly, from the slope on the other side of the valley, the sound of a shawm (medieval oboe) was heard, whose unexpected melody under the clear blue sky, in the deep solitude of the woods, made a remarkable impression on me. Since Beethoven was sitting next to me I could not refrain from calling his attention to it: sunk deep in thought he had heard nothing. He listened, but I observed from his expression that he did not hear the sounds, although they continued. It was then that for the first time I was convinced his hearing was impaired...In order not to sadden him, I made believe that I too could not hear anything anymore. 

After awhile we set out again, the tones accompanying us for a long time on our solitary way through the woods, without Beethoven's taking the least notice of them. The sweet fascination which these tones had exercised on me at first now turned into profound sadness. Almost without realizing it, I walked along silently, sunk in sad thoughts, at the side of my great master who, as before, occupied with his own inner meditations, continued to hum indistinguishable phrases and tones, and to sing aloud. When after several hours we returned home, he sat down impatiently at the piano and exclaimed: "Now I shall play something for you." With irresistible fire and force he played the Allegro of the great F Minor Sonata (Appassionata). The day will forever remain unforgettable to me. (Kerst, HC Landon).

There are actually a couple other accounts of the above story with some variations, but that one has the most poignancy for me.  The other famous story about the Appassionata is that Prince Lichnowsky asked B to perform for some French soldiers who were visiting and B would have none of it.  He was staying at Lichnowsky's Gratz summer house and stormed out into the rain, preferring to walk back to Vienna instead of waiting for a horse carriage.  The score of the Appassionata got a bit wet as you can see below:

Page 1

Page 2

Page 1 from the 2nd Movement.
Notice that the first staff and a half has been pasted on as a correction!
This was before Finale and Sibelius software...

Page 2 from the 2nd Movement

Sviatoslav Richter (he's a favorite of mine obviously) playing the Appassionata 1st Movement:


Unknown 13-year old playing a blazing 3rd Movement...

11/30 Not Small Bagels and a Children's Game.

(Bagelletes vs Bagatelles)

A couple of my favorite Beethoven piano pieces not part of the monumental 32 Sonatas:

7 Bagatelles Op.33 No. 5. Allegro ma non troppo
One of my favorite B. bagatelles - playful, humorous but serious.  Near the end (around 2:19) it sounds as if Beethoven was testing a "sticky" key.  So bizarre....yet it sounds so perfect where it is.
Sviatoslav Richter on piano here performs the following:
1. Op. 33 No. 5
2. Op. 33 No. 3
3. Op. 119 No. 7
4. Op. 119 No. 9
5. Op. 126 No. 1
Live recording, 1959, a really sublime set.



3 Marches for Piano, Four Hands Op.45  - No. 2 In E Flat Major, Vivace
Pianos: Frank Zabel - Stefan Thomas

I haven't found any good videos of this march for 4-hands so I just threw one together....

The trio section (starting at 2:52) has a very cool bass "rumble" motif, followed by an odd "chutes and ladders" arpeggio... 

9/15 The "Pathetique" Piano Sonata

(Follow this analysis or be haunted by the Ghost of Rubinstein forever)

Piano Sonata #8 in Cm, Op.13, "Pathétique" (1798) - 1. Grave, Allegro Di Molto E Con Brio

As promised yesterday, today's post will focus on doing a form analysis on the first movement of the Pathetique piano sonata.  This sonata was the first to have an introduction section, but other parts are already stretching the definition of a "strict" sonata form...
Here's an analysis based on a recording by Sviatoslav Richter from the fabulous 50's: 
Youtube link


Introduction (Grave/slow)
Exposition (allegro di molto e con brio)

• 1st Theme in Cm, (Authentic Cadence)
• Modulating bridge
• 2nd Theme Group in E flat minor/major (3 parts)
• Codetta (uses 1st theme material to head into repeat)

Exposition (Repeat)

• 1st Theme in Cm, (Authentic Cadence)
• Modulating bridge
• 2nd Theme Group in E flat minor/major (3 parts)
• Codetta

Development (Grave, Allegro Di Molto E Con Brio)

• Uses mostly introduction (subdued variation) and 1st theme
• Begins in Gm, modulates to Em
• Retransition (setup for the Recapitulation "home" key)

Recap (allegro di molto e con brio)

• 1st Theme in Cm (Authentic Cadence)
• Modulating bridge (var of 1st M.B.)
• 2nd Theme Group in Fm/M and C minor, (Authentic Cadence)

Coda (Grave, Allegro Di Molto E Con Brio)

• Introduction and 1st theme variations

It must be said that there's no "absolute" analysis - in other words, where a transition begins and ends can be open for debate.  Beethoven NEVER used the above as some kind of composition "recipe", he just wrote what he thought sounded good.  We just use the above divisions as a way of interpreting the dramatic flow of the whole piece.  I just call them signposts, like "Rest Stop Ahead" or "Speed Zone".  In the 70's Charles Rosen wrote a book called "The Classical Style" where he tried to imply that sonata form was a myth (and then 10 years later he wrote a book called "Sonata Forms"...Huh?).  As you can see B deviated from this form even as early as Opus 13, and later on he pretty much took it apart (before putting it back together).....

OK, here's a more detailed analysis, be prepared to "get your Schenker on"..
A Formal Analysis of Beethoven’s Pathetique

9/11 Cello Sonatas No. 1 & 3: Richter & Rostropovich.

Beethoven's Cello Sonatas 1-3



UPDT: Previously all 5 sonatas but #2, 4 and 5 got deleted off YT...

Here's an historic meeting between two of the greatest classical musicians of the 20th century, Sviatoslav Richter ("Slava") and Mstislav Rostropovich (also "Slava", don't ask me why).  There's plenty of info about them in the web, so I won't go into too much biographical detail.  However one thing I find interesting is that both of their repertoires covered everything from straight classical to modern music.  That is, Bach to Bernstein.  Actually for Richter switch Bernstein with Britten.  Apparently Rostropovich was not happy with this live recording and never recorded a video again until he did the Bach cello suites many years later.  There may be a couple rough spots but I think they add alot of character and humanity to the interpretation.  Later on these two played the Triple Concerto with Oistrakh and Karajan and Richter says that Karajan and Rostropovich "teamed up" against Oistrakh and himself...fast friends in the music business I guess.  
Anyways, this concert is superb and actually better than the studio recording they made, I think.
Cello Sonata 1 in F Major Op.5, No. 1 (1796) = Pt 1-3
Cello Sonata 3 in A Major Op.69 (1808) = Pt 4-7



Linklist

8/18 Some Beethoven Piano Sonata Cycles

It's been said that J.S. Bach wrote the "Old Testament" with the Well-Tempered Clavier, and Beethoven wrote the "New Testament" with his 32 Piano Sonatas. If you listen to Beethoven's first sonata, Op. 2.1 (1795) and then to his last sonata, Op. 111 (1822), it's pretty clear that music has travelled from an era of aristocratic delicacy and wit to a modern age of comedy, tragedy, triumph and tranquillity. This volcanic evolution of musical conception (not to mention evolution of the piano itself) is one of the reasons why it is difficult to chose a “greatest” interpretation.  However I’ll list a few that have stood the test of time on my iPod…

Friedrich Gulda has recorded the 32 sonatas three times, the last of which (1967) on the Amadeo label is my favorite. Gulda plays with incredible fleetness, so much so that his scalar runs sound almost unearthly. His tempos are easily among (if not) the fastest of all interpreters, yet I never get the feeling that he is rushing or skimming over the music. For sheer wind-in-your-face brio this is my favorite set.  He went on to have a (temporary) jazz career, so maybe that can give you an idea of his intentions....
Gulda/Beethoven on Youtube

Eric Heidsieck is not nearly as well known as he should be. I have no idea why he never got a disc in the Philips “Great Pianists of the 20th Century” set. Nonetheless, his Beethoven is fresh and inventive. I suppose some would say too inventive, since he tends to use quite a lot of rubato (in the true sense of the word: stealing time, not slowing it) and his fermatas seem to have an extra glow around them. Nonetheless every note sounds well thought out and played with conviction. Exciting and unpredictable without being show-offy.
Heidsieck / Beethoven on Youtube

Annie Fischer’s Beethoven cycle was not released in her lifetime. She was never satisfied with her studio recordings, and spent years doing retakes, sometimes section by section. Yet the posthumous release of her studio Beethoven cycle is the most organic of all, in my opinion. Her dynamics are just right, sforzandi are never taken for granted, yet they never sound bangy. Her tempos are not the fastest, but the notes still sparkle. It’s been said that in live performance she might have missed a note here or there, but the soulfulness of her playing completely sweeps away any technical smudges. My over-all favorite set.
Fischer/Beethoven on Youtube

Sviatoslav Richter is my favorite pianist (this month!) but unfortunately he did not perform or record all 32 of Beethoven’s sonatas. However of the ones he did perform (about 22) each one is highly personalized and some seem almost too intense for even a modern piano to bear. Additionally his interpretations evolved over his 60 year playing career. His adagios make time stand still. My only issue with his Beethoven is that sometimes I think I hear too much “Slava”, and not enough “Louis”, but if you like Richter then it’s quite a win-win.
Richter/Beethoven on Youtube

Bruno-Leonardo Gelber is another pianist who is strangely missing from the Philips set. His Beethoven set is somewhere between Gulda and Richter - very dynamic, highly skilled interpretations. His accelerandos are galvanizing.
Gelber/Beethoven on Youtube

Finally I have to mention Paul Badura-Skoda’s set (Astrée) on 7 different fortepianos, each one contemporary to the sonata being performed. These are pianos which Beethoven himself might have performed and written these pieces with. His performances are lively and yet respectful. I think the early sonatas are more lively and the later sonatas more respectful (which I think works very well). A must-have if you can find it. There are other more current period cycles out there, but Mr. Badura-Skoda’s set sounds the most like I have travelled back in time to Beethoven's flat.
Badura-Skoda/Beethoven on Youtube

 
There are many more great cycles I haven't mentioned, including the great historical recordings of Artur Schnabel, the first person to record all 32 sonatas, but...here's plenty more opinions below...

Beethoven Piano Sonatas: An Overview of Selected Recordings (Ron Drummond, 1996)

A Collection of review threads written by "Todd A" on the Naim Audio Forum:
Anderszewski, Angelich, Ashkenazy, Backhaus, Badura-Skoda, Barenboim (EMI), DVD, Biss, Brautigam, Brendel, Ciani, Freire, Gulda, vol 2, Joyce Hatto (or rather John O'Conor, whose recordings they stole and altered), Heidsieck, Hewitt, vol 2, Kodama, Kovacevich, Kuerti, vol 2, Paul Lewis, Vol. 2, Lipkin, Lucchesini, Nakamichi, vol 2, Nat, O'Conor, Øland, Kun-Woo Paik, vol 2, Perl, Pludermacher, Riefling, Schiff, vol 2, vol 3, Sheppard, Sherman, Silverman, Uchida and Yokoyama).

8/8 Art of the Piano

Here's a full-length film on one Youtube video, "The Art Of Piano: Great Pianists Of The 20th Century",(107 min). I actually saw this on a DVD borrowed from the NYPL. It's excellent and includes an opening patch-work rendition of the Appassionata Sonata by Solomon, Arrau, Hess, Richter, and Rubinstein.  The DVD has some additional bonus features as well.  Annie Fischer performs a galloping Chopin waltz at the end as an easter egg.

Scene Index

1. Introduction - Liszt: Prelude to the Transcendental Etudes/Beethoven: Sonata No 23 in F Minor Op 57 [3:23]
2. Ignaz Jan Paderewski - Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No 2 in C Sharp Minor [4:11]
3. Josef Hofmann [2:24]
4. Josef Hofmann - Rachmaninoff: Prelude No 2 in C Sharp Minor Op 3 [3:21]
5. Sergei Rachmaninoff - Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No 3 in D Minor Op 30 [2:23]
6. Benno Moiseiwitsch - Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No 2 in C Minor Op 18 [2:38]
7. Benno Moiseiwitsch - Rachmaninoff: Prelude No 10 in B Minor Op 32 [3:19]
8. Vladimir Horowitz - Chopin: Etude No 10 in B Minor Op 25 [3:07]
9. Vladimir Horowitz - Scriabin: Etude No 12 in D Sharp Minor Op 8 [3:46]
10. Vladimir Horowitz - Bizet, arr. Horowitz: Variations on a Theme From "Carmen" [4:28]
11. György Cziffra [2:09]
12. György Cziffra - Liszt: Grand Galop Chromatique [2:34]
13. Myra Hess - Mozart: Piano Concerto No 17 in G [1:42]
14. Myra Hess - Beethoven: Sonata No 23 in F Minor Op 57 [2:27]
15. Artur Rubinstein - Chopin: Polonaise in A Flat Op 5/Etude No 5 in E Minor Op 25 [4:32]
16. Artur Rubinstein - Beethoven: Piano Concerto No 4 in G Op 58 [5:05]
17. Francis Planté - Chopin: Etude No 7 in C Op 10 [:56]
18. Alfred Cortot - Chopin: Waltz No 1 in A Flat Op 69 [3:35]
19. Alfred Cortot - Schumann: "Der Dichter Spricht" From "Kinderszenen" Op 15 [2:35]
20. Wilhelm Backhaus - Chopin: Etude No 9 in G Flat Op 25/Beethoven: Piano Concerto No 4 in G Op 58 [4:00]
21. Wilhelm Backhaus - Beethoven: Piano Concerto No 4 in G Op 58 [3:42]
22. Edwin Fischer - Bach: Prelude No 2 in C Minor/Prelude No 1 in C Major/Clavier Concerto/Beethoven: Piano Concerto No 4 in G Major [4:18]
23. Emil Gilels - Rachmaninoff: Prelude No 5 in G Minor Op 23 [2:44]
24. Emil Gilels - Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No 1 in B Flat Minor Op 23 [1:59]
25. Sviatoslav Richter - Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No 1 in B Flat Minor Op 23 [2:44]
26. Sviatoslav Richter - Chopin: Etude No 12 in C Minor Op 10 [2:10]
27. Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli [1:42]
28. Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli - Scarlatti: Sonata in B Minor [2:33]
29. Glenn Gould - Bach: Partita No 2 in C Minor [2:06]
30. Glenn Gould - Ravel, arr. Gould: "La Valse" [1:44]
31. Glenn Gould - Bach: Piano Concerto No 1 in D Minor [2:59]
32. Claudio Arrau [2:51]
33. Claudio Arrau - Brahms: Piano Concerto No 2 in B Flat Op 83 [2:50]
34. Claudio Arrau - Beethoven: Sonata in C Minor Op 111 [7:32]
35. Annie Fischer - Chopin: Waltz No 1 in D Flat Major Op 64 [1:53]

Next Weekend: Eroica film festival

7/31 Richter: The Enigma

Today's post will be "and More" (from the "LvB and More" title of this blog).

My favorite pianist is Sviatoslav Richter ('rish-ta'). Unlike most pianists, his repertoire covers everyone from Bach to Berg, Baroque to 20th Century. He premiered several of Prokofiev's piano sonatas and I still think his interpretations are without peer. He learned his craft not through a carefully-constructed career path involving lessons at 3 and tournaments at 7, but rather through playing background piano for operas, ballets and cabaret shows. Subsequently, at his first real lesson his teacher proclaimed him to be a genius. When the celebrated pianist Emil Gilels came to America he would tell interviewers "if you think I'm good, wait till you hear Richter." At the end of his career he was uncomfortable with the role of the performer as star and preferred to perform in the dark with only a single lamp lighting his sheet music. In later years he wanted to bring music "to the people". He played shows in small country towns in Siberia, sometimes in churches (since there were no actual concert halls). He had a piano with him in the back of a truck.

Even though Richter is my favorite pianist, ironically I can't claim him as my favorite Beethoven pianist. His Beethoven is magnificent, and Richter's intention is to be nothing more than a pure conduit between the composer and the listener. Yet, when I hear his recordings I think Richter first and Beethoven second. He never performed all of Beethoven's sonatas (including the Waldstein). Maybe that tells something right there.

Here's a fantastic documentary in two parts, "Richter: The Enigma", Parts 1 and 2 (Directed by Bruno Monsaingeon, 1998). It's basically a 'memory walk' with Richter himself.  It's pretty long, each part is 77 minutes long, so set aside a good 2 and a half hours.  You can use the controls at the bottom to skip to a part of the program if you want to view it in parts.  Or use Keepvid to download the whole thing to your computer.  You can use my playlist.  But it is one of my favorite documentaries on a pianist (or musician) ever made. 
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0180096/