Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1; Piano Sonata No. 22.

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1; Piano Sonata No. 22. Sviatoslav Richter, piano; Charles Munch, Boston Symphony Orchestra. JVC JM-XR24018.

I'm afraid that since JVC started sending me their XRCD audiophile remasters, I've become rather spoiled by them. Take, for instance, this Beethoven First Piano Concerto recorded in 1962. The sound is rock-solid. Not like most of today's classical recordings that to me can appear misty, cloudy, or fuzzy or overly soft or overly hard. With the exception of a little background noise, this older recording from JVC sounds just right, especially the piano, which is strong and steady in an unexaggerated way. These JVC issues may be expensive, but they provide great pleasure.

Sviatoslav Richter was a legend in Soviet Russia before being allowed to record in the West. When he did start recording in America, it was for RCA in their "Living Stereo" series, one of the best places for any artist to record. Backed by Charles Munch and his Boston Symphony Orchestra, Richter brings a robust vitality to this first of Beethoven's five piano concertos. Fact is, I hadn't really thought about the piece much in quite a while until hearing it on this JVC recording. I hadn't remembered it being as thoroughly Romantic or as thoroughly powerful as it is, nor had I remembered how lovely and embracing the slow movement can be. Maybe it's just Richter who brings out the best in it, I don't know. Going back and listening to Perahia and Haitink on Sony, a hitherto favorite, finds them good but not nearly so dynamic or persuasive.

I have often found Munch and the Boston Symphony to sound thin, steely, and hard in these early RCA releases, but not here. There is nothing thin or bright about the sound here. It is, if anything, darkly aggressive and absolutely stable, well complementing Richter's sturdy, energetic, and wholly realistic piano.

The companion piece on the disc is Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 22, which also comes off in a most vigorous and dramatic fashion. Richter's way with a keyboard is both precise and incisive, making each note sound out loudly and clearly and purposefully. As with the Concerto, it is a most impressive performance and a worthy coupling.

Fact is, for about ten bucks you can get Richter's performance of the Piano Concerto and two sonatas on a mid-priced RCA release, but I doubt you would get quite the sonic impact of the JVC. I cannot recommend any of the JVC discs unconditionally, given their price tags, but I can say that if you want the best, you pay the price.