Sviatoslav Richter's teacher, Heinrich Neuhaus, supported him materially by housing him for years, with Richter reportedly sleeping under Neuhaus's grand piano.
Interpretation
Sviatoslav Richter performed Chopin's Etude No. 1 Op. 10 a total of 224 times over 60 years, from his first recital in 1934 until 1995.
Historical Context
Sviatoslav Richter's father was arrested during Stalin's Great Purge in 1937 due to his German ancestry and was executed in 1941 as an alleged spy.
Performer Biography
Sviatoslav Richter premiered Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Sonatas Nos. 6, 7, and 9, having been introduced to the composer by his teacher Heinrich Neuhaus.
Performer Biography
An asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter has been named 'Sviatorichter' since October 22, 1985, after the pianist Sviatoslav Richter.
Performer Biography
Sviatoslav Richter, born in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, began working as a rehearsal pianist at the Odessa opera house at age 15 without formal academic training.
Interpretation
Sviatoslav Richter kept Liszt's 'Feux follets' (will-o'-the-wisp), one of the most difficult piano studies, in his repertoire for 50 years, from 1938 to 1988.
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