Sviatoslav Richter Essentials

By the standards of great pianists, Richter started late—he was 19 when he went to study with Heinrich Neuhaus. His recordings preceded him to the West, and when he finally appeared in the U.S. in 1960 and the UK the following year, he was lionized. His repertoire was very broad, and late in life he'd play whatever took his fancy in darkened concert halls, with only a single light on the piano. And still, his playing was magnificent and cultivated. Bach was an important composer for him, but he played all the greats with a style that made him unique.