№ 269/кор. 100th Birth Anniversary of Svyatoslav T. Richter (1915‒1997), pianist

Svyatoslav T. Richter (1915-1997) was one of the greatest pianists of the XX century. He is known for his virtuoso technique, repertoire diversity and depth of interpretation.

Svyatoslav Richter was born in Zhytomir, March 20, 1915. Over time the family moved to Odessa. His father was a musician and he gave first piano lessons to his son.

Richter became an accompanist in the music circle at the House of the seaman when he was fifteen years old. After graduation, he worked in the Odessa Philharmonic as a concertmaster for several years, and he began working in the Odessa Opera House in 1932.

Richter went to Moscow and entered the Moscow Conservatory in spring 1937, where November 26, 1940, and he made the debut.

Svyatoslav Richter was in Moscow during the war. He gave concerts whenever it was possible. He took part and awarded his first prize in the All-Union competition of musicians in 1945; he was awarded the Stalin Prize in 1949.

The real sensation was a concert of Richter in New York and in other US cities in 1960. The same year the musician was awarded "Grammy" for the execution of the Second Piano Concerto by Brahms (he became the first Soviet performer awarded “Grammy”).

The envelope with the original stamp depicts a portrait of Svyatoslav Richter and a fragment of musical notation of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue No. 1 in C major on a postage stamp; the main image is a pianist at the piano.